Trail hawk VS Norse hawk

[Shotgun]

I want to get a hawk to play with and mod. Never owned a hawk before so I thought I'd start out with a cold steel because they're relatively cheap. So, does anyone have an opinion as to which one is better for camping, general hiking and woods bumming?

 

[Cpl Punishment]

Hard to say.

The Norse has a longer edge, so it's better to choke up on and use as a knife and the longer edge is more forgiving on an imprecise swing.
Problem is, they don't have a hammer poll.

The Trail Hawk has a good hammer poll, is light, but has a short cutting edge making it not so good as a knife, and you have to be more accurate to connect with the bit.

I really, really like a hammer poll, and carry a knife for knife chores, so I'd go with the Trail Hawk.

 

[ron_m80]

I was really surpised after I fell a tree in my back yard ( a california tree falling, about 8 inch trunk, hey it fell ok!) I placed it horizontal on the ground and set to chopping on it with my TH on a 30" ash haft, I was pleasently suprised that for the lack of cutting surface and size, with that size haft the TH is a very formidable chopper. I thought at that moment the wieght and portability of it was just right and the chopping power left me wanting for nothing that i wouldn't have to make up for with pack load.

I wouldn't use it if I were a Lumber-jack, but I wouldn' pack a loggers double bit hiking eigther.

I would go with the TH, But I can only compare that the to rifleman as they were the two I was working on deciding which I was going to use..

 

[Cpl Punishment]

One bonus with the TH I forgot to mention:

With the decreased cutting area, it goes deep, really deep. You can drive it nearly to the eye with a good swing. Instead of blowing out wide chips, you'll blow out deep ones. So you'll get the job done just as quickly, you just do it differently.

 

[syltetoy]

The Cold Steel Trail Hawk is a wicked wood chopper. The CS Rifleman's Hawk is similar with a wider blade.

 

[Any Cal.]

I have only the Norse Hawk. With a 23" haft on it, I expected it to be a 2 hand tool. The way it is balanced though, it is still a 1 hand axe, just with some reach on it. If you use 2 hands, you sink it far enough that it sticks, so ends up slow going.

I have noticed that the Norse Hawk doesn't track as well on imperfect swings. Due to all the weight being in front, it has a tendency to twist if you are not really careful.

I did like the axe for the extended points, which make it nice to throw, and to hook with. Using a longer haft on it does give more reach, which is nice. It also makes it a much nicer tool, as the swing is much better.