Vietnam Hawk with Acetal handle vs. NG Ranger

Crayola

Crayola

Joined
Sep 23, 1999
Messages
3,831
Hello Andy and hawk nuts!

I was wondering how these 2 hawks compare. Allow me to think out loud here, and perhaps you guys can correct my thinkings :)

The Vietnam hawk looks like a light and fast hawk, great for CQB. Add that awesome consealex sheath, and you can access it VERY quickly and resheathe it just as fast. But for utility, it is limited. The relatively short edge and the straightness of the edge limit it's usefulness outsode of CQB.

The NG Ranger Hawk should have a stronger head/handle joint because of the eye design. The head edge is curved, which makes it good for utility stuff. This hawk looks slower to move in a CQB situation than the Vietnam hawk. But, it definitely would leave a mark if you hit a bad guy with it!

So, how are my thoughts? Can you fill any holes? I guess my main concerns are the utility functions of the 'Nam hawk, and the fighting ability of the NG Ranger hawk. Both hawks look awesome, and I am glad that US service folks are finding a use for these in the fight against bad people.
 
Crayola,

...your observations are quite reasonable.

Yes, the NG Ranger is heavier than the Vietnam Tactical and as a result, a bit slower in CQB. However, the curved cutting edge and longer handle do afford some performance gains within CQB applications. Slice cuts are a bit more efficient, and some non-lethal restraining techniques are a bit easier to employ due to the longer handle. The added 2" of handle length also increases power, and add a bit of distance between the wielder and the opponent...which can be an advantage.

The Vietnam Tactical is lighter and faster...no doubt. It is also, in my opinion, easier to throw. And...you are correct about the handle/head junction. The NG Ranger is the strongest.

What I will say about the Vietnam Tactical however is that it is quite utilitarian. Peter LaGana was famous for cleaning small game and Whitetail Deer with the Vietnam Tomahawk.

Last month, Soldiers at Ft. Campbell tested the Vietnam Tactical Tomahawk against a variety of other products, which I will leave un-named. One of the tests included digging fighting positions through slate! :eek:

The Vietnam Tactical was the ONLY tool not to break in the test. Further, it was the only tool to pass ALL of the tests unscathed, which included chopping, cutting, prying, digging, etc..

If some of our customers have some performance observations of their own, we would LOVE to hear about them on this thread.

Good idea Crayola!

I would only add in closing that a new Hawk is coming out which should address some of the product observations you have made here. More about that soon... ;)
 
Thanks for the input Andy!

I am saving up for a graduation present for myself (in a year and a half, I get a Masters in Philosophy!) and I'm not tusre what to get. ATC sure got me thinking about hawks a lot. Whatever present I get myself, it will be somethign that I will use. Thanks especially for informing me about the utility of the Vietnam hawk.

The new hawk sounds interesting... You know, the problem with forums like these is that we all get the lates news, which leads to many months of fidgeting and anticipation! I'm sure I have taken a year or two off of my life waiting to see all these new products :)

ATC has new hawks coming out, Camillus has a mega folder project, BUSSE has a folder in the works... SHEESH! And all the pics of the Strider AR flder that I have seen have got me pretty excited. What a time to be a knife/sword/hawk nut!
 
I have a Vietnam Field Grade Tomahawk , man is this thing tough!
I have used it to destroy concrete when pouring posts for a fence.
And also used it to chop and dig huge roots up when pulling a small tree. It has preformed dozens of other chores and has never failed.I think I am on my 5th handle , I keep making trips to Home Depot to get more.I graduate USMC bootcamp on mid-Sept. after that it will come along with me during my active service.

I try and do everything I can to break the head but I can't.

Thanks for such a awesome tool Andy.

I want to get a NG Ranger here in the next couple months.
 
NukeEmAll:

Sounds like fun! I wonder, how useful is the hawk for wood chopping and "camp" chores? Have you chopped some wood with your hawk?
 
I have used it to chop wood.I worked at a golf course and I got alot of use out of my hawk.My wood chopping was limited to some 3in. limbs and the roots I cut up.Both of which weren't even a challenge for the Hawk.The Vietnam Hawk will do any camp chore you can dish out.
 
Well, maybe it was. My portable stereo did finally give up the ghost at camp, so... :D
 

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Thanks guys for the info and the SWEET pic!



Andy, you said this: I would only add in closing that a new Hawk is coming out which should address some of the product observations you have made here. More about that soon... :)

Well, is it soon enough? You and Will Fennell are driving me nuts.
 
I agree with your assumptions.

i would liek to see a hybrid between the two hawks. A NG hawk about the size of the Vietnam hawk would suit me just fine. :D
 
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