What is the smallest usefull hawk head?

[idaho]

I recently bought Trail hawk - canonical first hawk and allthough I find it great for throwing I would love to have something lighter - like 7-8 oz head.

That would be backpacking tool, sometimes with shaft made on the spot.

Is there something like this?

 

[Steve Tall]

If you live in Europe, you might be able to acquire one of these with a 250g head (just under 9 oz):

from a previous thread
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=797550

 

[foxx]

I like the idea of not carrying the weight of a handle, but man.. How long will it take to find a good piece of wood and make your handle?
Backpacking is always a compromise of weight and safety. I'd rather take a complete tool, and spend my energy elsewhere. I just don't know of a tool specificly designed that way, the "add your own handle on the fly" kind of hawk.
It's not impossible by any means, but I'd be afraid of injury or loss because my choice of handle snapped.

 

[Calebklyne]

I wouldn't want anything lighter to be honest I find the trailhawk is at the very bottom of the usable weight range

 

[Shotgun]

I wouldn't want anything lighter to be honest I find the trailhawk is at the very bottom of the usable weight range

Depends on what you're doing. My gb mini does just fine for backpacking. However I too would like a hawk that size. I like the ability to remove the head easily.

To the OP, look into Vec's eco hawk. About 9 ounces. I have one and although it's not right for me, it may work for you.

 

[Cpl Punishment]

You find the Trail Hawk too heavy?

Most seem to think it's not big enough.

Besides, the wood haft really is a fairly small amount of the whole weight, I'd keep it. They seem to be shipping with a nice Hickory haft these days witht eh grain aligned pretty darn well. Going to be hard to do that in the field.

My advice is to take the TH, read the customizing thread here, and make it yours. Once you've done the custom touch, and gotten used to it, you may not want to ever switch.

 

[Kentucky]

This little guy had a 16"-17" haft and I think and about a 8-9 oz head.Wrought iron with a 1065 bit I believe.. It was a real little chopper.It would supprise you..The only time Ive went smaller was for a belt hawk to skin and quarter game with. Per the customers request..

 

[woodsroamer]

I sometimes use a minimalist "pack" containing a Kentucky belt axe (often switched out with a GB mini), a Mora 510, one of my spoon knives

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0qpVW5r15M

along with 50' of para cord, a fire-starter, and tin cup. With this kit (and with sufficient woodscraft knowledge) one can live in the woods (the Indians had far less) and the weight of it all is essentially non-existent.

Here's the bottom line: It's not the weight of your axe or tomahawk that's important. It's the ratio or juxtaposition of that weight to everything else you carry. In other words, even a "heavy" small forest axe or a large tomahawk is seemingly weightless if you carry nothing else. But if you pack 60 pounds of "hotel" gear on your back then the axes weight or tomahawk's weight becomes an issue.

 

[Any Cal.]

I sometimes use a minimalist "pack" containing a Kentucky belt axe (often switched out with a GB mini), a Mora 510, one of my spoon knives

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0qpVW5r15M

along with 50' of para cord, a fire-starter, and tin cup. With this kit (and with sufficient woodscraft knowledge) one can live in the woods (the Indians had far less) and the weight of it all is essentially non-existent.

Here's the bottom line: It's not the weight of your axe or tomahawk that's important. It's the ratio or juxtaposition of that weight to everything else you carry. In other words, even a "heavy" small forest axe or a large tomahawk is seemingly weightless if you carry nothing else. But if you pack 60 pounds of "hotel" gear on your back then the axes weight or tomahawk's weight becomes an issue.

Nice post.

 

[ron_m80]

I cut off my TH hammer poll, and ground a more typical curve under the bit. it has dropped the weight considerably and I love my TH all the more.