I want a belt axe...

Grease

Grease

Joined
May 10, 2012
Messages
1,812
I love tomahawks. They're fun to use and useful, but they're just a little small for what I want.

What I'm looking for is, like... a bigger, heavier version of the Trail Hawk. Something with a bit more weight behind the edge, and a longer edge for slightly bigger tasks. Doesn't really matter to to me what the head looks like - spikes, hammer polls, or just a simple single bit would all work. I just want something rugged and big enough to chop wood that I can still stick in my belt when I'm out wandering in the woods.

What I'm not looking for is a modern hatchet or tactical hawk - I'm specifically looking for something that either is old, or looks older. Wood handle, not a tactical hawk head, etc.
 
One of these? The ones that flare above and below tend to be thinner than the ones that flare down only. Be careful not to get a chisel-edged hewing (broad) hatchet unless that's what you want. The down-flared ones are commonest at sales around here. Upper Left is a lathing hatchet, lower Right is a produce hatchet. I have a mast axe somewhere, not this pic.
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I like these, myself- kind of like early Iroquois hawks, except they'd have long curved spikes instead of hammers.
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Here's the mast axe.
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Thanks, I'm enjoying this thread.
 
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Yep, that's definitely along the lines of what I want!

Are there any makers I should look for in particular when searching?
 
Sometimes they're unmarked, which doesn't mean much. Plumb is always a good bet. Keen Kutter is a name to conjure with, but they're more rare and expensive. Keystone, C Hammond... fortunately they're often pretty cheap so you can afford to take a chance and find out the hard way.
I forgot to mention the Hudson's Bay pattern. They're usually by Norlund, which was created for the purpose of making this pattern. It's similar to the British belt axe of Revolutionary times, in that it looks like a tomahawk with a beefier poll. Council Tool still makes them on 18" and longer handles, I think. Also the True Temper Tomahawk from the 1940's looks sort of like a stream-lined Kentucky pattern (google belt axe and you'll get a couple of modern suppliers, but in 8-oz heads).
I'll find a pic of the HB-
Can't find an HB, for some reason. Here's the Tommy Tomahawk(top) with that Hammond claw-hatchet and the Tommy Axe (bottom).
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Here it is- HB on top, something continental on bottom, maybe German.
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Well, this thread sure was productive. 10 hours later and I'm finalizing a trade for one of these...

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