Why a Tomahawk?

Have owned, and used several hatches over the years, just ordered my first hawk, but I can say that as I get a bit longer in the tooth, and real chopping I do in the bush is easier by far with a hawk/hatch then my big blades. And I happen to like the idea of a stake hammer as well. Purely personal choice, but it is incredible useful to have.

EDIT: I am going to order one of the off the map hactchs as well, my wife has a generic/junk/no name hatch she uses all the time, so I am getting her one for Christmas :)
 
You are a good husband... my wife and I like to do most of our hobbies together...
That would include: tomahawk throwing, shooting, fishing, hiking, bowling, etc...
 
I think Glock17JHP has a good wife ,all the women i know want to go shopping or dancing.

I still say that the hawk is practical when weight is an issue! Something like a CS trail or Norse hawk weighs very little for the amount of work it can do.
 
MrCoffee said:
...I am going to order one of the off the map hactchs as well, my wife has a generic/junk/no name hatch she uses all the time, so I am getting her one for Christmas :)
Click to expand...

You are getting your wife a hatchet for Christmas. :rolleyes:

Now that's a good woman! :thumbup:
 
The thrust will beat the cut every time.
The Spartans and Romans knew this and designed their weapons and tactics around that fact.
I have a Bolo made by a Master in the Philippines,same deal.
The thrust is more important,the cut is gravy.
A good weapon does both.
For a tool that can double as a weapon the Hawk is where it's at.
For a pure weapon even of the same overall length, something that can Thrust as well as Cut is more effective for offense and defense and much harder to
defend against because of the long unsharpened handle on the Hawk.

The best of both worlds?
A Bowie,dagger or Gladius in the lead hand and a Hawk in the rear.
Thrust and cut.
Two sharp edges to protect the Hawk's handle from being grabbed.
The rear guard protects the hand holding the Hawk from "defanging the snake"
The Hawk's bone breaking power protected by the more balanced weapon's speed and finesse.

"The quickest path to an opening is in a straight line"

Imagine the Muhammad Ali Vs George Forman fight if they both had equal sized edged cut and thrust weapons instead of boxing gloves.
Ali would have won in seconds.
 
InfidelShootist,

Very good post, brother...

I have been considering buying a Gladius... still looking for one cheaper than $200-225, though... 'Museum Replicas' is the only one I have seen so far...

Off subject a bit... but, I like 'walking sticks' and 'canes' for fighting/defending... I just emailed Dwana Pusser (Buford pusser's daughter), and have a 'Buford Stick' on the way to add to my 'stick' collection... She just finished a book about her Dad and his/the family's story, too... I have an autographed copy of that coming along with it, too...
 
Glock17JHP said:
InfidelShootist,

Very good post, brother...

I have been considering buying a Gladius... still looking for one cheaper than $200-225, though... 'Museum Replicas' is the only one I have seen so far...

Off subject a bit... but, I like 'walking sticks' and 'canes' for fighting/defending... I just emailed Dwana Pusser (Buford pusser's daughter), and have a 'Buford Stick' on the way to add to my 'stick' collection... She just finished a book about her Dad and his/the family's story, too... I have an autographed copy of that coming along with it, too...
Click to expand...

I bought 4 Blackthorn canes from this stick fighter in Ireland last year.
Came in handy last week when I hurt my back.
42,I'm getting old.
Need all the advantage I can get.
 
----Warning: BS brought to you by a Noob----

Obviously, a thrust which puts six inches of steel through your chest is going to be more deadly than a cut which puts a gash in your hide. But the tomahawk's strength, like the knife's, isn't really in the glancing cut. Like the knife, it can do much more than that. The strength of the tomahawk is in the direct, crushing blow.

Not only that, but it would seem to me that you can put more force behind a swinging hawk than you can behind a thrusting knife or short sword. That haft is an extension of your arm, and it increases your leverage.
 
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that is a good point too PantherCadet. the hawk has the potential to be a one hit weapon but i have to agree with InfidelShootist about the deadliness of the thrust.

i think a bowie, machete, or gladius all have a definate advantage over the hawk for pure weapon use do to the point, edge, length, and speed. this gives both offensive and defensive capabilities.

the hawk's power is ferocious but i would hate to have a hawk in a duel against a bowie. my frontier hawk is plenty light but not as light as my Hell's Belle and it doesn't have a reach advantage either.

010-2.jpg
 
Blunt force trauma to the head will stop a human faster than either a cut or a stab to any area of the body. Couple that with a spike making entry to the brain bucket and you have IMHO the ultimate CQC tool.
 
i have a rmj eagle talon that has the most vicious spike on it of any hawk i have seen. one of my main problems with the spike hawks is they tend to bury themselves and get stuck too easily.

i like vec's modded rifleman's hawk with the striking point on back. this looks like it will still do the damage yet not get hung up.
 
I do agree with InfidelShooter that the hawk-knife combo (a la Hawkeye in Last of the Mohicans) would be pretty effective. I say this from my wealth of personal experience. ;) I would just switch the hawk to the dominant hand and knife to the other.
 
Lets compare similar size and weight weapons.
Filipino Arnis master Remy Presas style stabbing bolo swords.
21 1/2 inch overall 1/8 thick and 14.3 ounces.
Not pretty,not fancy and not expencive but they work.
I sure would not want to face one of these with someone who knew how to use it with a tomahawk.
It'd be suicide.
I have several hawks and love them all.
I also own one of these Bolos along with 20 other short swords and with 30 years of training.
Speed trumps power.
So does technique.
You can't hurt what you can't hit.
Don't let the thinness or weight fool you.
Thin blades face less drag,length gives leverage and tip speed.
Balance and light weight gives control and speed.
That 14 ounce blade will take a wrist with ease.
A strong swing could take a leg.





settusokbolos2.JPG
 
I would agree with the hawk in the strong hand... large knife in the other...

However.....

If I had enough time to prepare that I would have 2 weapons... they would be a 12gauge in both hands... and a 9mm for back-up!!!
 
InfidelShootist said:
Filipino Arnis master Remy Presas style stabbing bolo swords.
21 1/2 inch overall 1/8 thick and 14.3 ounces.
That 14 ounce blade will take a wrist with ease.
A strong swing could take a leg.

settusokbolos2.JPG
Click to expand...

Maybe a few strong swings could take a leg... leg bones are not near as fragile as a wrist...
 
mercop said:
Blunt force trauma to the head will stop a human faster than either a cut or a stab to any area of the body. Couple that with a spike making entry to the brain bucket and you have IMHO the ultimate CQC tool.
Click to expand...

You can thrust to the brain or upper spine for instant stops.
Brain through the eye,temple or mastoid.
Upper spine through the neck.
You can do it faster with less of a chance of a counter move "In case you miss" then you can swing in an arc.
 
Glock17JHP said:
A thrust can be dodged... think 'bob and weave' like a boxer...
Click to expand...

Every move has a counter.
How do you bob and weave a thrust to low center?
Footwork is what separates master from student.
Any idiot can cut or thrust.
It takes skill to move correctly.

Feints,Stop hits,reposts,attacks by drawing and combination along with sticking,yielding,grappling,trapping,fighting spirit and killer instinct all come into play.
Skills and knowledge are the most important thing.
Weapon choices only matter when skill levels are near equal.
"Except for firearms with a few exceptions."
 
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