Talk me out of... or into a RMJ Shrike

The winkler rescue axe is very cool but even more expensive than the RMJ. The blade curving into the handle makes sense in a way, less likely to get hung up when trying to pull the hawk our of glass or metal or something. And tha can opener end seems cool but again more than $200 more than I was asking to be convinced to spend!

I can see the advantages/disadvantages of a long hawk vs a short one. I don't think I would need a wood hawk that often as I don't do that much camping and here in Hawaii I think the trees often cut easier due to the moist environment rather than like strong pine trees and such. I think that a 6 inch camp knife would do most of what I would want besides I find a folding saw a little bit more efficient and light anway. Thats why I end up using my cheap folding saw more than my small 10-12 inch hatchet at work for downed trees.

Plus I have the rifleman's hawk, but the head is loose from the handle and I need to figure out how to fix it. I might actually buy a nice shaft and strip the paint and personalize it a little bit.

I will check on JK knives on the custom idea. Not sre what I would design but deffinitely a good alternative if it's that much less.

Thanks guys for whats provided so far. When I eventually buy something I will post what I get or perhaps do a separate review thread.
 
Keep in mind that full tang tactical hawks have more weight in the handles. This is a generalization, but just consider that steel weights more than wood. If you want a long handled hawk, wood is the usual choice.
Most of these tactical hawks have skeletonized handles or have holes to lighten them up, but still, most of them are shorter for that reason.

It's my opinion that you only need a full tang hawk if it's for breaching or fighting. For a camp tool, it's overkill, it could still work, but why carry the extra weight? You can get a wood chopping hawk for way way less than any RMJ, Winkler, Omnivore, or even the ones from JK. I've had a Winkler-Sayoc on order for a while now, and when JK came out with his curved handle spiked hawk I was just drooling. There are differences between the JK's and the Winklers, but I still like the JK's for their looks.

I also see the purpose of a tactical tomahawk is one that requires you to be able to carry it. Sure, you can leave it in the vehicle, but one strapped to your body is ready for action. A shorter hawk works best for wearing and CQC, in hallways, staircases, etc.. Even then, for most soldiers, they would tend to use their RMJ's for breaking glass, going through walls, puncturing tires, touching things you don't want to touch with your hands, breaking locks, breaching doors, etc...not so much combat. I could be wrong about that, cause I only hear stories from guys like Edwood, and he's only told one story of using his against a human.

Wait Wait, the UPS guy just handed me a box, from Daniel Winkler, holy shit it's here!!!
 
JayGoliath said:
Eyeseatingfish,

You want to use a few before settling down for one that works best. Maybe you can try your rifleman hawk on the stuff you think you will do and get a feel about it.
I've tried the Kestrel on trees as well as wildboar's thigh bone and it's not meant for that.
Crashing into steel doors and cinderblocks? Home Run!
Ryan mentioned about having a dedicated series for Woods but it's way down in the pipelines.
Click to expand...

Jay don't forget you have a 1st generation Kestrel with very different blade geometry than the current model - the kestrel, Talon and Shrike all have a thinner edge geometry now.
 
Please note - my opinion will be a little biased...

Most of the serious users we deal with prefer a shorter handle for many of the reasons mentioned - tight quarters, ability to carry etc.. Historically you don't see a lot of really long handled hawks - you do see some over 18" long but those are the exception rather than the rule. Historical hawks are also usually much smaller than folks realize - when you look at the grave finds in my area for instance there are a lot of little spike tomahawks that are around 5" spike to blade, 1.125" wide and an eye of about 3/8" wide by 1/2" long. That's a really small spike hawk - but they were pretty common in the southeastern United States. Most folks making historical hawks (myself included) tend to make them larger than what they really were.
The Shrike is based on classic French and Indian war era lines. Like a lot of the spike hawk handles of the period, the handle tapers being larger at the end than at the head.
But I digress. What is the solution to your dilemma? Being a guy with three kiddos and seemingly endless bills to pay I feel your pain. My wife would have a stroke if I bought something like a Shrike - but that is because I don't really need one. I make things and teach - so it would be a luxury for me. I hold a deep respect and appreciation of the people who do need something like it and whose lives depend on their kit. This is the reason we discount military/LE/first responders (Winkler does as well for the same reasons)
Why not pick up an Estwing and get a local maker to modify it for you? The original tutorial I did on turning an Estwing into a tactial carry axe is all over the web and easy to do. I have one at the RMJ shop that I keep for throwing and boy does it zing. It will hold up well for the uses you are talking about. In the meantime squirrel away some money and down the road having used one for a while you'll have a good idea of what you are looking for be it an RMJ, a Winkler or something less expensive. Good luck and let us know what route you take!
RMJ
 
Here's the thing. People can bash me all they like for preferring a longer handle. It will not change anything. The only thing you will accomplish is proving to me you are a troll. And this website is full of them. When I obtain a new tomahawk, I try it out with its original handle. Every time, without any exception, the standard 18" hafts do not feel right to me. At all. So l change that immediately. Usually what works best for me is a length of about 20" to 23", and 25" is a bit too much. I have no problem at all carrying a 21" tomahawk. I know, blah blah blah.
 
RMJ Tactical said:
Please note - my opinion will be a little biased...

Most of the serious users we deal with prefer a shorter handle for many of the reasons mentioned - tight quarters, ability to carry etc.. Historically you don't see a lot of really long handled hawks - you do see some over 18" long but those are the exception rather than the rule. Historical hawks are also usually much smaller than folks realize - when you look at the grave finds in my area for instance there are a lot of little spike tomahawks that are around 5" spike to blade, 1.125" wide and an eye of about 3/8" wide by 1/2" long. That's a really small spike hawk - but they were pretty common in the southeastern United States. Most folks making historical hawks (myself included) tend to make them larger than what they really were.
The Shrike is based on classic French and Indian war era lines. Like a lot of the spike hawk handles of the period, the handle tapers being larger at the end than at the head.
But I digress. What is the solution to your dilemma? Being a guy with three kiddos and seemingly endless bills to pay I feel your pain. My wife would have a stroke if I bought something like a Shrike - but that is because I don't really need one. I make things and teach - so it would be a luxury for me. I hold a deep respect and appreciation of the people who do need something like it and whose lives depend on their kit. This is the reason we discount military/LE/first responders (Winkler does as well for the same reasons)
Why not pick up an Estwing and get a local maker to modify it for you? The original tutorial I did on turning an Estwing into a tactial carry axe is all over the web and easy to do. I have one at the RMJ shop that I keep for throwing and boy does it zing. It will hold up well for the uses you are talking about. In the meantime squirrel away some money and down the road having used one for a while you'll have a good idea of what you are looking for be it an RMJ, a Winkler or something less expensive. Good luck and let us know what route you take!
RMJ
Click to expand...

Wow. I appreciate your open, honest response. Sometimes makers sound similar to a used car salesman. Very respectable and refreshing. Thank you, Sir.
 
My business is best served when the tomahawk market as a whole moves in the right direction - well made serious using tools. Tomahawks in my opinion are where tactical folding knives were 25 years ago or so - to attain critical mass we need plenty of quality makers out there producing good designs to further the market. If the tactical folder market had been dominated by garbage back then instead of folks like Terzoula and Carson it would have withered and died and rightly so. I need to help promote quality makers beyond myself to ensure there will be people wanting to buy my hawks 25 years down the road. Otherwise I'll just have to start filling closets with hawks; as most knifemakers know making this stuff is more of an addiction than anything.
 
RMJ Tactical said:
No one is bashing you over long handles that I can see - do you see my comment as bashing you?
RMJ
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Well, actually no, and my comment wasn't directed at you either.

I'm just tired of getting it because I like something different from others.
 
Well, Wolf_1989 I think we're talking about different hawks anyway. All these tactical hawks have full tangs, not wooden handles. I understand where you're coming from with longer wood handles. If I were using a traditional hawk in the woods, I would want a longer haft as well.
But, the OP is about the RMJ Shrike, which is a different category and conversation all together. No post in this thread ever bashed anybody's opinion about hawks or haft lengths at all.
In the end, it's important for each of us to have work works for our size, and what we do with the hawks. If full tang tactical hawks aren't your thing, then no big deal, luckily you get to put a haft on any hawk you want, win win.
 
Well, I like the overall form of the Shrike. It looks good. It also looks effective. It certainly looks rugged. Initially I could think "is it really a tomahawk?" but it looks like one and serves the role of one, so I reckon so. It's just a more modern variety.

I wish people would stop using the term "tactical". There's so much "tactical" stuff on the market now that the term doesn't have any meaning anymore. It's become a marketing gimmick, and perhaps even a cliche.

Maybe it would help to clarify the actual purpose of my adding a longer haft to my tomahawks. When I hold my 21" hafted FT Buck Hawk, I probably hold it at the exact same spot most people do on its original 18" handle. That extra 3" on the other side of my hand helps balance it out, improving its agility and speed. Yes it's only mere ounces of difference but I've found that it really does improve performance, for me anyway.

This is what I mean when I say I start with a long handle, then remove little bits of length until the balance feels right.

I started out as a tomahawk user back around 1986 and it didn't take me long to figure that out. At first I experimented with filling the butt end of the haft with lead but that made that end a bit fragile if I oops'ed on a throw. One day I was finishing a new handle, long because I used to hand carve them out of sledgehammer handles, and noticed something just felt better about it. IIRC the handle was about 26" long which was still a bit ungainly and so I sawed it back to about 22" and had a eureka moment. Perfect. And I've been doing it ever since.
 
RMJ

Wow, I didn't expect a reply from the man himself! Though I don't know why since he makes hawks and this is a hawk specific area so.....

I appreciate your honesty. I truly believe that you are making a product that is designed to perform on the tough tasks you market it for and that the price is fair for what I would get in terms of quality.
The cost was not something that is necessarily preventing me from getting a hawk, I can and am willing to spend the price for a shrike. However I don't just look at cost overall I look at cost compared to the product. I might set a price for myself but if I find something more expensive I might be willing to pay the extra if the quality justifies it.

So I guess I was just looking to see if there was anything else out there similar in terms of what I needed but at a cheaper price. So far I have not found anything much different, and I foresee myself getting one in the not too distant future. Just that I take a while to make up my mind. (You should see me try to order at a restaurant)

I did look up the estwing hawk mod and I have to say that is amazing, especially for what another poster said was $100. Do you guys do that anymore?
http://www.zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=68120

Also I heard talk of some new rescue hawk in the works, anything to this, or possibly pictures? I might be willing to wait .
 
I've got to back Wolf's comments as I agree 100% with him on it. I want a long hawk for me anymore. I too hold my hawk at the point of the middle third and last third of the handle to create a ballast effect in use. I'm always seeing the axe guys saying how a hawk doesn't work very good when they are holding it like an axe which it's not. They make superior tools and weapons imo but I can understand if you're carrying a battle rifle, handgun, grenades, etc... that it is just not needed and a shorter hawk is fine.

I did buy a RMJ Eagle Talon several years ago but for my purposes of a woods tool and fighting hawk it just didn't work for me. If was really a crowbar in the shape of a hawk so if demolition is your thing I think RMJ are worth it. It really couldn't be damaged.

I ended up settling with an Equinox Coronado Vec hawk. I don't know if he originally coined the name "proper long hawk" or not but his ounce per inch hawks really work for me.
 
Well now they got the gerber tomahawk, the estwing tomahawk, and the CRKT tomahawk (designed by RMJ) all much more affordable than the shrike... decisions decisions.
 
I have a Shrike S13 that is very nice. You should get one.

I would like to get one of the CRKT hawks also. Or Daniel Winkler.

IMG_6392.JPG


IMG_0430.JPG
 
Interesting, the haft on that Winkler doesn't look much longer than a Lancer 30. Man, I'd love to have one of those. And 8 of the Lancers.
 
Forget the damn Gerber, 420 steel POS. Estwing aint the greatest either. You can get a CKT kangee, great hawk at a good price, but yyou seem to have your heart set on an RMJ. So you can pay the 400-500 dollars for the RMJ and wait for a few months, or you can search the secondary market and pay an extra 100 or so dollars to get one right away. I say go for what you want. The difference between the Kangee and the Storm Crow it's patterned after is kinda like the difference between espresso and regular coffee: they both get the job done, but one allows you to act like a goddamn snob, and for good reason.
 
Old thread.... Did you ever get a Shrike? I just picked up a new one but will probably sell it rather than use it. It's hard for me to scratch up something this nice 🤠
 
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