I have not seen any listed here, so I thought I would share a handy tool I discovered! Ships Boarding Ax's these were usually a standard ax used for ships repairs and such, but were modified for fighting use! Think Tomahawk but bigger and so much more useful as a tool as well as fighting edged weapons. I have made several of these out of old ball peen hammers I pick up at yard sales and such. Thew work for prying very well, can be used to wedge a door open or closed and many many other very useful things! the handle on this one is 24'' long I have done both smaller and larger, but fing this to be the right size and weight!
It looks like a handy self defense weapon, but a pulaski fire axe which is larger and similar should be standard on every homestead as the go to tool for fire protection, building fire breaks, removing roofing, siding, sheetrock, etc. If you have to fight a fire by yourself, or are trying to limit it tell the fire department gets there it can't be beat. Love the old hand tools, they were designed to fill a niche that often either made your life easier or even saved it.
Will King makes period correct ones at his forge. Great stuff. I don't cotton to spikes and heavy hand axes, but they are nice if you like that sort of thing.
I love making different versions of these, I built my own forge and have been learning how to use it to make useful tools or to "improve" other design ideas that I think could be improved. This tool just happend to be an answer to a series of problems I had come up with and needed to find a solution to! The main thing I was looking at was a SHTF breaking and entering tool that was small enough to hide, light enough to carry, and strong enough for serious prying. The plus is that this can be a pretty effective fighting tool if and when needed! Can also be used for working around the home, splitting wood, bending metal, digging, chopping and many more things! Any way, Just one mans good idea for a job that others couldn't address.
That really is a good idea. I have a good tomahawk but, in truth, the head isn't heavy enough to cut down a small tree - too much work. So, I thought, 'Okay, a hand axe", but the balance isn't right if one wants to use it for self defense. This would be the ticket. For me, a sharp spike would be something that I would just skewer myself with probably when I am 20 miles from no where but I do see how a spike could be handy to pry with...yeah, this would be a nice tool. 24" would be about right, enough length to put some power behind the swing against tree or bone yet not too long to carry. Nice tool.
I have one of these...cold steel trench hawk for shtf...it works ok...its a bit unbalanced but will do the job..ya know zombies and all