Pros and Cons between a K5 Hammer Poll and Spike

S

slick228

Joined
Mar 5, 2003
Messages
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I’m interested in purchasing a K5 Tactical Tomahawk, but I can’t decide between the Hammer Poll and Spike variation. Also, would it be illegal to possess the Spike Tomahawk in Los Angeles, California?
 
slick228 said:
I’m interested in purchasing a K5 Tactical Tomahawk, but I can’t decide between the Hammer Poll and Spike variation. Also, would it be illegal to possess the Spike Tomahawk in Los Angeles, California?
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To my mind, the difference is this: the spike version is optimised as a weapon, with some potential tool applications (demolition, mostly), and isn't much more lethal than the hammer poll version.

The hammer poll is optimised as a tool, but is almost as good a weapon as the spike poll. If you hit somebody in the head with the poll of either model, they're going to drop in their tracks, and may very well die.

I don't own any spike poll 'hawks; I tend to see my tomahawks as tools first with entertainment applications (i.e. throwing) that can be used effectively as melee weapons. So the hammer poll makes more sense to me.

Also, I have no desire to look like a practitioner of Shopping Center Ninjitsu in the eyes of anyone, especially local law enforcement or a jury in the event that I ever have to use a 'hawk in self defence. The tool factor makes hammer poll 'hawks a little safer in that respect.
 
I'm not sure but I believe that they blade length is such that they're not "illegal" per say but if you were using it or holding it in a menacing manner then you might have some trouble. Get Survival Sheath Systems to make you an under jacket shoulder rig to carry and you might get away with it unless they consider that "carrying tactical". I got in trouble that way carrying (2) Worden folders delpoyed in a shoulder rig. I forgot I had it on and took my jacket off. Even though the blades were legal the way I was carrying them wasn't. :(

If it were in your vehicle you cold say it's a "camping tool"
 
Thank you for your responses. Does anybody have close up pictures of the Poll Hammer portion of the K5 Tactical TomaHawk? What types of duty does your Poll Hammer or Spike perform?
 
slick228 said:
Thank you for your responses. Does anybody have close up pictures of the Poll Hammer portion of the K5 Tactical TomaHawk? What types of duty does your Poll Hammer or Spike perform?
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Any hawk I own or carry is predominately for breaching/demolition. If you believe in the 'U Never Know' doctrine, my preference is for a Hammer-Poll. I have had the poll of a training hawk driven into my shoulder during a 'prison rush' type of simulated attack. It dawned on me that in real life, if I had a spike hawk, it could have done as much damage to me as the opponents shiv. Noted others have had this almost happen to their face :eek:. While the spike does lend itself to some aspects of breaching and combat, you ALWAYS have to be aware that you have a live edge facing you. Also, during my review of the Hawk-Spike here http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=362406
I noticed that some of the things I did use the spike for, would have been better suited to a hammer poll, IMHO.
 
Bladewolf,

Thank you for your insight. I read your great review prior to my posting, but I needed more comparative information between the two (2) variations. I’m also hoping that someone with a K5 Tactical Poll Hammer would post some pictures. That would be extremely helpful.
 
Slick,
I have a pre-production high res photo of one. I cannot post it, but I can email it. Let me know.
 
Not that a spike isnt useful, but I could probably find many more everyday uses for a 'hawk with a hammer poll than a spike. Plus the spike tends to get into places where it wasnt meant to go. That sharpened finger is telling me "I could put your eye out anytime you get careless"

A spike tomahawk is cool though, reason enough to own one :D

Tell the wife you'll never know when it might be handy to punch a hole through a kevlar helmet. Let me know if you come up with something better that I can use :)
 
Tell the wife you'll never know when it might be handy to punch a hole through a kevlar helmet.
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Just out of curiosity, can that be done practically?

TLM
 
to tlm
you bet that spike would go through! you might have a hard time gettin it out though
 
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