Had to Return CS Trail Hawk...

Sulaco

Sulaco

Gold Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2003
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I got my CS Trail Hawk yesterday and at first, everything looked good. The grind was nice, the poll was nice and flat, the grain was straight on the handle, but as I got to looking down the handle from the top, I noticed the blade was crooked. I thought maybe it was the grind, but it was the entire head! From where the head meets the handle, all the way to the grind/edge, the entire head was 'bent' to the side. I feel certain as I looked at it, that it left the factory this way because it didn't show any signs of being damaged in shipping, etc.

Anyway, Amazon is sending me a replacement and paying shipping both ways so we'll see what the next one looks like. If it is messed up, I guess I'll go ahead and jump on the Husky/Wetterling hatchet bandwagon! ;)

Anybody else had QC issues w/ CS hawks?
 
Sure have heard a lot of complaints lately about things coming from Amazon. Sorry your hawk wasn't right.
 
Liveitloud said:
Sure have heard a lot of complaints lately about things coming from Amazon. Sorry your hawk wasn't right.
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Yeah, I'd much prefer to use a small company (and I do when I can find an item in stock, competitively priced) but at least w/ Amazon, it's a no hassle return policy. We'll see what they send me next!
 
I had the same problem with my vietnam hawk many years ago but at the time i didnt know any better and didnt send it back and just kept it . I still have and use it but if i ever buy another one and have that problem it will go back this time hope your next one is better .
 
I ordered from Amazon as well. My head was perfect and so was my handle grain. Hopefully you'll get a good one this time.
 
I ordered mine from amazon without a problem. I'm sure your replacement will be fine. Sucks for the hassle though.
 
It's not an Amazon problem, it's a CS problem. When you buy something that cheap, what you're NOT paying for is QC.

Sometimes you get a pig, sometimes they come perfect. You roll your dice and take your chances.
 
That is the nature of a mass produced cheap item. I assume they will exchange with no hassle
 
Not with my Trail Hawk, but my Spike and Frontier both leave a lot to be desired. I thought I could get the same heavy use out of them as I did the TH, but the Spike Hawk's signature spike snapped off after chopping some light kindling. I think it was a heat treatment problem.
Also, both of them wobble on their hafts (damn set pins), so I'm going to have to get some loctite in there to fix it.
 
I ordered a Pipe Hawk from SMKW that came crooked. Returned it with a note and got a straight one. I have heard from a few other people that had crooked blades as well.
 
Tentmaker said:
Not with my Trail Hawk, but my Spike and Frontier both leave a lot to be desired. I thought I could get the same heavy use out of them as I did the TH, but the Spike Hawk's signature spike snapped off after chopping some light kindling. I think it was a heat treatment problem.
Also, both of them wobble on their hafts (damn set pins), so I'm going to have to get some loctite in there to fix it.
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Or just remove the set pin.
 
I agree with both of the above posters, however, the set pin is stripped so completely that no allen key can turn it. I'll have to work on that. Any ideas for getting that bugger out?
 
Tentmaker said:
I agree with both of the above posters, however, the set pin is stripped so completely that no allen key can turn it. I'll have to work on that. Any ideas for getting that bugger out?
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Maybe use a allen head on a torque screwdriver or get one of those stripped screw remover sets from sears. Or just drill everything out with a drill bit roughly a size larger than the hole; I ended up drilling and smoothing out the hole so I could put paracord through it to hang it on my pack.
 
I just got my Trail Hawk yesterday. It being my only hawk I have little to compare it against but I noticed a few areas where quality seemed to be lacking.

The grind on the head is not fully extended to the edges of the sharpened area. Its probably less then a mm so I'm not too concerned but I will have to touch it up with a file and resharpen.

The head its self was loose, even with the set screw.

The top and bottom of the haft had tool markings that were not removed.

All in all I was happy with it, I paid like 24 dollars CAN so I can't expect it to be the same standard as knives I have spend 200 dollars on.
 
mat_890 said:
I just got my Trail Hawk yesterday. It being my only hawk I have little to compare it against but I noticed a few areas where quality seemed to be lacking.

The grind on the head is not fully extended to the edges of the sharpened area. Its probably less then a mm so I'm not too concerned but I will have to touch it up with a file and resharpen.

The head its self was loose, even with the set screw.

The top and bottom of the haft had tool markings that were not removed.

All in all I was happy with it, I paid like 24 dollars CAN so I can't expect it to be the same standard as knives I have spend 200 dollars on.
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They don't come perfect by any means, but if you put in a little TLC they become great tools. Those tool markings are normal on the hafts (from the lathe). On mine, I removed the set pin (friction fit), stripped the paint off the head, convexed and sharpened the bit and cut my haft down to 20".
 
First thing anyone should do when they first get a CS hawk is lose the set screw. Not only will it chew up your haft, they always seem to drill the hole too low on the haft, so if you use the set screw the head has no choice but to wobble.
 
I think many of these places buy factory seconds & sell them for a profit to unsuspecting consumers. Probably 80-90% are never returned. A blade enthusiast would catch it, but i also know that i am the only one in my family that would catch something like that. This is JMHO & i have no proof. A 100% money back guarentee puts most peoples minds at ease. A reputable place would not do this. Most knife shops employ knife people, who prob would not do that. JMHO.
 
not a trail hawk but the rifleman's, I ordered one 15 years ago from a cutlery company andthe kept putting this hawk on back order, they said CS was having problems with QC. they make them in Tiawan then ship them over on the boat, I guess shipping takes 4 months + or -and they did this like 3 times, took a year to get a good shipment to the U S, finally got one.

SOS DD. but they are a good cheap beater if you get a nice one.
 
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