Just what is A Tomahawk?

Joined
Jul 12, 2001
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6
After showing my wife my new tomahawk (coldsteel - sorry for offending) she looked at it and said that is an interesting axe. I told her no, it is a tomahawk. In her standard "wisdom" she shot back "Why is it a tomahawk? It looks like an axe to me. What's the difference?"

I hate to admit it but I wasn't sure. What makes it a tomahawk?
Explainations that can be used in lay-woman terms please!

Thanks,
Dave
 
Dave,

An axe is just an axe. A 'hawk is the physical manifestation of adult male Testosterone (you saw The Patriot right?) Just holding a 'hawk makes one more manly--being able to throw it and stick it from many many feet away elevates one to super-human status.

:)

Once you hear the THUNK-ing sound (as Andy likes to say) you'll be changed forever--mostly for the better. ;)
 
My understanding is this:

An axe is an edged handled utility tool used for rough and basic working of various materials.

A tomahawk is a combat weapon. Originally made of wood, stone, or crude non-alloy metal blades and designed to extend the natural reach and deliver a lacerating, crushing blow.

Both tools can cross-over in usage but neither tool comes close to the other's intended use.

Throwing a tomahawk (forgive me Mel) for historic purposes was more for amusement and entertainment than for offensive use. When your survival depends on a good allround multi-duty blade, a tomahawk fits the bill and you would think four times before donating it to an unfriendly.

Other thoughts...
 
I know this goes against conventional wisdom, but I think tomahawks may have been thrown quite a bit combat. For example the Franks (a tribe in Gaul/France in the late Roman, early dark ages) were famous for a thrown axe called a francisca.
 
Cliff,

Have you found that most tomahawks have a "type" of profile on the blade portion as opposed to hatchets you've seen?

Best,

Brian.
 
The things that make me call something a tomahawk are:

1. A single bit, with a hammer, pipe bowl, spike, or nothing opposing it.
2. The bit is much thinner at the takeoff than the width of the eye, instead of tapering steadily like a hatchet.
3. Sized for one-handed use.
4. Straight handle.
5. Edge length is significantly greater than top-bottom height of the eye, so the blade is generally triangular with maybe a curve or ear thrown in.
6. The bottom ear is dropped and the top ear, if there is one, doesn't extend too far above the top of the eye.

Some 'hawks are missing one or the other of these things, but when I picture a tomahawk in my head that's what it looks like. The more like that prototype it is, the more likely I am to call it a tomahawk.

And I'm sure there's some historical/functional reason for all these things, but I don't know enough about that . . . I just know what I've seen.

I think tomahawks ARE axes, though. They're a special sort . . . all tomahawks are axes, not all axes are 'hawks. All falcatas are swords, but not all swords are falcatas. Same difference.
 
Brian yes, a hatchet is optomized for chopping wood and thus the primary grind is convex to form the cheeks which wedge apart the wood, then concave to form the bit so as to allow deep penetration then convex to form the edge bevel. The only real exceptions to this are carpenters carving hatchets which are only used for light chopping and rough carving for heavy stock removal. They often have very thin cheeks and flat ground very thin edge bevels.

A 'Hawk on the other hand needs to be much lighter than a Hatchet as otherwise throwing would be very difficult as would any sort of weapons related use as the rate of ratigue is much too high. They reduce the weight as compared to a hatchet by forming the eye in a loop rather than the full head of a hatchet and of course they don't have the lip that many Hatchet heads do. As well the primary grind is convex as they don't need the cheeks for heavy wood chopping and the weight would be a problem. They also have convex edge grinds, but are *much* thicker than Hatchets, 2-3 times more obtuse and *much* thicker.

As well the steels on Hatchets is usually something like bandsaw stock (L6), and is in the 56-58 RC range. It can be worked with a file, but not as easily as a 'Hawk head which are often 8-10 RC points lower and of a lower carbon, lower alloy steel as you want a very high toughness to resist fracture even off of very hard objects like rocks.

So if you compare the two you will find that a quality hatchet will outchop and out cut a quality Hawk (both in terms of effort and raw penetration), and generally require far less sharpening. However - the Hatchet is unsuitable for throwing, even if you did put a straight handle on it, the bit is far too thin and too hard and could easily suffer gross damage that would not be readily reparied. Same thing for weapons related impacts, you could destroy a well crafted hatchet simulating combat impacts which would only blunt a 'Hawk.

There are of course all manner of sharp hatchet/hawk like things that fall inbetween the above and are usually the result of poor design. As the features are not independent and only when combined properly do they form a useful tool as they are intended to complement each other.

A Hawk should also be used for woodcraft in a different manner than a Hatchet so as to take full advantage of its design. The heavier edge for example can handle limbing and splitting even on hardwoods which can readily damage a fine hatchet, and as well during chopping you can using strong torques to clear out wood that can also destroy the bit of a hatchet.

-Cliff
 
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