Any Tomahawk fans here?

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I've never played with tomahawks but I've thrown hatchets a bit.
I like hatchets as they are viewed as tools not weapons. Put one in the top of a toolbox in the back seat or such.
 
I have a nice "hatchet" :rolleyes: that I got from Himalayan Imports. I like it quite a bit, but the handle is very poor. I'd like to get a solid mount onto a piece of canvas micarta 'bout 18" long.
 
Hawks and Hatchets...
Deadly weapons in the hands of someone willing to use them.
They are excellent weapons for your off hand/secondary weapon.

An entrenching tool would do just as well.
 
I saw some pretty nice 'hawk tossing at The Feast of the Hunter's Moon* this past fall. Looks like fun.

E-tools are nice, but they don't really have the flavor of a tomahawk. More functional, though. I keep one in the Honda of Doom, handy thing to have around.

Lutel (of the Czech Republic) makes some nice-looking repro axes. They have a good reputation for quality and the prices are suprisingly reasonable.

- Chris

* - It's a local Lafayette historical reenactment festival. Loads of fun!
 
Just don't throw the darn things! In South Africa we had a word for those who threw weapons at others - we called them "disarmed"!!! :eek: Usually, when someone tried this on me, I took full advantage of his error of judgement... :D
 
When someone throws a weapon whether dedicated or improvised...I'm going to evaluate what's happening. If the weapon is thrown well, my evaluation will go thus: this guy knows what he is doing with thrown weapons therefore I must make one of two conclusions-either he is a fool who just happens to throw well or he is not a fool and he's got more weapons.

I throw knives, hatchets, tire irons, punches and such right well. If you see me throw one you can bet your last dollar I'm not unarmed.

That being said, thrown weapons are not primary, secondary, or even tertiary weapons in my carry inventory. It's more on an improvisational basis as far as real use is concerned. On a daily basis, I just like to throw things.
 
Currently in the process of forging my own hawk head from a large rasp. Should be wicked when finished, and it will really truly be "mine." I'll post pictures if I ever get the weight right.
 
Always good enough to decently throw things, but I'd say that'd be right up there with "I'm out of ammo."

Regular hatchet is better for chopping & that sucks compared to an axe .... I've some other questions why a t'hawk would ever even be considered for anything.

There's so many other things better ....

Serious question though.

What practical use does a t'hawk have? Willing to know something new.

Why would you choose a t'hawk to do anything that other things do so much better?
 
i HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY FOND OF THE

dRY WALL HAMMER AS AVAIABLE AT HOME DEPOT. WORKS WELL FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE BUT NOT CLASSIFIED AS A WEAPON UNLESS YOU USE IT AS ONE. HANDY IN MY FORMER STATE OF nj.
 
Sure, a khukuri is better for chopping, and even for throwing if you're that type of guy. But I have found the tomahawk to have some unique qualities.

Now, putting aside the problem of toting one around, a tomahawk is an excellent choice at close quarters. At a medium range they have the advantage of length over a knife. At closer range, the bottom edge is great for hooking and clearing attacking limbs. Finally, the tomahawk is one of the few large edged weapons that loses none of its usefulness at grappling or body contact range. Just choke up on the handle, as much as you like.

My favorite design is the old LaGana Style, with a short handle.
 
I just finished assembling a tomahawk that I bought last year from Mountain State Muzzleloaders. The head said "India" on it and seems to be kind of mild steel. They were out of handles ( and I just found out they are now out of business) so I made one out of 1 1/8" oak dowel rod 18" long.

I put an edge on the finished product and tried a few throws at a dead oak tree near my house. I'm amazed at how far you can stick it in a target and how hard it seems to hit. Chopping 1" - 1 1/2" limbs in a brush pile was pretty easy. It's seems better than a hatchet and more portable than an axe. Time will tell how durable the edge is and I'm just going to have to dig up some scrap Kydex from another project and make a sheath of some sort.

Rick
 
For now, I have a Cold Steel "Spetznaz" shovel in the back end of my 4wd. Cheaper Than Dirt has some Swiss army surplus models vey similar to the copy I have and I probably will pick up one or two of them next time I'm over that way. I like having a hawk, but in a state where they look askance at items that are not readily recognisable as 'just tools' I think having a sharpened-edge little fannywhacker is pretty stealthy.

Cold Steel shovel
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ctd/product.asp?sku=36565&mscssid=AH9998BWFV0H9KGBQMF9RK0EXTTWC851

Swiss shovel
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ctd/product.asp?sku=ZAA-174&mscssid=AH9998BWFV0H9KGBQMF9RK0EXTTWC851[/URL]
 
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Ive made about 2 dozen various stlyes of tomahawks over the years.

I can accuratley throw one up to about 20 yards, or 3 flips.

I like long handles for leverage and make em 18 inches long.

Ive made several traditional tomohawks but I recently bulit one that would be classified as a "war" hawk.

Its sharpened on 3 sides and has a top serated edge. It doesent have the traditonal curve to the balde but rather is angled back straight. This thing will stick so hard in an Oak tree that you;ll have to brace yourself with your leg it dig it out.


The tomohawk is the ultimate utility tool. Back in the good old days they were working tools that could double as a weapon if need be. Make no mistake, a man that knows how to use a hawk can be a very tough opponet.

I ve'made several out of D-2 but they were too brittle, the last few I've made out of 4150 and oil quenched seem to be doing great. They'll hold an edge, easy to sharpen and they dont chip out like the tool steels do.
 
Currently in the process of forging my own hawk head from a large rasp. Should be wicked when finished, and it will really truly be "mine." I'll post pictures if I ever get the weight right.

Don, you'll need to aneal it when you are done working it. If you dont it, be way too brittle.

Ive BTDT. Spent awhile making a "sword" out of a 24 inch mill file and it looked beautiful as I ground it on a surface grinder.
Unfortunatley, I dropped it and the thing shattered like glass to due to imparting stress in it from being worked. In fact, It might be a good idea to aneal it before you start working on it.
 
It has been said by the "non-experts" ie the people who have either used or have seen them in use, that the tomahawk is one of the most effective close quarters weapons ever devised. I have read (forgot where) that the tomahawk was used in the pacific during WWII with deadly success, and that a govt issue 'hawk was used by some troops in Vietnam. If you have ever held a balanced tomahawk you can get the sense of their effectivness,and what could be done with one.
 
I throw fits. :eek:

I've a couple of tomahawks that I throw, but never spent the time to become good at it. Tried to talk "Beaver" Bill Keefer into duplicating one like Daniel Boone carried. His had the traditional axe head, with a spike on top and back and the handle was also pointed. He mourned the loss of the hawk in a fire in Missouri as it was the only 'hawk he had that could be tossed from any distance and it would still stick (impale) to the object.

Both Native Americans and the frontiersmen became proficient with the tomahawk with many of them praticing with it since childhood (why didn't we have those type of sports as kids?).

BTW, I've no more pipe tomahawks. Gave them both away and now I'll have to shop for a third.
 
It's not a 'hawk, but...

...I did recently get a very cool Hanwei-made Viking-style bearded axe.

When I hold it, it makes me want to loot Scotland. :D
 
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