New to Hawk'in

A

Armadeli

Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Messages
6
I had a Gransfors hatchet on my gear wishlist until today...
Now I'm considering a tomahawk. I know the Grans would make nice for camp, but now I want to throw too. After hours of searching for info, I have finally found some info. Thanks guys. Via this forum, I found American Tomahawk. Somehow I never saw them in my most recent compy of BQM. I will probably get a HB first to make sure I would use one enough to spend the kinda money AT wants. New to the idea of a tomahawk, I have some newbie questions.
What is the spike used for? I can let my imagination fly (pun intended) but want practical ideas.
Does the next gen ranger make a good thrower?
Would the benifits of having the spike out-weigh having the flat hammer end?
 
Welcome. I'll try and answer some of the questions you have as I was once in your shoes.

Good call on getting a less expensive hawk first to test what you like. ATC is awesome, but if you're not sure if you want one, there are several guys that won't use anything but HB. This I know.

I read an article somewhere in the past about two fellas that took spike tomahawks (ATC's vietnam, if I remember correctly) for about a week survival trip. They used the spike for a lot of different camp chores. Breaking up dead wood for kindling and punching through frozen-over lake water and hard ground are the ones that jump to mind right away. I know there were others, but they evade me right now.

If you are curious about the Next Gen in particular, I suggest jumping over to the Manufacturer's Forums on this website and clicking on American Tomahawk Company. If you do post over there, though, just don't forget us fellas over here in the regular tomahawk forum. haha ;)

Spike or hammer is a question that will be long debated. It really is a matter of personal preference and whether or not you'll be hammering more than you will breaking up stuff and whatnot. I'm sure some other guys will post their opinions.

Me personally, right now I only have a round poll hawk in my possession, however I've got a custom pipe tomahawk on order. I'm thinking my next might be a spike, then I'll complete the set with a hammer of some type, I'm sure. I've got a few designs in my head that I'd like to have made.
 
FSC, thanks for the welcome and the help. I spent some time in the AT mfg side before I posted and figured I would get a less bias opinion posting here. I'll bet the ATs are worth every penny and they certainly have a following, but I knew what kinda response I'd get over there. I'm already sold on their product, you know. I guess to get a better idea on it's throwing capabilities I will need to venture back to that side though. :confused: Call me stupid but, is the pipe more for smoking or just nostalgia?
 
The pipe on the hawk I am having made can be 100% used for smoking. I'll probably do it at least once just to say I did. However, the real reason I wanted it is because the pipe tomahawk is the only truly unique Amerian weapon. There is no record of a pipe-polled axe anywhere before the early 1700's in America.
 
The spike hawk is an ancient design. Pls. correct me if I'm wrong but the spike hawk design may be pre Queen Anne's War period or there abouts. At least F&I War period. The ATC design is different than the old design. One older spike hawk design Europeans traded to the Injuns was more like a pick. Then there is the Black Watch design, which has a triangular spike rather than the modern ATC diamond shaped spike.. The spike is just another option for the other side of the hawk head. The spike can be used as a weapon or a digger? A flat poll or even round reverse side can be used as a club or to drive nails. Your choice.
I saw the ATC hawks. They look nice, but the price is such a turnoff. The CS Vietnam hawk is the same thing for alot less. The H&B is always a great choice as an all around hawk for throwing, chopping kindling , or for a SD weapon. Save yourself $110 and get the H&B. It will do anything you need and you can throw it too for ALOT less do-re me....
 
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