Modding the C.S. Spike Hawk

[Pipeman]

I like the look of the hawk very much but I do have a question. ;-)) Who ya gonna whack with it?

Regards

Robin

 

[hawkhead]

One Spike Hawk is for Zombies, the other Spike Hawk is for Commies. Now, which is which?

 

[Pipeman]

We only have Bears in this part of the world and I love them, so I guess it's just dead trees for me ;-))

Regards

Robin

 

[hawkhead]

There is another Spike Hawk and a Pipe Hawk in the works.
In my neck of the woods, we have bear, deer, wild turkey, fox and many types of small game on a daily basis. They mind their own business and just pass through.

 

[Peak_Oil]

It is also stupid to blame the user for everything. There are safe tools and unsafe tools. This mod is one of the latter as far as wood work is concerned, IMO.

I can also not see any benefits of a rounded top edge in compative use or demolition.

Ookami

It's stupid to blame the user for everything, but it's lazy to blame the tool for anything.

This comes from my background as a firearms enthusiast. There is a line of thought in which there is no such thing as an Accidental Discharge. There is only Negligent Discharge. Here's how that line of thinking goes.

Let's say that a metal part in your firearm failed and that's why it went off. The safety indicator was dirty and you thought it was Safe when it was Live. A spring broke. The safety wasn't engaged properly, disengaged, and the firearm went off.

In each of those cases, you could easily say, The manufacturer was to blame. The ND Only line of thought says that you are responsible for every round that leaves that weapon without exception. You need to satisfy yourself that the firearm is in safe operating condition by disassembling it, testing the parts for wholeness, reassembling, lubricating, examining ammunition for bulged cases or rounds not seated correctly, etc.

If you buy a used gun and just take it out to the range, load a round, and pull the trigger, then if it blows up in your hand it's your fault. You should have checked. At a bare minimum, you should have taken it to a competent gunsmith and had it checked and test fired. If you don't know a competent gunsmith you should find one.

It's obvious that if you had a few beers and were finger-f#$king your guns and showing off for your friends and shot a hole in your roof that it was negligent. Failing to take complete responsibility for your firearms should probably be considered negligent.

To make a long story short, if you're going to use a tomahawk like the OP's, you should probably find a way to make yourself proficient in its use before using it hard enough that you could wind up in trouble. Picking it up out of the package and taking your first swing with it as hard as you can as though it was a stock cold steel spike hawk should probably be considered negligence.

 

[Peak_Oil]

One Spike Hawk is for Zombies, the other Spike Hawk is for Commies. Now, which is which?

The one in your OP should be for commies, the other one for zombies. You need a central nervous system hit on a zombie for it to count, slashing hits are more for opening up wound channels. Also, with the top of the blade rounded, you're more likely to slash through a wool greatcoat.

You took some metal off the spike on the first one though, that's your tool for puncturing the skull.

I dunno.

 

[Ookami]

To make a long story short, if you're going to use a tomahawk like the OP's, you should probably find a way to make yourself proficient in its use before using it hard enough that you could wind up in trouble. Picking it up out of the package and taking your first swing with it as hard as you can as though it was a stock cold steel spike hawk should probably be considered negligence.

Don't you get cute with me. I am sufficiently proficient. I use my 'hawk for gathering wood and carving. Also, I have years of martial arts training with melee weapons that give me additional safety and insight.

To stick with your firearms example, there are guns that are potentially unsafe like the later variation of the SKS, where the design of the firepin can cause an accidental discharge under certain circumstances.

What I was saying is that the rounded off top edge is the same: a design change, that makes the 'hawk potentially more dangerous to the user. I also doubt the alledged gain in slashing potential for several reasons. The only improvement I can see is for skinning.


Ookami

 

[hawkhead]

Whoa! I thought this argument was settled a couple of weeks ago. I'm no hawk fighter nor am I a martial arts expert. I am, however, a combat veteran. (2 Vietnam tours) When TSHTF I'm grabbing a firearm, ammo, a couple of knives and my bug out bag. There will be a hawk, but not for close quarter combat. I'm not stupid enough to think I'd come out on the clean end of the stick in a hawk or a knife fight. I've taken my share of rifle and pistol awards and these are my weapons of choice.
It's fun to talk about zombies and assorted b/s but there's more important things to get the hackles up about than some esoteric crap about a friggin' tomahawk that was only an exercise. For everyone's info... I'm not that crazy about it and I made it. So woopty friggin' do.
Right now I'm ejoying a beer on my patio and taking a break from modding a Pipe hawk on my day off. Monday will come soon enough and so will my residents and patients. I'm busy being a hawkhead and enjoying my hobbies for a couple more days. Life's too short for being sooo serious.

 

[Peak_Oil]

Don't you get cute with me. I am sufficiently proficient. I use my 'hawk for gathering wood and carving. Also, I have years of martial arts training with melee weapons that give me additional safety and insight.

To stick with your firearms example, there are guns that are potentially unsafe like the later variation of the SKS, where the design of the firepin can cause an accidental discharge under certain circumstances.

What I was saying is that the rounded off top edge is the same: a design change, that makes the 'hawk potentially more dangerous to the user. I also doubt the alledged gain in slashing potential for several reasons. The only improvement I can see is for skinning.


Ookami

Easy, bud. I wasn't saying "you" as in you=Ookami, it was more like "you" as in you=everybody.

I agree with your firearms analogy, too. If you pick up a firearm, you should know about faulty firing pins and make a decision about whether to use it.

 

[Ookami]

Well, your post was just massively rubbing me the wrong way, especially since I offered to agree to disagree like a month ago.

Looked a bit like you was stirring up the you know what and I didn't wanna take it.

BTW; I like the latest mod much better.


Ookami

 

[hawkhead]

Thanks Ookami. I mod hawks for relaxation and I take pride in craftsmanship.
I do each mod as an exercise in design and fabrication. I post pics of my hawks for fellow hawk men and I am grateful to anyone who takes the time to view and respond positively or negatively to my work. Each hawk is a stepping stone to the next. Right now my Pipe hawk mod is progressing well and will be the first to wear a patina rather than an epoxy finish. The big PIA is the screw hole. I would like to make a pewter inlay(that's easy); it's the transformation of the hole into a new design...