"Make fire in any conditions" kit

Thanks again for the feedback. Have ordered a Wetterling Long Forest Axe, a Pocket Chain Saw, and a Trail Blazer Saw. I will be testing them all out this month (maybe next month, my travel schedule is nuts this month). Will post some of my results later on. The price on the Gransfors Bruks saws had made me hesitate. After learning about the Wetterling and reading the reviews, I figured I would give it a try. Will likely be purchasing a Hawk to try out as well, but looking forward to testing out this other gear. One of my personal goals this year is to significantly improve my fire starting skills. Planning on trading in my Jet Boil stove for a small wood burner. That will force some practice.
 
Thomas Linton said:
The picture makes a significant point. The typical hawk - and Small Forest Axe for that matter, is a suburb cutter but not optimized to split - especially hardwood.
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Depends on how you're splitting really. With a hawk or a hatchet you shouldn't be going after wood bigger around then your arm and a hawk can split that kind of wood just fine. Also, the quality on my trail hawk is plenty good. It's not as nice looking as a GB but it holds it's edge well and doesn't deform easily. Heck I've never had to repair the edge on my trail hawk. A few mintues sharpening is all it's needed. If you want to fell a forest then get a 3/4 axe or better. For simple survival tasks a hawk is fine.
 
I have the HB Shawnee. It was my first tomahawk and to this day is my favorite. Awesome bushcraft tool and even better thrower. Very sharp, stays that way, and if you miss your target, shapes back up very easily with an arkansas stone. Their buffalo hide sheath is also heavily suggested. I've treated mine with everything-beeswax, linseed oil, shoe polish, it takes it all and looks great. Bombproof design. Great F&F, knife sharp edge from the factory.
 
What can you do with a 'hawk, that you can't do with a 1/4" thick 5" bladed knife like an ESEE-5 and a log to whack the back of it with?

I'm not trying to bash 'hawks, just to figure out if I'm missing out on something. I love my CS tomahawks, but they always end up being left behind in favor of a stout knife.
 
RatDrall said:
What can you do with a 'hawk, that you can't do with a 1/4" thick 5" bladed knife like an ESEE-5 and a log to whack the back of it with?

I'm not trying to bash 'hawks, just to figure out if I'm missing out on something. I love my CS tomahawks, but they always end up being left behind in favor of a stout knife.
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Probably nothing, but I find them to be fun to use. I did a chop off last year between my old Becker Brute and the C.S. Frontier hawk. The hawk won because starting a fire quickly around here is an important factor at times. I found that the lever action of the hawk handle got me up and out of the material quicker than a pinched battoned knife. The hawk processed wood quicker for me.
 
They are awesome for carving. The blade is very light and easy to control, and using a lever allows you to make precision chops with detail that would drop your jaw. Throwing them is super fun, and my favorite camp activity if I'm set up before dark. They would be much more efficient at chopping than an RC6. My HB Forge hawk is a better slicer than my 5. I've used my hawk as an 'ice axe' of sorts for giving me a hold on a steep bank of loose dust. I even use the toe of my hawk as a pickaroon of sorts for carrying or dragging wood instead of abusing my bad hands. It's a good companion tool and considering its overall weight, I don't think I could NOT justify it. Until the wood stops freezing, anyway...
 
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