Who uses a hawk for woods duty?

SpookyPistolero

SpookyPistolero

Joined
Dec 13, 2005
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6,105
Hello folks-

I've been staring at a lot of pictures of the CS Trail Hawk lately, and I'm trying to sell myself on one of them. They look very cool, but I'm only really interested in functionality. I posted a similar question in the hawk/axe subforum, but feel like this might be a better place for the question.

I'd be very interested in peoples experiences with that model specifically, but other hawk experiences would be great too.

How well did it chop for you?
Did you find enough uses for it as a camp tool?
Did you find you would have often rather had a hatchet or large fixed blade?

I understand it won't chop like a GB, but wood gathering is an important job for a tool like this.

Thanks for any thoughts!

-Spooky
 
I went with my rifleman's hawk this fall for a few days....

It did....OK.

The edge profile is very narrow, and they don't tend to chop as well as a good hatchet. I would probably have been better off with a Sven Saw.


Clint Hollingworth
The Wandering Ones webcomic
http://www.wanderingones.com
 
I have a CS trailhawk that will out chop my fiskars hatchet with ease. It a bit lighter as well since I took off the hammer end. My current chopping tools are: CS trailhawk, fiskars hatchet and ontario sp8 and the trailhawk is the best chopper of the bunch.
 
I did a very casual comparison of a CS Trailhawk and a 12 inch Valiantco golok - you can check it out here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=492843

The Valiantco outperformed the Trailhawk. But I didn't seriously reprofile the Trailhawk (only sharpened it a bit) and the Valiantco costs a great deal more. For twenty bucks and some work reprofiling, the Trailhawk is a decent tool I think.
 
Thanks for the reviews, folks!

Right now the contest would be between the Fiskars and a KaBar Heavy Bowie, then the hawk as a possible third. Too many choices?! :D

IH8U- I saw a pic of your hawk in the other thread, I really liked it. I think I'd get enough use out of the hammer to keep it, but yours looks great. Did you have to reprofile the edge to make it out-perform the Fiskars? Do you find many uses for it beyond chopping?
 
SpookyPistolero said:
IH8U- I saw a pic of your hawk in the other thread, I really liked it. I think I'd get enough use out of the hammer to keep it, but yours looks great. Did you have to reprofile the edge to make it out-perform the Fiskars? Do you find many uses for it beyond chopping?
Click to expand...

Yes, I took the edge to the belt sander and made my best efforts for a convex grind then finished it up with a diamond sharpener.

I should post up a new picture since I wrapped about 30' of paracord on the thing.

***Edited to add - The trailhawk does have a longer handle then my small fiskars which probably makes a bigger difference then the edge re-profile. Longer handle = more leverage. Its also has a much thinner blade which allows for bigger cuts, but lacks in wood splitting. Other uses would include throwing it around during down time.
 
I have been using a Trailhawk for a few years now. I use the hammer for tent stakes, it's worth keeping on. I used to take a short axe, but the TH is lighter and smaller, and chops fine, really don't chop a lot of larger firewood, just let it burn in half.
 
I carry a trail hawk into the woods and I really like it.I'm working on a frontier hawk-pipe combo for woods work.
 
My trail hawk isn't bad, my riflemans hawk is better, fiskars better yet and my wetterlings at the top. Though, I cant find any more wetterlings here in Nova Sctoia, so I think Ill be going to a fiskars for a hatchet.
 
I've had a Norse Hawk for a few months now that does pretty well. The handle is relatively large in length and diameter, which I think helps the matter quite a bit. Before I ever took mine out though, I took all the finish off the blade and reprofiled the edge pretty significantly.

The main reason I carry it these days? because it's lighter and less cumbersome than my khukuri, and I got it at one helluva good price.

Overall, I'm more impressed with a hatchet to be honest, but it's certainly woodsworthy anyways.
 
Damnit! First seeing this thread I thought it was about Falconry: who goes hunting with a hawk in the woods, now THAT would be an impressive bit of wilderness&survival skills:D
 
I forged a couple hawks out of wrecking bar for myself and the neighbor. We have both used them hunting and camping and they work fine but not as well as a good hatchet. FOr backpacking I would certainly take it over a hatchet for weight reasons though.

bertshawk009-web.jpg
 
B Finnigan said:
I forged a couple hawks out of wrecking bar for myself and the neighbor. We have both used them hunting and camping and they work fine but not as well as a good hatchet. FOr backpacking I would certainly take it over a hatchet for weight reasons though.

bertshawk009-web.jpg
Click to expand...

Awesome work.:thumbup:
 
SpookyPistolero said:
Hello folks-

I've been staring at a lot of pictures of the CS Trail Hawk lately, and I'm trying to sell myself on one of them. They look very cool, but I'm only really interested in functionality. I posted a similar question in the hawk/axe subforum, but feel like this might be a better place for the question.

I'd be very interested in peoples experiences with that model specifically, but other hawk experiences would be great too.

How well did it chop for you?
Did you find enough uses for it as a camp tool?
Did you find you would have often rather had a hatchet or large fixed blade?

I understand it won't chop like a GB, but wood gathering is an important job for a tool like this.

Thanks for any thoughts!

-Spooky
Click to expand...

I bring a Rifleman with me now and then. I sharpen it with a Lansky kit and it takes dandy whacks out of trees. Squeeze some liquid silicone/rubber between the handle and head gap. After a few days drying the head will stay tight through any chopping. Big chopping knives are much more work for cutting wood and will tire you out faster than a hawk or hatchet. A saw is probably more efficient than either...but what fun is that?:D
 
willgoy said:
Damnit! First seeing this thread I thought it was about Falconry: who goes hunting with a hawk in the woods, now THAT would be an impressive bit of wilderness&survival skills:D
Click to expand...

Ha, I thought the same thing. :)
 
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