RMJ Tactical Shrike Out Of Its Element.....or is it?

[Bushman5]

if i give a blaze orange lanyard will you throw it? just once.....?

 

[Mistwalker]

if i give a blaze orange lanyard will you throw it? just once.....?

I'm sure I'll throw it at least once when I find a good target that works well for this edge geometry. I found a couple of good sized dead trees today but by the time I did my hands were getting pretty numb...left my gloves in the truck not expecting to walk all that far and then walked a few miles.

 

[caine]

Great thread. I have always liked these Hawks. Would I carry one over there. Not that offen. Really all depended on the mission. In Iraq nowadays your only allowed to do so much. To many pussies in charge. IMAO. You rip someones door off you might be paying for it.

 

[JC in SC]

Given all the SHTF/EOTWAWKI threads that frequent this forum, I think a review of a tactical hawk is relevant. Unless I've inferred incorrectly, it sounds like you might be providing feedback/design input on a more bushcraft/woods bumming - esque version, which makes it totally relevant IMHO

What are your impressions of the 4140? My experience with it has only been structural in nature, which could be why it was selected for this application (i.e. brute strength as opposed to typical knife criteria). Given the tests you've done to date, I'd say edge toughness is reasonable, but how does it perform in regards to edge retention (abrasion resistance)?

 

[Mistwalker]

Great thread. I have always liked these Hawks. Would I carry one over there. Not that offen. Really all depended on the mission. In Iraq nowadays your only allowed to do so much. To many pussies in charge. IMAO. You rip someones door off you might be paying for it.

Thanks Caine, must be interesting trying to fight a "war" under those conditions.

Given all the SHTF/EOTWAWKI threads that frequent this forum, I think a review of a tactical hawk is relevant. Unless I've inferred incorrectly, it sounds like you might be providing feedback/design input on a more bushcraft/woods bumming - esque version, which makes it totally relevant IMHO

What are your impressions of the 4140? My experience with it has only been structural in nature, which could be why it was selected for this application (i.e. brute strength as opposed to typical knife criteria). Given the tests you've done to date, I'd say edge toughness is reasonable, but how does it perform in regards to edge retention (abrasion resistance)?

Thanks JC, yes that's a small part of what I am doing.

Actually I wasn't sure what to think about it going in as I had never heard of that steel being applied to a cutting tool either, but I have been really impressed with it. I have done nothing to the hawk other than use the ceramic stone to remove the finish coating from the edge and polish it up a little when I first got it and considering it wasn't designed for the tasks I'm putting it to it has done very well. I've chopped through concrete blocks and bricks, frozen ground, and ice and see no real wear at all on the edge. I shot a little video of it yesterday when I was out. I used it to spark the firesteel to ignite my tinder for the fire on that hike yesterday and other than it took me a few strikes to realize there was ice built up on the edge from chopping through the frozen pond I had no trouble at all getting the fire going. I hope to shoot another short video today if I have time. If so I'll get it uploaded tonight.

 

[Mistwalker]

..... how does it perform in regards to edge retention (abrasion resistance)?

I haven't done anything to this hawk other than clean the coating off the edges with the ceramic rod and I have chopped wood, block, brick, and ice and I've chopped in frozen ground.... and it still did just fine stating a fire using fatwood tinder.

[youtube]eGwovMjLdTE[/youtube]

 

[Mistwalker]

Here are a couple of vids I did using the Shrike and an LMF firesteel to start fires one handed.

[youtube]1Xd4dOBsEzc[/youtube]


[youtube]EqkAe4EQLKo[/youtube]

 

[RoyalM]

Love the look of this hawk but can't give up my SFA for it. I will say if I was 50/50 urban/rural then this would be one of my ideal go to tools. As for it's use as a military or LEO tool etc then I think it could prove to be very useful.

Nice review btw.

 

[Mistwalker]

Love the look of this hawk but can't give up my SFA for it. I will say if I was 50/50 urban/rural then this would be one of my ideal go to tools. As for it's use as a military or LEO tool etc then I think it could prove to be very useful.

Nice review btw.

Thanks man, glad you liked the review. Yeah this one is definitely geared more to the urban area, and more toward combat. I was just talking to Ryan a bit ago and the modded Kestrel is in the works starting tomorrow. It's more geared to a wilderness environment and I'm really looking forward to getting it out and working with it.

 

[ROCK6]

Great videos Mistwalker! I haven't chopped bricks or frozen ground with my Eagle Talon, but you sure show it's a capable tool outside of a breaching tool/weapon.

ROCK6

 

[Mistwalker]

Great videos Mistwalker! I haven't chopped bricks or frozen ground with my Eagle Talon, but you sure show it's a capable tool outside of a breaching tool/weapon.

ROCK6

Thanks Rock!

You don't know what you're missing! You haven't lived until you've chopped up blocks and bricks and then see no significant markings on the edge much less damage

Definitely a very capable tool!

 

[addictedtosteel]

Thanks for the review and the demo videos! There was a lot of material there. I agree with what one of the earlier posts said pertaining to gear designed for military use vs. gear designed for civillian use. The military stuff may cost more, but usually, you get what you pay for. It seems that stuff built for war is, well, built for war - enough said. I like the fact that this tomahawk is multi purpose. Although most tools made for more than one job might suffer, as opposed to something designed for a specific job, this tomahawk does a lot more than CQB and breaching - from what you have shown here it does it quite well too.

Thanks for the posts / videos

 

[Mistwalker]

Thanks for the review and the demo videos! There was a lot of material there. I agree with what one of the earlier posts said pertaining to gear designed for military use vs. gear designed for civillian use. The military stuff may cost more, but usually, you get what you pay for. It seems that stuff built for war is, well, built for war - enough said. I like the fact that this tomahawk is multi purpose. Although most tools made for more than one job might suffer, as opposed to something designed for a specific job, this tomahawk does a lot more than CQB and breaching - from what you have shown here it does it quite well too.

Thanks for the posts / videos

Thanks man, glad you liked the posts.

Yes RMJ puts out some great tools. They put a lot of thought and effort into them, and I have yet to see a better heat treat and edge retention on a hawk.

This one does pretty well with a lot of things and isn't even exactly optimized for working with wood. I'm really looking forward to the Kestrel.

 

[duFontaine]

Really good thread. How has the Shrike held up since your last post?

 

[Joezilla]

didju ever get that bamboo book?

 

[Liam Ryan]

The shrike is pretty much my holy grail for edged tools, have you tried throwing it?

 

[Mistwalker]

didju ever get that bamboo book?

H#ll no...I got swamped, distracted, and forgot :grumpy:

The shrike is pretty much my holy grail for edged tools, have you tried throwing it?

I love the Shrike for the reasons I have it but the RMJ kestrel is my grail in hawks. I haven't thrown the Shrike much because of the little space at the end of the handle that is only the handle material to keep electrical current from transferring through the but cap into the hand when chopping live electrical wires. The Kestrel will be another matter, it is a solid full tang design and I love the change in edge geometry they did with it.

 

[stjones]

Nice job man!!!
I've been in the market for a tactical hawk specifically for breaching.
I've narrowed it down to the RMJ Shrike or Swamp Rat Crash Rat.
Thanks for showing some bush craft skills with that bad @ss hawk!!
Thing is AWESOME!!!

 

[John G]

Looks like a useful axe. So what if it's not a classic woods tool? Use what works. Plus, I like seeing the boundaries tested. Thanks for the review!

 

[insomnia]

Hey Mist, I may not always comment, but I wanna let you know I always look forward to your posts. :thumbup: They're always informative and very interesting, keep it up.

Kyle.