Tomahawk Use?

wintermute

wintermute

Joined
Oct 18, 2007
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I always thought tomahawks were for re-enactors or those who think that they'll have to fight off angry Hurons. Are tomahawks useful in the bushcraft sense? I always assumed that they were a weapon first and a tool second. BUT, looking through the tomahawk threads, i was thinking "purdy hawks". So from a bushcraft/camping/hiking standpoint, can they compete with an axe or hatchet?
 
A hawk is lighter than an axe and can be used as a skinning knife if the need arises.I have found that a hawk can do anything a hatchet can do.I have several hawks and like using them.
 
another interesting note, most hawks are built with a tapered handle that can be easily removed,

which can make a much more convenient carrying option.
 
It's hard for me to say. My CS trail hawk is one of the few choppers I have in my rotation. For purely the chopping power, it does a great job. After some reprofiling, the penetration is great. Slightly better than my Fiskars (though it doesn't wedge as well of course). The weight of the TH is not significantly different than the Fiskars, but if anything the Fiskars is lighter.

Aside from chopping, there might be some things the hatchet works better for me at. It is more comfortable choking up on the Fiskars than the TH for fine work, and it's better at the type of 'carving' work you need an axe for.

To help with the confusion, I'm not sure there aren't a lot of things that a large fixed blade can't do almost as well, with the added benefits of batoning, de-limbing, etc..

So basically, give it a whirl, but it will have to be your call.
 
I am going to piss people off here..but a hawk is a poor excuse for an AXE..which is what you will want in the woods. Hawks look cool, but lets face it...nobody here is Mel Gibson in PATRIOT..and there just arent any Zombies to fight.......no matter how much you wish there where.
 
I'm not arguing that the hawk is likely a weapon first and tool second, but who's hunting zombies or practicing guerrilla warfare? I'm talking about working on wood, and the CS-TH takes a mean bite out of what it hits.

That said, I'm not really a huge proponent of hawks for woods use, I just don't instantly discount them as a whole.
 
I like my frontier hawk, it does a good job of what I need it to do. An axe might be better, but to each his own.....
 
Well, what are you going to do with it?

You can probably chop through most trees with a tomahawk--only question is how long it'll take you. Your standard stone-age axe was probably used with LOTS of little, pecking-like strikes, to chew through wood. It goes surprisingly quickly, though nowhere near as fast as a modern axe. A tomahawk would be faster than a stone axe, but slower than a big woodsman's-type axe. A big knife might be a little slower than a tomahawk. But they'd all get through, eventually.

I find tomahawks are up to most of what I'd use them for. I don't live in a tall-tree forest; if I did, I might reconsider.

Nice things about tomahawks: (1) lighter than standard hatchet; (2) easily-replaced handle.
 
gunknifenut said:
I am going to piss people off here..but a hawk is a poor excuse for an AXE..which is what you will want in the woods. Hawks look cool, but lets face it...nobody here is Mel Gibson in PATRIOT..and there just arent any Zombies to fight.......no matter how much you wish there where.
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Are you referring to a large to medium axe or to a hatchet? If you mean axe I understand due to size alone, if you mean hatchet please explain your reasons. I am quite interested. I am unsure what you mean as some refer to everything as an axe. I personally always felt the hawk turned in my hand more than a hatchet does.
 
the british air crews have a standard hatchet in their survival kit, if hawks were that poor for the job i doubt it would be in the survival kit. i have used large knives and hatchets and small axes they all work and there is no clear winner in my mind as to a best for a general tool, yes a full saized woodsmans axe is better, but then again so is a chain saw. i dont think i will be carrying either in my survival bag.

alex
 
I have a RTAK, medium Busse's and Dog's, several heavy machetes, Vietnam hawk, Fiskars camp ax, Allan Foundry British belt ax, and Gransfors Bruks mini and wildlife hatchets. If it's bigger than 2" in diameter the wildlife hatchet wins hands down. It is easy to swing and very sharp. I don't have a $700 battle mistress so I can't compare, but the wildlife hatchet is less than $100. The wildlife and a 3-4" knife make a good pair.
 
I have done some work on my trail hawk and it is pretty cool how deep it will penetrate. With the 18" handle it makes limbing quick and easy. A hatchet is better for splitting kindling but I prefer to use a knife and baton split kindling as I have more control.
 
I hate to say it but for work I carry both... A RMJ Talon and a G&B Forest Ax and have used both for different work. RMJ for a more tactical work going into - Doors ,windows, metal and wood . G&B for - Ice, Wood, Hammer . there is still a practical use for both... IMHO.
 
A hammer polled 'hawk is the original Native American multitool. They're a great, light alternative to an axe.
 
A good hawk should be a good cutter, as a weapon should be.

Except for the Meigs pattern and its ilk, they are poor splitters due to their profile viewed from the top - like trying to split with a pipe.

Since I cut with a saw, they don't fit my needs, cool as they are.

When I anticipate need for a splitter, and don't think a knife or knife/wedges will do, a proper hand axe goes along.
 
I find hawks generally comparable to similarly sized hatchets, as far as chopping ability goes. An honest to goodness axe beats both, by size and weight alone. Hatchet beats hawk for splitting. Again, axe beats either.

Frankly, a decent hawk can easily be just as useful a bushcraft tool as a comparable hatchet.
 
shecky said:
I find hawks generally comparable to similarly sized hatchets, as far as chopping ability goes. An honest to goodness axe beats both, by size and weight alone. Hatchet beats hawk for splitting. Again, axe beats either.

Frankly, a decent hawk can easily be just as useful a bushcraft tool as a comparable hatchet.
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That about sums it up.

I think terminology is getting a bit confusing as to what is "survival" and what is "bushcraft" and what is "homesteading." Anyone chunking around an axe, well, that's their business. But to me, if I'm not tasked with building a log cabin, a tomahawk or Estwing Camper's Hatchet or Estwing Shingler's Hatchet will do nicely.

What has come to be known as "batoning" is another thing that is going crazy as of late with people trying to hammer down through hardwood knots in frozen wood and breaking knives and then proclaiming they're "low quality" because they break...etc. Interesting thread over on Candlepowerforums about that very thing.

To me, a hatchet or hawk along with something like a U-Dig-It Trowel and a folding saw like a Silky is a Trio that will come in quite handy.
 
Can always split the difference (har har) between an axe and tomahawk. . .
snow_nealley_penobscot_bay_kindling_ax_lg.jpg


18" long handle, 1.75# head, 4: cutting length.

Thing I like about it better than a 'hawk is the oblong profile to the handle, so you can tell by feel how it's oriented, and it doesn't tend to twist in hand.
 
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