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Post by Gingerbread Man on Nov 4, 2013 18:55:35 GMT
Discussion: Tomahawk in all it's glory!  With that, game on. My preferred hawk is the Cold Steel Trail Hawk because it's lighter and has a hammer head. One day I'd like to let my inner mall ninja out and try a few others including the SOG VooDoo, the CRKT Kangee, and the Browning Black Label. Does anyone have any experience with them? I'd have already bought some but I keep buying training the Cold Steel hawk trainers |
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Post by omegaman on Nov 7, 2013 22:02:16 GMT
You know, I have 2 hawks. A Cold Steel Rifleman and a Vietnam one (you know, has the spikey go stabby end). It wouldn't hurt to learn a few techniques other than generally flailing about. The hawks I have can be a pain in the ass to process wood with, but it can be done. Coupled with their Hacky McBleedy properties, definitely a top choice for multiuse SHTF EDC. Why do I feel like watching The Patriot now?
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Post by redeyes on Nov 8, 2013 12:00:59 GMT
I wonder what the average weight of a tomahawk head is. That and a longer handle seem to be their principle differences from hatchets. I would be interested in seeing how well skills learned on the tomahawk would translate to a hatchet.
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Post by Gingerbread Man on Nov 8, 2013 14:00:06 GMT
Hatchets tend to be heavier and more inclinded to be better tools. The hawk is and was intended to be a multi-tool for people moving primarily on their feet. Axes and hatches, from what I gather, were carried on pack animals because of the weight.
The hawk was embraced by native Americans because they generally moved light and didn't cut down tree but needed some wood for small fires. At least that's what I've found in my reading.
I'm still taking my saw but I do see the utility of the tomahawk with a hammer head as a multi-tool. As a pure fighting tool, no. My take anyway.
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Post by redeyes on Nov 8, 2013 14:34:05 GMT
I need to get some time on a hawk. My knowledge of them is only academic.
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Post by nxp on Nov 9, 2013 20:16:06 GMT
RG, over on ZS you posted a video of using a ridiculously short hammer for assists in grapple technique for some oddball SD I've forgotten about. (can't get much more vauge than that discription I suppose, but it's all I got, sorry)
Would something like that translate well with a choked up grip on a hawk?
From my own limited experiences with my CS Trailhawk, it's sits somewhere in the realm of do I really need to take along. I enjoy whacking away with the best of them, but from a processing standpoint, I'm faster and use less energy with a collapsable saw.
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Post by Gingerbread Man on Nov 10, 2013 14:50:09 GMT
Yes, choking up on the hawk, IMO, does afford more control and translates very well to the Kali techniques displayed in this video. We have the full choke, half choke, reverse grip and full reverse grip. I'll post pics in a bit. That is a "strength" of adapting a fighting style like Kail, the system adapts to weapon. With Kali, the weapon is secondary to the techniques, like an accent piece. I'm not saying the Tomahawk is better than a folding saw because that's what have. Because the saw whips the pants off a hawk in regards to processing wood, however, if weight allows it could be a good complement for batoning wood. But it really is just a multi-tool that could be taken if it's wanted. Personally, the more I use one, the more I like it. One thing in the favor of the hawk, IMO, is that it can be out and available where as having a gun out could raise eyebrows. However, the same could be said for a fixed blade knife. I'm not sure if I'm talking myself into or out of one.  This video represents the use of Kali with improvised weapons and discusses some of the philosophy behind them. |
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Post by nxp on Nov 10, 2013 18:42:03 GMT
Personally, the more I use one, the more I like it. One thing in the favor of the hawk, IMO, is that it can be out and available where as having a gun out could raise eyebrows. However, the same could be said for a fixed blade knife. I'm not sure if I'm talking myself into or out of one.
Right there you just hit the nail on the head. That's my fundamental issue with the hawk from my limited perspective. Ultimately I think I need to put my perferred tools away, limit myself down to the hawk, and actually start to discover and use some of those "multitool" features. On a side note - thanks for posting up the Kali video's again. I need to do some more learning about that style - I kind of dig it and it's premise. NXP |
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Post by homerj on Nov 15, 2013 2:05:30 GMT
Ive always wanted to get good at throwing tomahawks. My last brigade was the "Blackhawks" so we were always had tomahawk contests after unit runs, organization days and stuff like that. We all sucked but it was fun. One of my NCOs grew up doing blackpowder/frontier competitive shooting and throwing, he could put a tomahawk wherever he wanted.
Another weapon I have always been fascinated by was the gun stock club like from Last of the Mohicans. CS makes one I need to buy but I would love to find a real wood version.
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Post by nxp on Nov 16, 2013 5:19:32 GMT
Ive always wanted to get good at throwing tomahawks. My last brigade was the "Blackhawks" so we were always had tomahawk contests after unit runs, organization days and stuff like that. We all sucked but it was fun. One of my NCOs grew up doing blackpowder/frontier competitive shooting and throwing, he could put a tomahawk wherever he wanted. Another weapon I have always been fascinated by was the gun stock club like from Last of the Mohicans. CS makes one I need to buy but I would love to find a real wood version. Check around your area, I'd bet there are Rendevous near you that you could participate in or go and see what's up. We have them all the time in the summer up here, folk do the whole costumes/tents/trading blankets you name it. A guy I work with does the tomahawk throwing thing - he's good, but he's also been through a LOT of handles. I'll ask him where he got his, his was forged, balanced correctly for throwing and he buys the handles in 5 packs. Wasn't too expensive if memory serves, hardest part was finding the humongous log round that he uses as a backstop. I think that came from the UP... |
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Post by Gingerbread Man on Mar 9, 2014 16:15:10 GMT
Kind of gross but it presents another aspect of the hawk, a climbing aid. So far, breaking tool, wood processor, hammer, and climbing aid.
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Post by Browning35 on Mar 13, 2014 15:52:38 GMT
Always kind of wanted a hawk, but don't really need one. The 3 purposes I use hatchets for are for wood when camping and using the butt end to split the breast bone open on game and as a hammer for nails. Estwings and a no name sturdy as fuck hatchet from the 60's or 70's is what I have now.
Still want one though. Problem is I have champagne taste on a beer budget so of course I lust after one of those tactical tomahawk jobs with the micarta handles. Since I can't really afford that and ammo as well as taking care of the family I've bought nothing so far.
I'll probably eventually get one of those CS hawks as an impulse buy. They any good?
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Post by Gingerbread Man on Mar 13, 2014 16:48:06 GMT
I used both my CS hawk to process wood this winter. No issues and worked well. AS good as my Fiskars for wood? No but not junk or flimsy.
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Post by nxp on Mar 29, 2014 21:04:20 GMT
Always kind of wanted a hawk, but don't really need one. The 3 purposes I use hatchets for are for wood when camping and using the butt end to split the breast bone open on game and as a hammer for nails. Estwings and a no name sturdy as fuck hatchet from the 60's or 70's is what I have now. I always hear about guys doing that, and I've NEVER had to split the ribcage or the pelvis on all the deer I've harvested - just the way I learned how to clean them. I went hunting with a friend from down south last year and we both got deer, he used his old-school Buck Hunter to split both (and actually made me nervous as all hell watching him do it - I thought for sure he was going to stick himself when he cracked the breastbone) the cage and the pelvis. He asked if I wanted help with mine and just about fell over when I proceeded to process a deer with a 2.5" knife. I tried using those big knives to process game and just made a mess out of it, I can work faster cleaning them up with a short, sharp knife over some Rambo job. Those Estwings are solid to the core, though. I have one from my father that was his as a kid, and it's still rocking strong. |
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Post by Browning35 on Mar 30, 2014 14:29:55 GMT
That's just how I learned how to do em when I first started. One whack and a crack and its done.
You can slice through the breastbone and I've done it that way too, but I've just found it easier to break it though. If I was short on tools I'd slice.
My technique also involves using bolt cutters to snip off the legs. Just want to get the shit done as fast as possible, whatever makes that happen is what I'm going to do.
Just so long as the meat ends up on the grill/in the freezer.
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