Andy I received the Nam hawk from your fine firm the American Tomahawk Company and here is the review I promised you.
The initial inspection of the hawk shows a no compromise CQB tool the five cutting edges are well ground and show equal grind geometry. The edges are sharpened to a fantastic working edge without the fragileness of a razor sharp grind witch in my opinion is in appropriate on a high impact defensive / offensive tool. The lower cutting edge on the hatchet has a slight belly to it that really adds to it cutting ability the sharp corners on the blade penetrate like a stiletto leaving a tryangulare wound channel. The spike end has the bottom of the spike sharpened and has a slite angel to it to alow the spike to cut a path out to prevent it from lodging in its own wound cavity.
Testing supplys were obtained from Goodwill and the local butcher shop and consited of a rack of beef ribs and a leather jacket.
The first test was to see the penitration of the hatche head on the ribs with the leather jacket covering then. I hung the ribs on a closes line so they would be free swinging. Using the hawk in a downward swinging motion hitting the ribs with the upper tip of the blade it left a one-inch penetrating wound chipping the upper rib and left a 8th of an inch dent in the lower rib. The next test was to hit the face of the hatchet directly on to the ribs the leather jacket was penetrated completely leaving a gash in the two ribs about a 16th of inch in depth. The next test used the lower corner and cutting edge this penetrated the jacket hit the upper rib about center and shattered it cutting cleanly thru the connecting tissue and braking the next rib in half then using a downward pulling motion it cut its way out of the rib cage and jacket leaving about a seven inch gash in the jacket and a four inch cut in the rib cage. The final test of the cutting head was to go into the ribs parallel with the ribs using the lower cutting potion of the blade it completely severed the leather jacket and connective tissue this left a nine inch long cut in and by angling the handle up or down the sharp lower edge would bite the ribs and wedge its self there making it a formidable control tool and by further rotation of the handle will leaver the ribs apart braking one of them and doing massive tissue damage.
The spike end will shatter or chip any rib it comes in contact with and if it misses a bone by using a prying motion it will cut its way back out of its wound channel leaving a 2 to 3 deep wound cavity that is about 4 inches long once the spike is in use the tool like a claw hammer to maximize the hawks effectiveness.
As a utility tool it works well to cut steel banding and pry open wooden crates. I used it as a climbing aid in trees and am very confident of its strength. . As for its throwing ability I do not know for I tend not to throw away my weapons and as far as chopping wood I would prefer an axe.
How did the hawk came thru, well it came thru with flying colors the blade darkened from the blood but showed no chipping or dulling through out the testing and no loosening of the head at all. This is a first rate combat weapon and will prove to be a fantastic partner.
Thanks Andy for bring back a wonderful combat weapon.
Respectfully
MMURRAY
The initial inspection of the hawk shows a no compromise CQB tool the five cutting edges are well ground and show equal grind geometry. The edges are sharpened to a fantastic working edge without the fragileness of a razor sharp grind witch in my opinion is in appropriate on a high impact defensive / offensive tool. The lower cutting edge on the hatchet has a slight belly to it that really adds to it cutting ability the sharp corners on the blade penetrate like a stiletto leaving a tryangulare wound channel. The spike end has the bottom of the spike sharpened and has a slite angel to it to alow the spike to cut a path out to prevent it from lodging in its own wound cavity.
Testing supplys were obtained from Goodwill and the local butcher shop and consited of a rack of beef ribs and a leather jacket.
The first test was to see the penitration of the hatche head on the ribs with the leather jacket covering then. I hung the ribs on a closes line so they would be free swinging. Using the hawk in a downward swinging motion hitting the ribs with the upper tip of the blade it left a one-inch penetrating wound chipping the upper rib and left a 8th of an inch dent in the lower rib. The next test was to hit the face of the hatchet directly on to the ribs the leather jacket was penetrated completely leaving a gash in the two ribs about a 16th of inch in depth. The next test used the lower corner and cutting edge this penetrated the jacket hit the upper rib about center and shattered it cutting cleanly thru the connecting tissue and braking the next rib in half then using a downward pulling motion it cut its way out of the rib cage and jacket leaving about a seven inch gash in the jacket and a four inch cut in the rib cage. The final test of the cutting head was to go into the ribs parallel with the ribs using the lower cutting potion of the blade it completely severed the leather jacket and connective tissue this left a nine inch long cut in and by angling the handle up or down the sharp lower edge would bite the ribs and wedge its self there making it a formidable control tool and by further rotation of the handle will leaver the ribs apart braking one of them and doing massive tissue damage.
The spike end will shatter or chip any rib it comes in contact with and if it misses a bone by using a prying motion it will cut its way back out of its wound channel leaving a 2 to 3 deep wound cavity that is about 4 inches long once the spike is in use the tool like a claw hammer to maximize the hawks effectiveness.
As a utility tool it works well to cut steel banding and pry open wooden crates. I used it as a climbing aid in trees and am very confident of its strength. . As for its throwing ability I do not know for I tend not to throw away my weapons and as far as chopping wood I would prefer an axe.
How did the hawk came thru, well it came thru with flying colors the blade darkened from the blood but showed no chipping or dulling through out the testing and no loosening of the head at all. This is a first rate combat weapon and will prove to be a fantastic partner.
Thanks Andy for bring back a wonderful combat weapon.
Respectfully
MMURRAY
