UPDATE - Need Some Tomahawk Help

[th3ug1y0n3]

I am looking for a Tomahawk. I don't want it made in China or Taiwan. So far the only ones that I can find that I like are American Tomahawk Company Model 1 and Condor Tool and Knife Indian Hammer Poll. I did find a company that sells just the head but you have heat treat it and I am not sure if that is a good idea or not , hatchetsandaxes.com. I also found a seller that sells the head only and they are from Hungary produced by ΛdiThiel - the ArchaeoSmith, not sure if anyone has dealt with them. I prefer the one with a hammer. Any help with this will be appriciated.

 

[th3ug1y0n3]

????

 

[Burke]

American Tomahawk is certainly good quality and comes with an excellent kydex sheath. I believe there is a Model 2 coming at some point that will be a hammer poll although I don’t know the exact timing.

 

[thebrain]

Condor makes everything in El Salvador I have some of their knives and an all steel throwing hawk from them that I like quite a bit. Anything made in the US or Japan will be on the expensive side.

 

[littleknife]

I am looking for a Tomahawk. I don't want it made in China or Taiwan. So far the only ones that I can find that I like are American Tomahawk Company Model 1 and Condor Tool and Knife Indian Hammer Poll. I did find a company that sells just the head but you have heat treat it and I am not sure if that is a good idea or not , hatchetsandaxes.com. I also found a seller that sells the head only and they are from Hungary produced by ΛdiThiel - the ArchaeoSmith, not sure if anyone has dealt with them. I prefer the one with a hammer. Any help with this will be appriciated.

Unless you have the proper setup and some experience, heat treatment is not something you want to do yourself.
If you outsource it, your overall costs will be higher than if you had bought a ready to use product.
ΛdiThiel - the ArchaeoSmith is an excellent smith, his tomahawks and fokos are top notch. I personally don't have any of his products, but have read a lot of positive feedback, on BladeForums too. If you buy from him, buy several replacement handles too.

H&B Forge makes some very nice camp tomahawks, and even though the hammer polls are not bowl shaped, the materials (1095 steel core wrapped in mild 1018 steel) and the fact they are hand forged makes them superior to the Condor one.

By the way the Taiwan made tomahawks (Cold Steel or CRKT) are really good and of consistent quality. They are inexpensive, so you can get one to see it for yourself (e.g. Cold Steel Pipe Hawk). The known problem with the Cold Steel hawks is the variability in head to handle fit. You can buy the hawk from FortyTwoBlades, a member and supporting dealer of BladeForums, who for a few bucks more will set the handle properly and will sharpen your hawk to your specs so it will be a great end product.

 

[th3ug1y0n3]

Thanks for the feedback. I will provide an update with the direction I go but probably won't be until June.

 

[shortwinger]

Check out 2Hawks tomahawks. They are rock solid and made in the US.

 

[th3ug1y0n3]

Unless you have the proper setup and some experience, heat treatment is not something you want to do yourself.
If you outsource it, your overall costs will be higher than if you had bought a ready to use product.

I am not experienced and thought it strange that the instructions listed on the website indicated that I could do it in my oven. Maybe you can but like I said I have no experience with that.

 

[th3ug1y0n3]

Well I put my Father's Day request in. This will be more for camping and something to pass on to the kids so will be going with the H & B Forge Medium Camp Hawk as my first hawk. I do have my eyes on that Warhawk from 2hawks though. I can feel an addiction coming. Again thank you for the responses and it really helped.

 

[Bigfattyt]

I am not experienced and thought it strange that the instructions listed on the website indicated that I could do it in my oven. Maybe you can but like I said I have no experience with that.

Ha!! Unless your oven goes to 1400-1500 degrees, you can't heat treat your own hawk head...

You can temper in an oven, but that is not the same thing at all.


I looked at his site, and I could not find anywhere where it says you need to harden/heat treat the axe on your own.

 

[burninatorzw]

Well I put my Father's Day request in. This will be more for camping and something to pass on to the kids so will be going with the H & B Forge Medium Camp Hawk as my first hawk. I do have my eyes on that Warhawk from 2hawks though. I can feel an addiction coming. Again thank you for the responses and it really helped.

It's good to feed your axe addiction.

2 more to keep an eye on ...

BACKRIPPER | Wingard Wearables

www.wingardwearables.com

EMPRESS | Wingard Wearables

www.wingardwearables.com

Best of Fortune and BE EDGY.

Zac with Wingard Wearables Co

 

[th3ug1y0n3]

Ha!! Unless your oven goes to 1400-1500 degrees, you can't heat treat your own hawk head...

You can temper in an oven, but that is not the same thing at all.


I looked at his site, and I could not find anywhere where it says you need to harden/heat treat the axe on your own.

Maybe it was just this one and assumed that it was for all.

"Patriot Style" Faceted Bowl Pipe Brass Tomahawk Head - Custom

Similar to The Patriot style tomahawk head the medium sized pipe axe head is designed like those made int he late 18th and early 19th centuries. This tomahawk head is available in steel as well (SKU# 0305).

www.hatchetsandaxes.com

 

[Bigfattyt]

Maybe it was just this one and assumed that it was for all.

"Patriot Style" Faceted Bowl Pipe Brass Tomahawk Head - Custom

Similar to The Patriot style tomahawk head the medium sized pipe axe head is designed like those made int he late 18th and early 19th centuries. This tomahawk head is available in steel as well (SKU# 0305).

www.hatchetsandaxes.com

Oh, that link was for a cast Brass hatchet head.

Ah.....I was looking at the other maker you listed from Hungary.

 

[racegunner]

I have an ΛdiThiel spike hawk head that I've had for a while and finally getting around to fitting a haft to it. It fits through the bottom with a wedge like an axe not like most current hawks that slip in from the tapered top.
What do you plan to used it for; a weapon, around the camp, chores? Some hawks that make good weapons make poor tools. A hatchet or small hand axe is pretty versatile.

Gränsfors Wildlife Hatchet | Gränsfors Bruk Sweden

The Gränsfors Wildlife Hatchet is a traditional scouting and camping axe, with the same head as the Hand Hatchet but on a longer handle. This longer handle lends the axe more power…

www.gransforsbruk.com

I really like my Ranger hawk and pipe hawk from Beaver Bill, but his shop burned and he's rebuilding. https://www.beaverbill.com/main/

 

[th3ug1y0n3]

I have an ΛdiThiel spike hawk head that I've had for a while and finally getting around to fitting a haft to it. It fits through the bottom with a wedge like an axe not like most current hawks that slip in from the tapered top.
What do you plan to used it for; a weapon, around the camp, chores? Some hawks that make good weapons make poor tools. A hatchet or small hand axe is pretty versatile.

Gränsfors Wildlife Hatchet | Gränsfors Bruk Sweden

The Gränsfors Wildlife Hatchet is a traditional scouting and camping axe, with the same head as the Hand Hatchet but on a longer handle. This longer handle lends the axe more power…

www.gransforsbruk.com

I really like my Ranger hawk and pipe hawk from Beaver Bill, but his shop burned and he's rebuilding. https://www.beaverbill.com/main/

I have axes and hatchets for the heavy duty wood processing. I will use as multi purpose but primarily around camp, fire prepping (batoning), shelters and if need be defense. Something to keep close to me and being able readily available for use. I like the versatility of being able to remove the head and using it for bushcrafting. This will be the first one to get an idea of its versatility as a tool. Would also like it a project and do some of the decorative patterns that I have seen done on them.

I do want a hammer poll though. I originally liked the pipe hawks but I will not be using it for smoking as i have seen that some do function as a real smoking pipe. The one on Beaver Bill's site are sweet. Might Mouse Hawk is what I am going for. Sad to hear that their shop was burned down.

 

[littleknife]

I do want a hammer poll though. I originally liked the pipe hawks but I will not be using it for smoking as i have seen that some do function as a real smoking pipe.

The Cold Steel Pipe Hawk's "pipe" is a bowl shaped hammer poll. Hardened too.

Also, you don't have to remove the head to use a hawk for bushcrafting. You can choke up on the haft and due to the more secure grip you will have better control than if you were to remove the head.
I personally wouldn't want to remove the hawk head unless a broken handle needs a replacing.

 

[th3ug1y0n3]

The Cold Steel Pipe Hawk's "pipe" is a bowl shaped hammer poll. Hardened too.

Also, you don't have to remove the head to use a hawk for bushcrafting. You can choke up on the haft and due to the more secure grip you will have better control than if you were to remove the head.
I personally wouldn't want to remove the hawk head unless a broken handle needs a replacing.

Cool. I wouldn't want to remove the head all the time but I like versatility that it offers with or without the handle. Cool that if the handle broke, if you know how, you could rig something together to make it a functional chopper. A very versatile tool and that's what is drawing me to them.

And actually weather Pipe or hammer poll any that will allow it to do some light hammering. I'll take a look at the Cold Steel hawk.

I have come to find that the ones I REALLY like are out of stock.. or right above the budget I currently have which is about $150.00+fees. This is something the kids and my wife are getting or at least what I suggested for Father's Day.

 

[littleknife]

I'll take a look at the Cold Steel hawk.

If you decide to get the Cold Steel Pipe Hawk, I once again suggest that you order it from FortyTwoBlades at Baryonyx Knife Company.
First of all he inspects the wares and for just $3 grades you get the special grade sharpening and you might request that he really fits tightly the handle with a hydraulic press.
I think it is well worth the money, you will get a great product.
You might get the hawks slightly cheaper from others but you will be playing lottery regarding the fit and sometimes other things too.
Cold Steel Hawks are great if you do some tinkering at the beginning. FortyTwoBlades saves you all this tinkering and you get a great product right away.

Whatever your final choice(s), I hope you get a great Father's Day gift.

 

[racegunner]

I have a Cold Steel Pipe Hawk you can borrow depending where I'd have to ship if you want to try it out.

 

[Spey]

If you decide to get the Cold Steel Pipe Hawk, I once again suggest that you order it from FortyTwoBlades at Baryonyx Knife Company.
First of all he inspects the wares and for just $3 grades you get the special grade sharpening and you might request that he really fits tightly the handle with a hydraulic press.
I think it is well worth the money, you will get a great product.
You might get the hawks slightly cheaper from others but you will be playing lottery regarding the fit and sometimes other things too.
Cold Steel Hawks are great if you do some tinkering at the beginning. FortyTwoBlades saves you all this tinkering and you get a great product right away.

Whatever your final choice(s), I hope you get a great Father's Day gift.

RE: "... fit tightly the handle with a hydraulic press."

Hawk haft fit with a hydraulic press ..., would be contradictory to the basic principal of a hawk. Better to fit the haft to the head properly (after round filing the "set- screw"), then proceeding to profile the bevels to users intended application.