Two Hawks Review

I am very interested in your hawk when it gets back from them. I read all those fantastic reviews about two hawks' tomahawks when he was still alive, and in fact sent in an order...but as military orders were priority, it never came down to me in the list (if I am still or even on the list).

I would hate for his legacy to be less than perfect. The man was really nice.

Good luck!
 
MikeA said:
One thing, that I know of, that will do this is a solution that muzzleloaders use to antique/rust brown their weaponry. If you don't properly neutralize it, it will, within hours, begin to oxidize the metal again. I know this, as it's happened to me before. Could this be a possibility?
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Definately. They use some sort of compound to patina it.

I got the hawk back last night.

It has a really nice handle and well finished head and a note sorry for the trouble along with a large crock stick!:thumbup:

The edge would shave but it was sort of a secondary bevel that was rather steep and didn't chop very well.

I worked last night on thinning down the cutting edge to where the secondary bevel would dissapear and the edge would be finer. Not done yet but I tested it a little last night and it was definately chopping better.

Alls well that ends well and they made good but I would say Ragnar has a way better grind on his stuff overall as far as a working edge. However the design on the head is really good and I feel like with some work on my part it will end up being a better user than most hawk designs.
 
I'm glad they made it right for you brother! Sounds like they did the right thing by making corrections to the hawk.

MikeA
 
hollowdweller glad to hear you got the hawk back. What color is the handle now? That is a very nice design
 
Here's a pic. The edge was still way too steep but I've got it to where it isn't bouncing off the log now:thumbup:

I did some cutting with it this weekend and it chopped the log in the first pic.
2hawks.jpg


However I tried it against 2 other hatchets of similar weight the Ragweed Forge Ft Meigs Nessmuk and the Lee Reeves double bit, as well as the heavier GB Wildlife and they all beat it. The edge profile on the hawk was too steep or wide or whatever you call it so it doesn't penetrate and cut as much with each chop as the others. However when I'm done with it it should chop as good relative to the size of the bit.

I am satisfied with the fit and finish now. It's a fine looking hawk. Also the head design and weight distribution once the edge is thinned down should make it a great chopper.

However, I would say that I spent half the money on the Ragweed forge double bit and spent zero time having to reprofile the edge. I think the Two Hawks folks should talk to Ragnar and have him give them some sharpening tips.

2hawksline.jpg


This is a good one though for those willing to put some money into it and then some elbow grease reprofiling the edge.
 
gransfors bruks make good hatchets for chopping, all nice and shaving sharp...

thanks for your review. it's sad about two hawks legacy but I will remember him in the best way.
 
Is that (Two Hawks) supposed to be a throwing tomahawk? Any comments on Reeves vs Bruks/Wetterling?

-Cliff
 
Cliff Stamp said:
Is that (Two Hawks) supposed to be a throwing tomahawk? Any comments on Reeves vs Bruks/Wetterling?

-Cliff
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I don't think it's supposed to be a throwing tomahawk. From the website it seems to emphasize more of a user aspect. I couldn't get it to stick in a log even holding it and trying to stick it in there when I first got it. Edge to thick. It's much better now but I'm still working on cutting it down.

Reeves will outcut a GB Mini. The GB Wildlife will out cut the Reeves but the GB Wildlife is much heavier so it's not much of a contest. I have a Norlund of approximately the same length /weight of the Reeves and the Reeves will out cut it but I think that is because the Reeves, on the finer bit size is more like a GB with a really fine cutting edge. I like the Reeves a lot because of the sharpness and also the wide bit for such a short handle. It's almost like a woodworking tool cause you can really be precise.

The Reeves will outcut the Ragweed Forge Double bit but not by much. I think mainly it's that the Reeves has that wider bit, and finer edge.

Both double bits are kind of in the spirit of Nessmuk. They won't cut as aggressively as a heavier hatchet, what I'm saying is for around the house or car camping I'd take the GB Wildlife or something. But for hiking and backpacking weight versus cutting ability both are hard to beat.

Due to the fatter head the Ragweed has more of a tendency to glance but at the same time the handle is very narrow so if you are down in a notch you don't scrape the handle. The Reeves cuts better slightly IMO but if you are in a log that is wider than the bit you have to make the notch wide enough to not scrape the handle because it is wider than the bit.
 
Thanks for the details, I really like the look of Reeves work. Nice to see them actually getting used.

-Cliff
 
Cliff Stamp said:
Thanks for the details, I really like the look of Reeves work. Nice to see them actually getting used.

-Cliff
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The Reeves is a really nice one. The one bit he makes with a much steeper edge. It's really too light to do a lot of straight down splitting but with the steep edge I find I can kind of prop stuff 2 or 3" up on another log with my foot on the lower end to stabilize it, then strike the upper corner with the thick bit and get it to split. Sometimes you can lay them flat down on another log and hit them with the fat edge right in the middle and they will split lengthwise if the inside is pretty dry.

The stuff in the picture was really dried oak. The heart wood was really tough. The fungi on the bark had degraded the sapwood a bit and it was easy to chop thru, but the heartwood was slow going with all the hatchets unless you hit it at just the right angle.
 
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