Tomahawks

Man, even wholesale, bark river is SO expensive. Hoping maybe for Christmas I can get one, got my eyes on so many good things right now. LOT of good, nobody else makes patterns there too.

 

If there is one near you and you can catch it or go to it... a mountain man rendezvous should allow you to obtain a good hawk!

at least that used to be the place to get such... haven't been to one in years but most I saw back then were hand made with a hard steel insert for the blade... although they can be a real chore to sharpen... but they don't get dull easily IIRC...

quick note... using a grinder or something of that nature can ruin the temper on a good blade... does so with care!

 

I have a number of tomahawks for throwing. That's all they're for. Big piece of Beech has rotted clean away now, but when we were actively competing #1 Son and I could cut cards pretty well with them. We paced off our distance and threw very mechanically. I have seen guys who could pull a hawk from their sash and throw on the run that did as well as we could. It's all about practice. In a hawk I'm always going to use a hand forged head so I can slip in a new handle. This also lets you try different handle lengths for perfecting a throw.

As an alternative to a hatchet or axe I like my tiny Vaughn Sub Zero mini hatchet. (Strip that ugly blue paint off and polished it.) As a weapon I'll take my worn out shingling hatchet. It has had most of the long blade sharpened away and is now light and agile, and gives the option of a cutting blade or a flat striking hammer head with a handle length about the same as my hawks.

Nooooo! Not the grinder! A good file and stone will correct any issues your blades have, without ruining the temper.

 

I like that Big Blue that @Bishop linked. It may be more useful then a tomahawk. I like something that will be multi-sue and from reading comments, it seems that the tomahawk is a weapon primary which means it will mainly collect dust.

Someone just suggested this saw to me. It seems to have more uses then a tomahawk.

 

Pppffffttttt Tomahawk...


A real meat axe, a proven one

 

Description and what's picture are not the same.

Rigger's Axe 16"
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DT0OSF6/?tag=survivalmonke-20

Carpenter's Hatchet (Big Blue) 13"
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007OM9IHS/?tag=survivalmonke-20

 

Whenever I worked in the North and couldn't carry a firearm I bought a riggers axe or drywall hammer for personal protection. Both camouflage well in a millwrights tool belt (to the inexperienced)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002N5NE/?tag=survivalmonke-20

I'd give the tool to the best worker on the job that belonged to the home team. Good for morale and getting called back.....

 

I like the Fox River, and also the 1909 Michigan, Hudson Bay, Kephart, and Barong.
1909 Michigan Bowie
Hudson Bay Camp Knife II
Kephart
Barong

@Motomom34 - This is my personal favorite production "hawk" that I carry when it gets serious. The balance is better than the Cold Steel, it hits HARD, and holds an edge.
Arms & Armor
*note: the blades in my profile pic are the CS Viking hand ax, CS Pipe Hawk, and the right hands bearded ax is the one I linked.

 

Got to play with a Finnish hatchet in that pattern before. Didn't think I would like it, but it oozed quality and function.

 

Those silky saws are what we carry in the park service as backups if the power saw nose dive on in us. They are light and effective. Not half as cool to whip out as tomahawk though.