Hawk or hatchet -- why did you choose?

BearKinder

BearKinder

Joined
Dec 24, 2010
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130
Here's a question:

For those that use a hawk or hatchet, or have both, but don't bring both every time,

why did you choose to use one or the other. For those that have both, under what circumstances do you pick one or the other for an outing.
 
Both are the same basic concept, but with slightly different specialties. Another bladeforums member that I cannot recall stated it well when he said, "A hatchet is a woods tool that can be a fighting tool, while a tomahawk is a fighting tool that can be a woods tool".

Tomahawks generally have straighter handles with no curve near the end. This is so they are more easily thrown. Hatchets generally have a curved handle at the end for a more secure grip.

Also, tomahawks head can be easily removed most of the time, and then refastened onto a different piece of wood fairly easily. Axes are pretty solidly attached.

Throwing plays a part in the design of a tomahawk, but not in the design of a hatchet.

Here is a couple of threads that can help you out.

JGON

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=802342

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=792826&highlight=ia+woodsman
 
Thanks.

But I'm not asking how to decide, I'm asking how do YOU decide? Where do you draw the line for which YOU take that day?
 
I usually have a hawk in hand when woods walking and that is what differentiates it from a hatchet, IMHO. On days when I carry my Wetterlings it is strapped to my pack. The hawk is always in hand.

I find that the hawk becomes an extension of my arm. Busting brush, holding branches out of the way, busting up rotten logs, splitting firewood, making feather sticks, digging holes (spike side), supporting me on steep side hills, chucking at trees when I get bored, etc.. The list goes on and on.

A hatchet or axe will outchop a hawk 9 times out of 10. But I still prefer the hawk. It's not necessarily that it's more versatile (a hatchet will do all of the things mentioned above). But the lighter weight and longer haft of the hawk generally means that it is in my hand and ready for action.
 
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I like hawks, it just feels.......... right

The extra leverage, the extra power when swinging, and usually hawks weigh less in my experience. And I can usually get hawks sharper that hatchets too.
 
I take a 'hawk for fun, or when a fire is just for enjoyment rather than a need. Actually, I could say nearly the same thing about a hatchet or an axe, now that I think about it... I usually take a bow saw and long blade for when decent fires are needed.

I do keep looking at that CS Spike Hawk however... With a long handle, it could dig, chop, hook wood, push brush aside, etc. and be a pretty cool woods tool. I guess most everything I do with the Norse Hawk, 'cept I don't dig with it... :D
 
I love all tools that a piece of metal on the end of a stick.

But I would go with a hatchet first. I like the handle part better grip and can work with a little looser grip causing less fatigue when putting your tool to some hard use. Also less likely to to have your to slip from your grasp when your palms are sweaty and your tool has a know on the end of it......Gee that part doesn't sound right, but you know what I mean.

I have a few tomahawks and I have thought about taking a plane or file and making a flat spot near the end of the handle and gluing and pegging a small block of wood and shaping it down to put some swell at the end of my tool for better grip.

And I think if you live where it gets cold this could be handy if you have to work in gloves.

just some thoughts, may post more latter


Pat
 
JGON said:
Another bladeforums member that I cannot recall stated it well when he said, "A hatchet is a woods tool that can be a fighting tool, while a tomahawk is a fighting tool that can be a woods tool".
Click to expand...

That would be me :cool:

I prefer the tomahawk for the combination of lighter weight and longer reach.

Which is why the first thing I do to a new tomahawk is re-haft it if the handle is less than 21" long. I have no use for "tactical bag axes".
 
When I hike trails or off-trail or backpack I dont take axe or hawk. I carry a small Mora fixed blade with plastic handle and I consider that largely 'extra'. That helps with preparing fire materials but to be truthfully its not even necessary for that. I've taken a hawk car camping but thats just for fun, splitting some wood or whatever. Anyway hawk or axe arent important to me in the woods unless its for fun, like if I want to practice throwing or something.
 
Wolf_1989 said:
That would be me :cool:

I prefer the tomahawk for the combination of lighter weight and longer reach.

Which is why the first thing I do to a new tomahawk is re-haft it if the handle is less than 21" long. I have no use for "tactical bag axes".
Click to expand...

Thinking of going longer, what length haft do you prefer?

To the OP. I have a GB mini I take when I don't expect to use it and want something more easily packable. If I know I'm going to chop, camping for example, or I'm going off trail I prefer the tomahawk. Two reasons, first it's generally lighter than a hatchet of similar size so it's not as much of a pain to carry. Second, the ability to re-haft the head if the original broke is a big plus for a survival type tool. As far as the overall geometries are concerned, there isn't actually that much difference between my mini and my trail hawk. The trail hawk has a longer bit and 1/4" less cutting surface but the thickness of the bits are very similar. I think tomahawks are just as capable as hatchets for chopping.
 
I always go with a hatchet (actually most times it’s an axe). There is no inherent difference between the weight of a tomahawk and that of a hatchet. You can find either in many weight variations. Assuming that you have a hatchet and a tomahawk with the same weight head, the hatchet will outperform the hawk when it comes to chopping and splitting because of the head design. The hawks are easier to re-handle because of the round eye, so that might be a consideration. It’s not for me-I can re-handle an axe if I had to.

Tomahawks were originally designed as mass produced low cost versions of larger European axes, to serve as trade goods. The early models had no pole, following the European axe designs. These days polls have been added to most hawks, but the narrow bit combined with the abruptly expanding round eye limits the performance of the hawk. That is why most European axe designs, which resembled hawks, were later abandoned. Tomahawk designs these days more and more resemble hatchets, so depending on which model a person gets, we might be talking about the same thing.
 
Shotgun said:
Thinking of going longer, what length haft do you prefer?

To the OP. I have a GB mini I take when I don't expect to use it and want something more easily packable. If I know I'm going to chop, camping for example, or I'm going off trail I prefer the tomahawk. Two reasons, first it's generally lighter than a hatchet of similar size so it's not as much of a pain to carry. Second, the ability to re-haft the head if the original broke is a big plus for a survival type tool. As far as the overall geometries are concerned, there isn't actually that much difference between my mini and my trail hawk. The trail hawk has a longer bit and 1/4" less cutting surface but the thickness of the bits are very similar. I think tomahawks are just as capable as hatchets for chopping.
Click to expand...

Anymore I'm tending to use Cold Steel's 22" handles. If I go through the work of carving my own from a sledgehammer handle, I start at 25" and gradually shorten it till it 'feels right'. Usually it ends up being 22" - 23".
 
Hawk, because they're lighter than most of the hatchets i've seen, and have a longer haft for more speed/leverage.
 
I like to have my Hatchet/Axe/Maul to process wood.

I have a thing for efficiency:thumbup:
 
When its a "just in case" I might need to cut or chop a bit I take a hawk..
When I know I have to work it hard I take a hatchet..
 
Mine is almost always a hawk. Its light and fast and has 2 very important features that I like..#1 the spike poll, Which I refer to as a "Digger Spike", Around here you're simply not going to dig a hole in the ground without some kind of pick to break it up. #2 The haft, most hatchets/axes have an eye shape that requires some fitting if replacing the handle where as a hawk is really just a round hole (or at least semi round) and much easier to do if you need to.
 
I carry a hawk for offensive purposes, and some breeching activities, y prefer a full tang hawk, because of all the abuse a put it trough. The tomahawk is the best CQC weapon to have in my opinion, even in extreme close quarters just chock up the handle.

IMG00156-20101109-1015.jpg
 
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