Testing my ATAX (pics)

mneedham

mneedham

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Jul 8, 2006
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So I have been lugging my ATAX around for about 6 months in my Maxpedition (with my Mora 780 or Lakota Hawk). I was out cutting wood today and decided to beat the ATAX up a little (or else I could just never trust it....). I secured it to a piece of grape vine with 18" of paracord and a shoe string to make a hand axe. I split some kindling with it (really whacked it hard on the small oak pieces) and than chopped into a small pine tree. When I was done the edge was fine except 1 small ding on the forward edge which disappeared after a minute on a ceramic sharpener. I was surprised by how well the ATAX stayed secure to the handle considering I spent about 30 seconds securing it. I was going get some zip ties out of my pack and secure it the way Ron Hood demonstrates, but I remembered that I have a wood stove, hot woman and pitcher of cold margaritas awaiting me in the house... So I cobbed it...

I know the ATAX has some skeptics, but I have to say that I like it. It is very comfortable to wear (even sitting down) in a way that a hatchet or sheath knife is not, it feels good in the hand, it appears to be pretty well made, it can be used as a hammer or hand axe, it has a space in the handle for PSK stuff (I put a ferro rod, P38, dental floss, etc in mine). The ATAX coupled with my SAK trekker is not a bad light package IMHO. Anybody else use one?
 

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That's pretty neat! I never seen anything like it before. It looks to be a good addition to any ones BOB.
 
Yep, you can get one fron TOPS (the manufacturer) or Hoods Woods (www.survival.com), Ron Hood designed it. It comes with a tutorial CD and ,in theory, has many uses besides a hand axe or knife.
 
I like it. I bet it would make a great game dressing tool to. I have wondered about these. Thanks for posting the picks and the review.
 
that is one amazing tool. at first i thought 60 buck for it but the i saw it and all its uses and then realized why its 200 bucks. your one lucky guy for having that
 
I think it has it's place; but I am just not sold on it. However, if I were knee deep in "bad", I would welcome having it! Very unique; thanks for sharing your views on it.
 
Bigfattyt,

Yep, I have seen pics on the net of it being used for large game dressing. I haven't used it that way yet. It feels like an Ulu. We use an Ulu knife in our kitchen a lot for chopping, I find that the ATAX has the same feel (and chops veggies nicely!).

For a more thorough review check out:

http://www.aolisi.net/SmallChoppers.htm

Chabla,

The price is a big down side, people have pointed out that it is a lot of money for production 1095, but all of TOPS stuff is kind of pricey in my eyes.. OSO grande is selling them for $160 right now and they do pop up on ebay sometimes.

Ejes,

My attraction to it is the size and weight. My observation is that heavy, awkward gear stays at home a lot. The ATAX can be with you all the time, it is light and unobtrusive that it gets carried in my pack or on my belt in a lot more places than large knives or hatchets. It also doesn't attract attention the way big knives do.
 
mneedham said:
Bigfattyt,
The price is a big down side, people have pointed out that it is a lot of money for production 1095, but all of TOPS stuff is kind of pricey in my eyes.. OSO grande is selling them for $160 right now and they do pop up on ebay sometimes.
Click to expand...

Let me correct you a little bit... pricey is not the word... F***ING EXPENSIVE is the word. Maybe it is just me but it seems weak (just where it says ATAX).
Mikel
 
(Watch the language, please, let's not get carried away on this forum.)



We do have the Hoods Woods video floating around here somewhere. Email me at ebhausman (at) gmail (dot) com and I'll see how soon we can get it to you.
 
Mikel,

Yeah, a lot folks feel the price is steep. How much we all pay for knives is a tough issue. If we purchased knives soley based on value for money and with "diminishing returns" in mind, we would all be walking around with nothing but Moras. High-end production knives and many customs are much more.... Knife pricing is pretty subjective thing.

Fortunately strength is not subjective. The section modulus of the point where "ATAX" is stamped would be pretty substantial and you have remember that force is a function of length (that part of the tool is very short). I haven't read reports of ATAX failures on the forums, but I guess we would have to ask TOPS or Ron Hood. In any case, I've been beating it up pretty good over the last week, and no problems yet....
 
i have fooled around with mine and it is a good piece of gear, almost indestructable- tops is not known for skinny blades, light and compact, it is not a full size axe, but will do in a pinch, and it is easy to always have with you, which is one of the key factors that is discussed here. you can wear it when sitting in a vehicle, on horseback, snowmobile ,in a bush plane. this makes it work for its intended purpose as far as i am concerned. as with small multipurpose tools it is not the best at any one thing but on a portability/ usefulness curve if i had this and a SAk with a saw blade or a multitool i would not feel under knived. with this combo you can get most chores done as far as basic survival needs. butcher game, build a shelter, make traps, and get things done in a reasonable time frame.

alex
 
That looks like it would be great to throw in the pac or in a vehicle. I am not sure if it would replace what I carry with me on my side but it could definatley find a home in a BOB or something of that sort.
 
i agree with what's been said so far. i'd have bought one long ago if it wasn't so much and i wonder about that bridging point. for less money you could get a gb mini, compass, slingshot, wonderbar, and a sak. not as small a package but certainly provides as much and you don't lose all if you lose one.

still, it's freakin cool to jam all that utility into your knuckles.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
(Watch the language, please, let's not get carried away on this forum.)
Click to expand...

Sorry... didn't mean it. Won't happen again.

mneedham said:
...How much we all pay for knives is a tough issue. If we purchased knives soley based on value for money and with "diminishing returns" in mind, we would all be walking around with nothing but Moras. High-end production knives and many customs are much more.... Knife pricing is pretty subjective thing.
Click to expand...

Sure it is mneeham... I am sure that as long as you use it and enjoy it, that's well spent money. I agree with you when you say that it is pretty subjetctive thing. Even me liking knives a lot sometimes find customs very expensive... well, and sometimes they don't even need to be customs...

Mikel
 
I think the price/value breaking point is not always one of utility. Sometimes we just want one because it's cool, or because it might teach us something, being different. If a Mora is good, why buy a Mora 2000?

We each have a different level of need, also. I like to practice some survival skills, but reality intrudes: I practice close to home, I'm not often in a position to fear for my safety if I leave a full medical/survival BOB behind.

(Mikel, :thumbup: )
 
interesting, why would you think that the bridging point would be under any type of load, you cant exert enough force by holding it in your hand and using it, the blade is more ulu like in that fashion, when you place a handle on it the handle is attached to the blade via the slots, so not much stress placed on the bridge. so it has not been a problem so far, dont know anyone that has broken one.

alex
 
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