Tomahawks anyone

[7pt62THOR]

Got a coupla Cold Steel Norse hawks myself. Got another that was hand made and more $$. Damn hard to beat the Cold Steel stuff for the money. My friends and I get together and cut playing cards with our hawks. Its very easy to learn how to throw them.......

 

[Patronus]

I have one of the Cold Steel Riflman Hawks. It is fantastic in the yard for things the machete is a little light for but the full sized axe is overkill on. But the haft is just too long. Mine is plain, and simple:

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But I LOVE what this guy did to his:

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[Patronus]

Well, my Estwing came in last night and it's a TOUGH bird indeed. Feels GREAT! Solid, heft is excellent with the head having a real presence and the "vinyl shock reduction grip" filling the hand and felling secure. The edge left a little to be desired but I am working on that. Here are a few pics of it:

 

[Patronus]

I also stripped the paint off of my Cold Steel Rifleman. I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed in what I found under the paint. The metal looks like it was recycled from a cast iron skillet until you get to the edge. The polished edge still looks like good steel. With the paint off the word "TAIWAN" is much easier to see too. And of course, yesterday after I stripped it I set it on the counter at work and a single drop of water dripped onto it, which had already rusted however long it was later that I noticed it. So back to the sandpaper. It DOES look better but I either have to blue it or "paint" it to protect it from rusing. I saw some cool "Hammered bronze" paint at WalMart when I was looking for paint stripper. I may try that just for laughs.

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[user 71]

Nice...keep us updated with pics

 

[sniper62]

Patronus-are you going get the other Eastwing now? How is the sheath for that double bit?

 

[Patronus]

Part one...No, I don't think so. The only concern I had when choosing was the 11 ounce weight difference between the Hawk and he axe. Now that I have felt the heft of the axe I'm comfotable with it. In fact, lighter might not be as good. And the Hawk looks to have the same handle and grip which means that the 11 oz weight savings is all in head. That seems like it would wreck the balance and make utilitarian uses much weaker and harder. I do believe I'll order another axe though.

Part two... The sheath is made of a very tough feewling nylon backed by hard plastic(kydex type) material. It is riveted together so no stitching to wear out or for the blade to cut through. Oddly, I found that the sheath seems to be very perceptible as far as weight on the axe. Where the axe feels natural to very slightly head heavy in the hand, the addition of the sheath makes the axe feel like a sledge hammer. I know it's only subjective but it seems strange.


Axe in sheath:


Riveted together at corners, edges and has 4 eyes on each side that both rivet the center of the nylon to the kydex-ish liner and possibly allow for faster drying/draining?


4 snaps, one on each corner and two snapped straps. Snaps are VERY tight and the leader of the straps is insufficient for easy opening. Maybe after breaking the sheath in getting the axe out will get easier.

Also, belt attachment on the back of sheath. Very snug so far but with wear I wonder just how loose it will get. Kind of wish it was snap-on but you have to thread the belt through it.


Rather than unsnap the whole thing I found that just popping the two on one end open allows the axe to rock free easily.


Part three...And I know no one asked but... The steel of these is VERY hard. I spent a few hours stripping the paint from, sanding and sharpening my Cold Steel Rifleman. It took a very nice edge in a relatively short time and made me quite happy. On the way to the truck I dropped it on the concrete and nicked/notched the blade slightly. Had to start all over on the edgge but inside an hour I had it perfect(not shaving sharp, but nice...it IS a tomahawk ;P )

In contrast, I spent hours...no really HOURS working on sanding out the grinder marks from the factory edge(and never really got them all out), and working the edge. Now I know I'm never going to be hired by mountain men from near and far to sharpen their edges, but I CAN put a respectable edge on things. This axe hates a sharp edge. It got sharp, but not SHARP. And it still has longitudinal grinder markings dangit.

 

[sniper62]

Good review. Try a drop of oil in the snaps on the sheath.
If you were to carry that hiking a mercharness type setup would probably be the way to go.

 

[Patronus]

Thanks.

Will drip a drop of oil on the snaps. May just need to be worked in a bit though. Still, a little thumb flip on the strap would be nice.

"Mercharness"? That's a lotta name for what we used ta call "string". LOL! It's a great idea though. I never thought of a paracord or similar shoulder holster style rig. Now my neck knives are starting to whisper in my ear that trhey just might like something like this.

As for the axe, I had been considering it as almost exlusively something to mount on the GHB/BoB, or maybe on the psitol belt(although that seems really awkward). With a rig like that(the mercharness) though, I see possibilities. Like perhaps down the weakside, under the arm. Or between and below the shoulder blades, center of back. Modifications would have to be made to the sheath though to enable drawing the axe from such an unreachable position. Something to play with.

 

[ColdBore44]

Patronus, you've done it! You have sold me an Estwing axe! And a 'hawk! without even trying. Like yourself, I speculate the 'hawk will be less useful around camp and/or in the woods. But, if the S hits the F, I imagine it will serve nicely, just the same.Thanks, Man!