Mod'ing The CS Trail Hawk

So I've been working on my trail hawk. I thought I'd get more of an affinity for it after I handled it more and altered it some but no. It's not for me. It's too... tiny. That's the right word for it: tiny. I consider a hawk this tiny to be more of a bag axe than a true tomahawk. Even with a longer handle it's just too... tiny... for me. Sorry guys I know ya'll really like this model but I'm not a fan.

I'll mod it up and probably end up giving to my brother.

However I probably will end up modding more Norse Hawks from now on. IMO that's the best tomahawk type axe Cold Steel offers.
 
After looking at this thread for a couple of years, I took the chance and bought 2 Trail hawks. At first I thought they were too small, however it depends on the use whether or not the T.H. would be your choice. I enjoy modifying them. For me, I prefer the LaGana Vietnam hawk, the C.S. Spike and Trench hawk. IMO there are times when the very thing that turns you away from the T.H. may be just what is needed another time. There is very little margin for error and the hawkmen here have all shown extraordinary creativity considering the limited amount of steel to work with. I find that sometimes there is no substitute for the extra mass of steel.
 
hawkhead said:
IMO there are times when the very thing that turns you away from the T.H. may be just what is needed another time.
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I've been using tomahawks in the woods for a long time and I have never once ever said "gee I sure wish my tomahawk was smaller".
 
Started working on the trail hawk but hit a snag.....what size is the hex screw in the head.....can't find one to fit!
 
rwasham said:
Started working on the trail hawk but hit a snag.....what size is the hex screw in the head.....can't find one to fit!
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I have a bunch of old allen wrenches around and not a single one would fit. What I ended up doing was using my dremel to lightly shave down one so it would fit.

I suspect they use a proprietary size like the screws for the langets (which no one else anywhere carries).
 
I figured out what hex it takes if anyone needs to know for future reference it's the metric size 3 mm
 
I wanna post my norse hawk here since this is the thread where I got all the advice I needed to customize it. Stainless wire, stainless lanyard tube, burnt haft, baked on vinegar patina. 4 inches of OD green chord wrapped handle and that'll do it. Can't wait to try a trail hawk!
IMG_6344.jpg


EDIT: Like so!
IMG_6355.jpg
 
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Wow thats awesome. Would love to hear more detail on how you did the steel wire.

Baked on vinegar patina is nice, too, how'd you do it?
 
Ok so I'm just about done with my Trail Hawk project. I have it on a 22" handle carved into nice form and all decorated nicely.

I don't know. It's a bit tiny for use as a serious general purpose tool out in the woods but I bet it's a hella nasty combat weapon. VERY fast in the hand.
 
Alright, all the great mods here inspired me to take mine a step further.

Tomahaken.jpg


Tomahaken2.jpg


I started out with a turk's head knot - used rawhide first, but it came off after it had dried; So I tried leather and it's still taut.

Then I added a little pyrography quote in braille and two tacks on each side of the handle. I have pondered whether I should have done more than two, but then decided it'd look tacky.:rolleyes:

I also made a little blade cover from old leather and copper rivets.


Ookami
 
This is my first one.I am proud of it but have picked it apart.The next one s gonna be a doozy.
 
Nice, excellent day for hawks, both with novel mods. Really liking the handles on both, long and short.
 
I myself thinking of buying a new trail hawk then modifying it by bringing it to a machine shop and having them drill a threaded hole through the hammer poll of the tomahawk. In this threaded hole, i can screw in several useful tools making the tomahawk modular. Some tools that i envision as a modular attachments are:

1. A basic flat hammer face
2. A spike
3. A ballpeen hammer poll
3. A pronged warhammer face
4. A chisel
5. A prybar

etc...

Unfortunately, I've never tried anything like this before and have no experience in machining, metallurgy or any other related fields. Thus, I'm afraid that the threaded attachments might break off from the stress.

Another option is that I modify the tomahawk's hammer poll to accept slip on attachments. What do you guys think? Is this project feasible? Has anyone tried this before?
 
seabornshade said:
I myself thinking of buying a new trail hawk then modifying it by bringing it to a machine shop and having them drill a threaded hole through the hammer poll of the tomahawk. In this threaded hole, i can screw in several useful tools making the tomahawk modular. Some tools that i envision as a modular attachments are:

1. A basic flat hammer face
2. A spike
3. A ballpeen hammer poll
3. A pronged warhammer face
4. A chisel
5. A prybar

etc...

Unfortunately, I've never tried anything like this before and have no experience in machining, metallurgy or any other related fields. Thus, I'm afraid that the threaded attachments might break off from the stress.

Another option is that I modify the tomahawk's hammer poll to accept slip on attachments. What do you guys think? Is this project feasible? Has anyone tried this before?
Click to expand...

I recall seeing a historical example of this idea in a book or magazine some years ago. IIRC it was thought to have been Dutch in origin and was a pipe tomahawk with threaded pipe bowl and came with a threaded spike which could be screwed into the pipe bowl converting the weapon into a spike tomahawk.
 
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