RMJ Forge Eagle Talon

S

surfpange

Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
16
RMJ Forge's Eagle Talon looks like a suberbly designed and built tomahawk. Has anyone used and tested it? How does it compare to the Next Generation Ranger Spike tomahawk from American Tomahawk?

Thank you!
 
Welcome to BladeForums, surfpange. The general consensus seems to be that either one would be a excellent choice but I don't know of anyone who owns both & did a head-to-head comparison. Your question has been asked before & a browse/search of this forum will turn up a bunch of comments.

FWIW, although I don't own either, I do have other hawks from both makers & I'm sure neither one would be a disappointment.
 
WARNING!!!!!!! I have NO hawks, unfortunately. BUT, second/third hadn info and meanderings of my brain is all I can offer. :)

I heard that the RMJ spike would be easier to pull out of, say, a skull. Because it curves and goes from a sort-of thin point tapering to a thicker section, it looks like it would slip out of a punctured skull without too much trouble. The ATC spike is an arrow shape, and I wonder if the arrow might get hung up in whatever you stick it in. This is just wonderings of my brain, again.

As far as utility, it looks to me that the ATC hawk is better. The blade is larger and more curvy: great for utility. Also, the ATC spike, I believe, would be better for utility work than the RMK hawk. Brian Jones did a review of the Roger's Rangers hawk with Radio Ray and they showed LOTS of great thigns you can do with that spike.

So, as I see it, the RMJ is hawk made more for fighting than utility, and the ATC hawk is better at utility than the RMJ, but might not be as good as a fighter.


Again, these are just my thoughts out loud! I wouldn't refuse either hawk if someone wants to send me one!
 
I have heard that thing Crayola is saying about the spikes on these hawks: that the Eagle Talon would slide out easier... but I have not heard ANY proof of this or heard any personal experience to back this up.

In fact, if that were the case... I think I would have seen SOMETHING by an NG Ranger owner about the spike not coming out easy. I have seen no such comments ANYWHERE. I am about to recieve my NG Ranger and can hardly wait the next few days! I chose the NG over the Eagle Talon.

Furthermore, the lighter weight design of the NG Ranger seems like it would be quicker - a better tactical fighter. The Eagle Talon is all steel and therefore seems like it would be a bit heavier.

However, the Eagle Talon DOES have a sharpened bottom edge - that could probably come in handy in many combat situations and maybe even some utilitarian. The Eagle Talon also has the benefit that a Special Ops group ASKED Ryan to design it and approved it.

I think either hawk would be AWESOME but my personal choice from what I know and have heard is the NG Ranger. It is a better thrower from what I hear.... and does some better more overall utilitarian purposes. It just depends on what you prefer... a hawk thats a bit heavier built specifically for battle... or a lighter hawk built for battle and utilitarian purposes as well as throwing.

This is not to say that an Eagle Talon isn't every bit as good, in fact, I plan on purchasing one in the future... I just had to have the NG Ranger first.
 
In regards to the spike sticking on ATC:NG, it would have to be driven in significantly past the point where it is widest, and the material would have to be capable of binding back around the spike, thus it would have to be elastic in nature and quite strong. The material would also have to be hard enough to be able to resist being cut by the sharpened edges as otherwise it would just cut its way out when you jerked on it.

For example, it would not stick in wood, because the wood would split out from the wedge and the crack would not reform around it. Nor would it stick in flesh, to any degree, because while it is possible for it to catch, just imagine stabbing on a downward arc, when you went to jerk the spike out, it would easily cut out through the flesh, generating one hell of a wound.

A couple of things do come to mind. If you stabbed it through a metal plate, using a downward arc, and then tried to jerk it directly out, the spike would catch on the metal. To get it out you would have to jerk it up and out, along the same path that it went it. Assuming this was on an individual, this might be a bit difficult, as they would have a strong tendancy to not remain upright after the initial contact.

You could test this by putting body armor around a sandbag or similar, and seeing how difficult it was to jerk the spike out, assuming of course you can drive the spike deep enough in the first place. I could imagine the hawk being ripped out of your hand if the individual collapsed. Put the rig on a stool, using say a 150 lbs sandbag, and then when you hit it, have someone kick the stool over and see what happens.

The other consideration would be heavy bone. Again, after stabbing on a downwards motion through bone, or across it, you would not easily be able to draw the spike directly out, the sharp edges would dig in and possible hand up on the bone. You would have again to draw it up and out along the path that it came it. I have not stabbed a lot of bone, but it does seem possible. You could test this on various animal skulls and large sections of meat, around ribs and such.

-Cliff
 
Cliff, you and I are on the same wavelengh here. I watched the video on ATC's web site showing the 'Nam hawk penetrating the kevlar helmet. it looks like, as Cliff said, the hawk could get caught because of the way the forces go and the "hooks" or the outswept "edged" of the spike. The testing you mentioned, Cliff, sounds like a goo dplace to start. I would be very curious to hear what feedback Andy Prisco, Bobby Branton and ATC get from soldiers using the hawk in the field as intended.

For less lethal uses, I still see the ATC hawk spike as being more useful. And by useful I mean versatile.
 
BrianC-thank you for your warm welcome and advice! Crayola, BlueFlintHawk, and CliffStamp-you've all convinced me to get both hawks.

One can never have too many bladed weapons (pocketbook permitting of course!) and if one tomahawk is good then too should be that much better!

I'm back home in Maryland...my grandpa passed away last Thursday. He was a wonderful man and a true patriot. During WWII in the Philippines he was a guerrilla and served under General Macarthur. In the jungle they often fought with Filipino bladed weapons such as barongs (and even U.S. Military machetes). I'm sure tomahawks would have been a welcome addition to their arsenals.

Please keep him in your prayers.

Thank you all again!
 
surfpange, great decision... I only wish I had the money to make the same one - unfortunately I have to go one at a time. My NG Ranger is due in the next week and I can't wait for it... hopefully I'll have the RMJ Forge Eagle Talon within the next year.

There's nothing more beautiful than a patriot who loves his country so much, he is readily willing to fight and die for freedom and his loved ones. I will keep your grandfather in my thoughts and prayers as I stay mindful of the sacrifices made by America's fighting men.

When you get both hawks you will have to do a big write up comparrison - you will be the first I have seen to have both hawks and compare them. Thanks.
 
Sorry to hear about the passing of your Grandfather. I am thankful for what he did during WWII. I also respect him for his ability to use Filipino weapons! I have some training myself, and I'll actually be starting back stick training tomorrow! Barongs are cool. Oh, and I bet a hawk would have been welcome. I heard that some Natives that served during WWII did use hawks. I'm not sure, but I remember hearing some story.

When you get both hawks, please do a double review! You can break new ground here for us.
 
Surfpange, please accept my condolences on your loss.

It sounds like you made the right decision to me. If you are not forced to choose one or the other, definitely get both. :D As Cray said, please do a review of both.
 
I'll definitely do a side-by-side comparison when I get the tomahawks. I'll be checking back with you all in a few weeks...gotta get back to work so I can get those hawks!

Thank you all again for your kind thoughts and prayers for my grandpa...they are greatly appreciated.
 
I've been dreaming about a RMJ Forge's Eagle Talon ever since I found out about them. Course it does not help that some guys in my career field had a hand in developing the Eagle Talon, and are using them right now :cool: :cool: Only problem right now is scrapping enough cash togeather to pay for one. However, it's just a matter of time till I get one.

Who knows if I get orders overseas I'll get one early and pay for it somehow:D :D
 
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