Hello,

So I searched the forums and came up with mention of a couple types and manufactures of tomahawks. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a or point me in the right direction. Preferably from personal experience.

I am looking for a tomahawk for hiking / camping. It would be handy if in addition to the ax edge that it had a digging tool on the opposite end of the blade. I would prefer something with a wood handle so if the handle is damaged I could improvise another while on the trail.

Thanks you in advance

Cameron

I think the best Tomahawks are currently the TLAM's, made by Raytheon. Originally they were made by General Dynamics. They are very effective in an outdoor environment, in fact, they can turn an indoor environment into an outdoor one! Unfortunately, none of them come with wooden handles

Ok, seriously, are you talking about a packable small hatchet/axe, or a "tomahawk"? I know we have throwing tomahawks at camp in the summer, I think they were made a long time ago. For a small portable axe that you can pack, I have an old wooden handled Plumb Hatchet, that still takes a nice edge, and I've used since I was a boy. Lately, I find I carry a small Gerber Back Paxe. It's relatively light, and compact. It has a glass filled nylon handle, I'm not sure how I'd break it if I wanted to. It was about $30.

Check some web sites for local black smiths and about mountain man rendezvous’. They can at least lead you to the right places. That is if you want a real “hawk” or one of those knock offs most companies want to pass off.

I have never owned one of their 'hawks, but Cold Steel makes pretty good knives, so I suspect that their 'hawks might be OK as well...

Cold Steel Trail Hawk Would be my first choice in a reasonably priced 'hawk for packing. If you prefer a bigger head, go to the Rifleman's Hawk. Personally I went with a GB mini hatchet which is smaller but has great ergo's.

After checking with a friend who's a blade fanatic, I think you should take a look at: http://www.2hawks.net/index.html

They make custom knives and tomahawks. The person running the business now is an apprentice of the gentleman that had built the reputation of the "Two Hawks" brand. The owner passed away, but, the apprentice continues to make the traditional models along with some more "modern" (if tomahawks can be modern) models.

He makes a model called "The Woodsman" which is a lightweight model for backpacking.

I agree with the CS Trail Hawk. I think I read Chris Kavanaugh praising Ragnar's work, but I have no personal experience with it. Here's the website though.

http://www.ragweedforge.com/Welcome.html

'Tomahawks' have a period history as a combination weapon and tool. Many outdoorsmen pair a hatchet and knife combination vs the really big knife school. It is an old choice, as Oetsi proved. It is also a choice for the experienced. A short handled axe/hatchet is inherently dangerous. Buy Mors Kochanski's bushcraft, take his lessons to heart and you won't take axe to leg. Both Granfors and Wetterling have introduced very light hatchets recently.

Over at Bladeforums the general consensus is that Cold Steel Tommys are not the greatest.

Ragnar's has a fairly good rep.

American Tomahawk makes some great tactical stuff. Here's there link:

http://www.americantomahawk.com/index.htm

H and B have a great rep for conventional tommys and pipe axes. Here's there link:

http://www.hbforge.com/products/tomahawks.php

As far as a digger/axe head, I haven't ever seen a hatchet or tomahawk so configured. I've seen some axe/mattock heads at Home Depot, something akin to a firefighter's pulaski, but they look a little big for personal carry.

This is a pulaski: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulaski_(tool)

Actually I would recommend against anything in the classic tomahawk design.

What you really need is a good hatchet or a machete.

Tomahawks were designed as a trade item for the Indians and used mostly as a weapon or for butchering game. Their lightness makes them little good for much anything else. A machete is a more versatile tool.

If you use them as a hammer, the softness of most hand forged tomahawks will cause the eye to distort and the handle to fall out. They are too light to be very useful in cutting wood, and for digging, a sharp stick would almost suit you better.

A machete will cut wood better and faster than a tomahawk, and its wide blade would made a better digging tool as well. Also the wide eye on most tomahawks make them wretched tools for splitting wood.

A small hatchet or a machete would be a better choice.

Regards,

Tom A.