Tactical hawks with "forward spike"

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May 5, 2005
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A few makers, most notable examples are Winkler and TrackerDan, are making hawks with "combination head" - cutting edge plus a spike on top.

Sayoccarrier.jpg


Although this looks extremely handsome, I was thinking what is the point?
Should it offer better penetration (but long edge will prevent that)?
On the other hand any cutting moves will be impaired by spike which will drag in material.
And forget about utility chopping...

Have any idea?
 
There is a picture set from a Winkler hawk with the forward spike vs a Mexican cartel member in a bullet proof vest. The forward spike penetrated and injured the bad guy through the kevlar vest.

The member who posted it was aiming for his head, and he moved. At the time he was wrestling with another of the officers with another shotgun.

The point is to have a point that will defeat heavy or reinforced fabrics and even vests with out having to reverse grip.

If you hit bare flesh, it won't matter. If you hit thick, or padded, or reinforced materials, instead of the spot you were aiming, the point helps out.

Here are some links from a previous thread on the same topic.



http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/889870-Sayoc-Winkler-hawk-vs-IIIA-kevlar-vest (this one has a picture of him with a few other mexican anti drug officers training, he is the one with his face unblurred and the Winkler fixed blade on the vest.


This member has posted videos of firefights he is involved in.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/876665-Just-another-day-in-Mexico

His hawk mounted on the vest (MP5 included)
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/833442-Axe-or-hawk-carry-methods/page2



http://www.teotwawki-blog.com/2013/03/interview-with-edwood-tactical-tomahawks.html#more




I should have saved the video and photos of the bloody vest, injuries and aftermath. I think they have been taken down.
 
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That looks like an appendage that is a good candidate for snapping off at a bad time. The sharp angle looks like an efficient stress riser.

I mean, why even put an edge on that hawk? Put a bigger spike instead and at leqst you are not wasting material.
 
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It's for combat. I'm not an expert but I believe there are specific uses regarding the beard which involve "hooking" type moves in some martial arts using a tomahawk. So the design is theoretically meant for traditional use as a weapon, while the spike is added to the design to increase penetration. If there were no hooking being done, I'd think that the design you posted recently would be better for doing damage, although it's also worth noting that a longer cutting edge increases the chances of making contact. I agree with Moonw about that sharp transition, I can't think of a reason why that wouldn't be curved between the main cutting edge and the spike.
 
These 'hawks were developed with Filipino Martial Arts in mind. The design is an adaptation of Igorot headhunter axes.
 
These 'hawks were developed with Filipino Martial Arts in mind. The design is an adaptation of Igorot headhunter axes.


Heh, that is exactly what I thought.
battle_ax_bontoc_balbelasan.jpg

But on the other hand - headhunting axes had one continuous edge.

Anyway, I need to study subject further as making such axe is quite interesting
 
It will prevent the user from using the hawk for chopping up wood and other tough materials and thus increase the life of the tool and reduce warranty returns.
Quite clever.
:p
 
The original design makes more sense to me :).

Those ingorot headhunters were very thin when compared to european axes. But, on the other hand - no armour whatsoever.

I will need to think about making and comparing both solutions - continous and combo edge.
 
It will prevent the user from using the hawk for chopping up wood and other tough materials and thus increase the life of the tool and reduce warranty returns.
Quite clever.
:p
I've used my lightweight headhunter prototype to chop quite a bit of wood.
The design isn't really a splitter, but this is 5/16" with a distal forged head and haft so it wouldn't be a splitter anyway.
The front spike is pretty damn sturdy too-been through a lot of sheet metal, sheetrock and wood (and some deer skulls)
 

That looks great and to be honest I like your little spike better. It appears long enough to crack through hard stuff but not so long that it would get stuck when chopping, since when chopping wood you'll probably penetrate deeper than the spikes length anyways.

All these hawks remind me of those spiky wooden clubs from the islands.
92659f397c12c981cd209122eb01ac46.jpg
 
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