Some CS 'Hawks Come Properly Assembled?

R

RatDrall

Joined
Feb 7, 2009
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467
The first two CS 'hawks that I ordered came with the head literally falling off of the handle. I just recieved a Trail 'Hawk and the head looks like it was correctly fitted and pounded onto the handle. Is this the case with some models and not with others?

Also, it has a set screw....I've heard that this can cause the handle to crack. If it is already screwed in, any harm in leaving it there?
 
I personally would take it out if I was throwing it. I've yet to come across a decently fitted Cold Steel even after spending some time trying to improve it they fall off more often than any other hawk I have (Bear Mountain, Fort Turner, H&B Forge, Slasinski, & of course VTAC never moves). Maybe the factory fits em?
 
Maybe the factory fits em?
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I'm not sure, but it has marks on it from where someone whacked it pretty good getting it on. I tried to pull the head off and it didn't even wiggle. I left it alone and sanded it down and stained the handle.

If I'm not going to throw it, just use it to pound in stakes and other basic camp chores, do you think it will be fine to leave the set screw in?

Pics to come....
 
Im not 100% but I would think the main risk of having it in would come from wild throws, should be cool. My buddy just got one and is gonna leave it in for a while
 
RatDrall said:
If I'm not going to throw it, just use it to pound in stakes and other basic camp chores, do you think it will be fine to leave the set screw in?
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Yes. Those set screws are pretty short and not a very large diameter. I think you'd have to drive it way, way in there to crack the wood.
 
EVERY Cold Steel tomahawk (only includes a dozen Trail Hawks and aa dozen Norse Hawks) that I have EVER purchased (all were purchased from knivesplus.com) were fitted extremely well.

I have attempted to remove the heads from some so that I could put 30" Cold Steel handles on them (after removing set screw). That process was VERY difficult.

That's just my experience.

:)
 
BillyJoeBobJim said:
EVERY Cold Steel tomahawk (only includes a dozen Trail Hawks and aa dozen Norse Hawks) that I have EVER purchased (all were purchased from knivesplus.com) were fitted extremely well.

I have attempted to remove the heads from some so that I could put 30" Cold Steel handles on them (after removing set screw). That process was VERY difficult.

That's just my experience.

:)
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That was my experience as well, although I only have one... I bought from an Ebay store, and asked the proprietor to kindly hand pick mine from their stock. I was quite pleased. Maybe my request saved me from a bad example? It never hurts to ask though.
 
I finally saw a Cold Steel hawk properly fitted. I have the frontier hawk, war hammer, 2 norse hawks, and the battle axe and every one of them required a lot of work to get a tolerable fit. My buddy bought a norse hawk and it is probably the tightest fitted hawk we've ever seen. Honestly we couldn't even get the head off (and yes we did take the set screw out first). This hawk is on good and held up to chopping and throwing w/o budging a centimeter
 
Thanks for the replies guys.

My first CS Hawks were a Norse and Frontier. I opened up the box and both heads came clanging out seperate from the handles. The Norse Hawk didn't take too much work, but the Frontier was a pain to get right. It still isn't on properly, after being thrown at a tree by my brother and I until the head fell off. I think I'm going to start over with a new handle.

I was surpised at how well fitted the Trail Hawk was.
 
Brody R. said:
I personally would take it out if I was throwing it. I've yet to come across a decently fitted Cold Steel even after spending some time trying to improve it they fall off more often than any other hawk I have (Bear Mountain, Fort Turner, H&B Forge, Slasinski, & of course VTAC never moves). Maybe the factory fits em?
Click to expand...

The set screws are not tapered on the end, they are dull flat bottom style. so i dont see any reason for splitting. I posted about this over in the TH Modding Sticky. Mine came fully assembled and tight to the haft, set screw down and ready to chop.

I had to work to file the head down, work to get it off the haft, work to remove the metric set screw. And the haft didnt have a crazy stain or coating that needed sanding, mine got kinda stained from dirty hands and sweat while filing.

New hawk had "Taiwan" on the head by the eye.
 
yea, I usually remove the finish at least partially. the taiwans an eye sore. getting the fit right is definitly taking some time but coming along just constantly sanding and pounding the head on. my frontiers worlds better now then when I got it fit wise but still needs some work
 
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