the tomahawk is a old old design that had stood the test of time.unlike a axe the head of a tomahawk is easy to remove and a new handle can be made in the field.
I have used a trail hawk for bushcraft for about a month or two now. Hawks have a bad bad rep in Finland and always considered as toys not meant to handle bushcraft tasks. Even though I also was brought to this belief I wanted to try one, so I got one. Fell in love with it's simplicity and find it to be real handy companion. Never would be able to fix a wobbly axe head or make a new handle. For tomahawk I made one on my way to work. Great tool and great video, subbed.
When I was a kid, I used a tomahawk to hunt rabbit. Until my friends uncle showed me how to make a sling shot. But I still say to this day I was better with the tomahawk. As I always say, if you do anything long enough, you get ready good at it. Ps. I was 7 when I got my first rabbit, I was 11 when I made my first sling shot, I was 12 when I got my first .22. and we eat every thing we get. Times back then we're hard and I was hungry. I had the nick name, the tomahawk kid, or toma.
others may carry one as a sense of family tradition...my grandfather in WW1 carried a Bowie his grandfather carried in battle in the Civil War....the hawk has served on the battlefield down thru the ages....and given modern times i would still rather be in a fight with a modern weapon..still ...i would not feel unarmed in the dark with a hawk..
Great video. I ve learned a lot of history I've never heard before. I carry mine for mostly traditional reasons. My Grandfather was Blackfoot Indian so because that same blood runs through my veins I carry it in honor of my native heritage and is an all around great camping/bushcrafting tool. Throwing them is a fun sport that I'm teaching my son. We have family day where my household family comes out and throws. It is such an interesting piece of history that is still a good a good use in modern day. Its also a great "canvas" for the artisits out there. I do some design carving as well as wiod burning and leather wraps, collars, sheaths, and feathers.Thanks for the video.
Tomahawsks were used during the Revolutionary War, there was more than four battles won by us, thanks to the tomahawk. Thank you for featuring the tomahawk.
Don't forget Dan'l Boon; He was the first frontiersman that i remember. Maybe because he explored the Osage River basin where I was raised summertime, City School took the rest of the time. Or maybe because of the body wars. Poled hawk was the settlers tool.
I can't count how many times I've used my hawk to make small logs into kindling. Cold steel is great, but take the paint off the thing and boil it in vinegar for about an hour to finish it.
I prefer a spike to a hammer. I just use a rock to plant my tent stakes. With a spike you can dig pretty well. Get roots for cordage and stuff, dig a hole to shit in it, etc. Of course you can use a branche instead.
Say Heah Blackie, a long time no see, I always wanted a Tomahawk but after watching some of your Khukuri video's I went that route, so now I own (2 H.I. M-43 Khukuris one 13" and because of its weight I had another M-43 made in a 10" size and it's been great ever since, then I found out about 2Hawks and checked him out, the Trapper Double Bit Hatchet caught my attention right away so I got it, it came out beautiful and no regrets, but like I said I always wanted a Tomahawk so I got the 2hawks Voyager and no regrets either it's a big hawk and for alot if wood processing it nearly works as well as a Hatchet and it's more portable like you said, I really enjoy it and going out lite it's great, anyhow it was nice to say Hi and I always enjoyed listening to you,have a great day and Thanx again.
Great video, i recall reading that the early traders had tomahawks made at the request of the native Americans. They wanted a light belt hatch for building traps and quick shelters. Also a favorite weapon.
No simple answer to that. They used any axe's they could get. Just that the smaller heads was found on most ships and was cheaper to make and sell. Plus the small headed axe's have been used as far back as they have had axe's. They tools 1st weapons 2nd. Today's so called tomahawk is just a small headed armour war axe. Now native people did like the smoke pipe axe's as a symbol of how important I am.
Competition for the native fur trade was brisk and it drove the traders inventory. They were quick to respond to the natives requests. If the English didn't give them what they wanted the French would. The light belt axe we call after the native word tommahawkin. Allowed the native hunter to move fast and travel light.
This is a fine video. But from my own own personal experience in Vietnam with a rifle platoon, I have to tell you that I only saw one fellow carrying a tomahawk. Now maybe other units were different. I don't know. For better or worse, most of the troops were stuck with their bayonets for cutting jobs, although there were a significant number of K-Bars and other knives. Whoever walked "point" had a machete. Incidentally, a bayonet could be sharpened up pretty well with a file and wetstone.
@kayakwinds..that is correct..the use of the hawk was a not wide spread....the vast majority of our guys never even saw one..but as i recall many carried that gerberMKII "survival knife" which wasnt much good as a field knife..and i would bet that troops today carring hawks is very few ..many soldiers will carry non issue gear for one reason or another..some because they feel safer with it..like guys in Nam carring .357's in cowboy rigs...cont.
This is my favorite carry tool. I forge of make several different types. From finding a big wrench and forging it into a Spike hawk. To just forging the head from a chunk of steel. I make throwing Hawks by taking several of the cheaper small axes and using a cutting wheel to cut the axe in half. This after reshaping the eye or not gives me two heads of about the same weight. Actually The come a dozen mail order axe heads cut down. As mentioned can give you several in short order. I like this mainly to have a goodly number to throw as along with my throwing knives. The constant walking back n forth gets bothersome. So six is better than three and eight better than for. This especially is helpful when teaching the art of throwing a weapon. Because form is very important to begin with. There's a feeling one gets as soon as the haft leaves the hand . You know it's going to stick. Well having many to throw. Allows the student to find that feeling and learn the muscle memory better. Than having to stop and retrieve the Hawks after two or three throws. I teach the look and throw method. Because if one aims it's to time consuming. If serious about using them as a weapon. Trust your eye and form. I can usually put five of six into the inner circle of a paper plate. Once you have the feel down. One increases the strength behind the throw. Culminating in throwing the hawk or knife with the intensity of a baseball pitch. With the same accuracy. Though it's a pain in the tail to get it free. Sinking the hawk into a eight inch thick oak stump target. Up to the eye is possible. And only a fraction of that strength is needed to use as a last ditch Hail Mary throw on a attacking what ever. But it's mainly a bonding tool. Used for friendly competition. Anyone remember What they called Indian leg wrestling? Lol I'm catching up on all the videos. Thanks again for this one. Idk but I'm curious if one on Snares and deadfalls are in the collection.
Blacke I know this is an old vid but still reverent. I have a CRKT Woods Chogan Hawk. It is attached to my BOB and carried everywhere including the woods. A bad ass weapon it is and a camp chore tool always. Many underestimate the Tomahawk as both but the wise are endeared to the function of the hawk. Thanks for the vid I learned a lot.
I've had the Cold Steel Trail hawk for so long I can't remember when I first got it. I carry it with my Cold Steel Parang ... a lethal pair! Thumbs up!!! Clark
I ordered 2 last year. My brother drifted the heads in a forge and anvil and made the eyes round. He laughed when he saw them. He said did that now a hawk. Came back in the House 3 hrs later showed me what he has done and I asked where was the new handles. He told me he used them for fuel to forge the eyes open. He had a sapling in the barn 3 in dia and whittled 2 new handles with his draw knife and pocket knife. If I had a way to put up a photo I would show them. Now they are very fuctional.
That CS hawk, got one. Throws well too but I agree-never throw your weapon away. Same reason I ignore throwing knives and Shurkins. Might work, then again they might just piss off whomever you threw it at. Me? I'd be throwing .45acp in return.
Actually I had thought of that (ref holding the hawk handle up) That and stabbing the butt end with both hands into the solar plexus would be a fight stopper. I agree, the hawk has always been with us in one form or another and it's still as useful today as it was thousands of years ago.
@ tactipuke..i prefer the panawal for most jobs when i am going to be using a kukri..the jungle is my carry knife when i am not planning on shelter building..(fishing..hiking ect)..thanks for the comments safe journeys
Say Heah Blackie, I got a 2Hawks Warbeast it's got three sharp edges, I got it sharp so it bites deep, But with that 3 sharp edges, it pulls out easy too Just a F. Y. I. nice seeing you again.
@ aircommando505 the handel was replaced with a large framing hammer handle...i draw shaped it down till the original base fit the eye like a conventional tommahawk then shaped the handle to suit my hand..thanks for the comment..safe journeys
Excepting for the hammer side, i prefer a machete, it does all the job including as a weapon and its a most versatil tool when you are out. If i can carry both then thats a better option but you have to consider the weight everytime.
That was not the original handle for the cold steel Vietnam tomahawk, it was to short and too skinny, I like yours much better can you please give me the specks? Have you made a video of making this handle? Please let me know asap, I am 74 and need to get this done.
Cutting weapons weren't much of a factor in Nam. Certainly, there were a few exceptions. But they were few and far between. I might also add that most of our guys in Nam weren't especially good at taking care of cutting tools. And most of the fellows who brought knives with them couldn't sharpen them. Our Gunny used to laugh about that and suggest that they ought to have a course on machete sharpening.
The name is from a native Indian tribe for their stone head club/stone axe. They just carried on calling the new iron axe's the same. As for the axe type it shelf it's been used as far back in time as they have had iron axe's it's a simple basic axe head found all over Europe. Plus someone made a smoking axe which natives liked which was a tomahawk. As for the shape of the handle I have Viking age axe's with the same shape. As for the point end that's a design for hitting armour. I could go on about sailor's and sellers trading iron boat axe's and the name tomahawk is just good for marketing axe's.
I love Tomahawks. Got several. Plan on getting more. Cs Pipehawk. Cs Norsehawk Cs Trailhawk Sog Fasthawk Btw, your Vietnam Hawk is the Cold Steel Vietnam tomahawk ? Did you modify yours ?
Blackie, going on about the Vietnam hawk, there are a few manufactorors of the VIetnam hawk style, Cold Steel, United Cutlery, SOG, even Estwing, have you had any experience with any other than the Cold steel? if so what are your thoughts mate?
i did use a issue one that road home from the war in a duffle bag..cannot speak to who made it..the head was well suited to breaking the steel bands used on sling loads of ammo and supplies used in the war..this one had been filed down for use in close battle..it would serve well as a hand to hand weapon..today i prefer the cold steel trail hawk to the issue one..the longer handle aids in chopping..
Has anyone done a brief on swing characteristics of different head shapes or do they swing true these days if properly made. Watch your back, these days 2+2 = 4 only most of the time.
Yes bouncing franks hawks they bounced some of my people the Saxon frank vikings Germanic tribes is were the best name comes from love ya blackie though it is so happy trails bud
a sirvice man told me a story about what happened in the gulf war there truck broke down while waiting for a sirvice truck unnown men started appearing within a short pearead of time they were well out nunbered .they pointed there rifles at then but that didnt bother them in the least bit /they were used of that they pulled there pistols that slow them down a bit by now the crowd was getting priety big they started to addvance again so the leader ordered battle axes .when they pulled there axes they all booked it i guess they thought the white men where going to start colecting scalps the siverice truck showed shortly after not a shot fired no one hurt this is a true story and to good not to be told
Let me clarify a point: when I said that cutting weapons weren't much of a factor, I ,of course, meant as weapons. Only a tiny, tiny minority of people during the Vietnam War were killed or wounded with knives, machetes or axes. And that was also true in Korea and World War II.
Most special forces troops today in the Army train with and carry a tactical hawk to Afghanistan for close quarter battle. It's better than the knife the enemy carries for close combat.
This guy is clearly a Southerner, and therefore couldn't possibly be knowledgeable about tomahawks or anything else for that matter. I only kid, chill out people. Thank you sir for the info. I'm part blackfoot, and get a big kick out of using mine that's no joke. There could be something to it. Hope I never to have to use it on a man.
Even throwing at the enemy while having more is still providing the enemy with weapons. I think much of this is all folklore. The stories you tell. Not so much facts.
