SHTF Hawk/Axe

Cpl Punishment said:
Just about any hawk can do light camp chores. Remember they were used as survival tools for a decent amount of time (even Oetzi's copper "axe" was more like a tomahawk than what we call an axe). So let's optimize for the fighter with a little tweaking for utility.

There's two schools of thought: spike or no spike.

Spike: like Edwood said, you can use it to breach, they've been used in Iraq and Afghanistan to pry locks off house doors, flatten tires and rip the door locking mechanism out of cars, etc. It makes a good way to "hook" an opponent, as well as drive it down through the space between clavicles to maneuver their body around (often in front of the guy they are with to suck up his attack aimed at you). The downside is, if you strike with the bit or the spike, it's going to get caught in the flesh of the opponent. That's for a traditional spike. One like on the Sayoc that Edwood posted would come out easier, but not be as good for hooking.

No Spike: you have a cutting edge and a blunt side. The blunt side can be used with running attacks and not get caught in the flesh of the other guy, so you can strike and go without slowing down. You can also use it for utilitarian purposes as a hammer. Extensive use of the side of the eye as a hammer will tend to deform the eye over time, and this is not a good thing if this is your "one and only".

Personally, I prefer a hammer poll and a long haft. It gives more reach in combat, and more power for utility, and if it's the end of the world, concealment probably isn't much of a concern anymore. If it's for hiking and camping now as well, most states allow open carry of blades when engaged in such activity. In extreme close quarters, you can choke up on the haft without much trouble, but you can't make a short one longer.

As for who to go with, since this is your "only one", why skimp on price? Talk to some of the makers here (they really don't have high prices, IMO) and make what you really want, instead of looking for "close enough". Also read around this forum some more, maybe search member name Vector001 -- he goes into quite a treatise on "proper hawks", what to look for and why you want certain elements.

Sure, you can get Cold Steel for less. But then you have a Cold Steel. I'd only go that way if you want to modify it and aren't sure of your skill.
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Yeah, what you said. :o I guess my thinking is if you can just have one, and need for whatever may come, might as well get one that's as versatile as possible. As for the Cold Steels, I agree, they're Cold Steels. But I highly suggest getting one and using it a bit before having your "dream hawk" built. Until I had these to play around with, I really didn't have a frame of reference for what I would want or need. And when I do get my "dream hawk", I have these two to throw around and not cry if they get all banged up.
 
CA_DUDE said:
Yeah, what you said. :o I guess my thinking is if you can just have one, and need for whatever may come, might as well get one that's as versatile as possible. As for the Cold Steels, I agree, they're Cold Steels. But I highly suggest getting one and using it a bit before having your "dream hawk" built. Until I had these to play around with, I really didn't have a frame of reference for what I would want or need. And when I do get my "dream hawk", I have these two to throw around and not cry if they get all banged up.
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certainly a logical approach
 
I don't have much use for the spike. I guess it could be used for grubbing. I could make a digging stick for that. The pole on the back of the hatchet could be used for cracking nuts or pounding wedges in to split something. I would probably get in more trouble trying to explain the spike. I probably would just put my eye out using it. You could use the spike to drag branches to the fire. Just buy one of each and have fun. I would like to have a Winkler one of these days, but I would have to sell a bunch of my stuff. \[/I]
 
I keep visiting the Winkler site, and thinking what could I sell to get one of his R&D hawks? I know what I would get, and I haven't even seen one in person. I hopefully would never even have to use it, combat is not in my line of work.
 


I have been lusting after this guys war axe since 2002.:grumpy: Man I love that axe.
 
Axe01.jpg



I think I could pull it off. Just need to make a kaydex sheath for it.
 
Probably a Cold Steel hawk of some type (or a custom equivalent) with a 24"+ handle.
 
Smith & Wesson SW671 Extraction and Evasion Tomahawk best bang for the buck what i've seen , full tang thick 1070
 
I just got the one for me. A 2Hawks Warbeast. Hammer poll. Kinda heavy, just a touch slow. But I will give up a little in speed to gain a little in utility. Nicely done, and it looks very cool. I got it without the rawhide head wrap, or the cord handle wrap, but might have those added later. Anybody here ever throw one of these? I haven't tried it. Yet.
It's much lighter than my Mineral Mountain fighting hatchet. That one is for close in work, it's just too heavy to swing. Once you do, you're committed, there's no quick change of direction. But, it's damn near indestructible, 3/8" thick 5160. And with the teeth(you read that right, teeth), it's certainly the most wicked looking chopper I've ever seen.
Soon I will figure out how to post pics.
 
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