The New Huntmastersbbs!: Resurgence of the Tomahawk

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Posted by cornstalker (Member # 4593) on April 21, 2015, 09:33 PM:

I guess it could just be me, but it seems that the tomahawk is enjoying a cultural revitalization. It's like they are popping up everywhere. Tactical tomahawks, bushcraft tomahawks, handcrafted Swiss carbon "Wetterlings".

I even read acclaims that special ops guys were using them in CQB in Iraq.

Hell, you can chop down a tree, gut a deer, and smell the breath of your foe as you vanquish him with a tomahawk. What's not to like?

Seems rather unwieldy and impractical. Even for the guy who packs around way too much shit.

I want one....

[ April 21, 2015, 09:35 PM: Message edited by: cornstalker ]

Posted by TOM64 (Member # 561) on April 22, 2015, 03:33 AM:

I carry a hatchet on the 4 wheeler and one in the truck, both have seen some use. I carry a big Gerber machete type knife with a hook on the end that has seen tons of use, way more useful.

A tomahawk would be a pain to chop down a tree, clear brush or even split kindling. I have no desire to smell my enemies breath and impale him with one, I'd rather use a pistol. I just don't get it.

Posted by Eddie (Member # 4324) on April 22, 2015, 04:39 AM:

If you get to looking there's been some type of hatchet-tomahawk used in just about every country for hand to hand combat in the past. Must be something to it, I just don't see it either. I'm with Tom a axe with a 3' handle or a machete.

Posted by cornstalker (Member # 4593) on April 22, 2015, 05:38 AM:

It would definitely be a novelty item.

I have one of the little plastic handled Gerber camp axes and it is great for splitting kindling. That's about all I use it for. When I first got it I used it to split the sternum on an elk. All I accomplished was hacking the bone into a line of razor sharp shards. Wrecked the edge on the hatchet too.

Oh yeah, I did execute some chickens with it once. Way too messy. Went quickly back to wringing.

The price that some of these Tomahawks sell for is ridiculous. They look cool, but I ain't gonna buy one. Too impractical.

So this brings up a question. If one is to use a Tomahawk for CQB, does one have to train with it? Set aside the pistol and the knife and train with the hatchet until it becomes a natural extension of the arm? Seems rather silly to me.

[ April 22, 2015, 07:34 AM: Message edited by: cornstalker ]

Posted by knockemdown (Member # 3588) on April 22, 2015, 06:41 AM:

Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on April 22, 2015, 07:36 AM:

I have this mental image of Mel Gibson being castrated with a tomahawk.

Anyway, I have in one of the side compartments of my truck, three things that have been there for ten years. A shovel, tire cables and a fibreglass handled axe.

Of course, I have other stuff but actually the shovel and axe are a requirement for shooting at our gun range, which is private, but on National Forest Land.

Actually, I think some of these sog type tomahawks are kinda bad ass. Don't know how I have managed this long without one? No, don't expect me to break down and get one.

In the most recent L.L. Bean hunting catalogue, they have a tomahawk type of axe with a hickory handle. It's about $80. It would take forever to chop down a fair size tree, but as the ad points out, the hammer on the back side is useful for pounding tent pegs....while looking bad ass.

Good hunting. El Bee

Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on April 22, 2015, 07:54 AM:

A high `Cool Factor` but in the real world.....not so much.
Maybe sitting around camp throwing one at playing cards on the side of a stump but beyond that there are better tools.

Memo to Paul; Replace horseshoe pits with knife / 'hawk backstops for the Campout.

[Cool]

Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on April 22, 2015, 09:15 AM:

^ says a guy prone to hurling pointed sticks from some sort of stringed contraption.

But, if "Cool Factor" floats your boat, I am all for it.

No really. Think about it for a minute. Shortly after the contact period began, the natives were highly impressed with steel tomahawks. If you can believe the movies, they didn't use them for chopping down trees, it was understood as a weapon. Then, you put a pipe on the other end, as an "app" and in it's day, it was more popular than an iphone.

I'm not going to argue about the lethality of a tomahawk. If in close quarters, would you rather have a hunting knife or a tomahawk? Never mind, I know the answer.

And, in those days, everybody had one, every indian, Davy Crocket and Daniel Boone. Must have had some sort of utility? That's what some deranged guy used against armed police officers in NYC, and he put a hurtin' on them before taking a bullet.

Good hunting. El Bee

edit: I just happened to think about it. Upstairs in my man cave, I have a reproduction tomahawk with a pipe. Hmm?

[ April 22, 2015, 09:18 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]

Posted by knockemdown (Member # 3588) on April 22, 2015, 09:33 AM:

Think I'll pass over the 'hawk, in favor of this...

[ April 22, 2015, 09:34 AM: Message edited by: knockemdown ]

Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on April 22, 2015, 10:09 AM:

I've seen both The Flying Guillotine and Kill Bill. I am unsure which is more believable?

Good hunting. El Bee

Posted by knockemdown (Member # 3588) on April 22, 2015, 10:42 AM:

ho-lee-chit, Leonard! Just had a flashback to my youth...I remember watching that movie on a Saturday afternoon. Crazy flick, surely it's on utube...

YEP here it is!

Posted by TOM64 (Member # 561) on April 22, 2015, 04:07 PM:

I'm pretty sure the design and draw of a tomahawk is the balance and light weight when used in a fight when you done shot all your pointed sticks. Chopping down a tree with one I'm sure never crossed their minds. (Speaking of Injuns of course)

My ex was an injun and her dad collected lot's of arrowheads along with flint knives and other tools. He did have a real tomahawk head that he affixed to a deer leg bone, wrapped in leather and stuck a feather on it. It was cool but you wasn't cutting down no trees with it.

I did find a head that resembled an axe but was more blunt on each end. He said it was for bashing heads.

Posted by jimanaz (Member # 3689) on April 22, 2015, 04:14 PM:

I would be glad to have one if I was out of magazines. That is all.

Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on April 23, 2015, 05:36 AM:

Magazines? Please explain?

Posted by cornstalker (Member # 4593) on April 23, 2015, 07:54 AM:

I think he is talking about magazines for his Springfield XD.

Just guessin' though.

Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on April 23, 2015, 08:19 AM:

"Says a guy prone to hurling pointed sticks from some sort of stringed contraption."

Uh, El Bee..........
The Damon Howat Super Diablo with it's elegant recurved limbs and clean lines is most certainly NOT some sort of stringed contraption !!!!!

[Eek!]

Form, function and craftsmanship make it a thing of beauty to those with the skill to master it.

[Cool]

Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on April 23, 2015, 09:04 AM:

Objection noted, koko.

There was no intent to offend.

Good hunting. El Bee

Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on April 23, 2015, 12:02 PM:

Thank you.
My stringed contraptions all feel better now.

[Smile]

Big tournament coming up in a couple of weeks at Simi Valley. Can't wait !!!!!!

[Cool]

Posted by jimanaz (Member # 3689) on April 23, 2015, 03:44 PM:

Yes, yes, Chad is correct. Not the reading kind.

Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on April 23, 2015, 04:40 PM:

Love SOG shit. Don't have a hatchet/ tomahawk, but I do have a SOG Kukri knife and yes, it is bad ass. Kinda like a short machete on crack. Razor-assed sharp. Use it for clearing brush. Don't know if it requires any training, but I'm betting if you came at me with nothing but your hands, you and I would both get learned up really quickly. LOL

Posted by DarbinCo (Member # 4590) on April 24, 2015, 06:21 AM:

Chad,
If you don't have a tomahawk your completely unprepared for the coming zombie apocalypse!

Posted by DarbinCo (Member # 4590) on April 24, 2015, 06:26 AM:

Holy shit.. I just googled those!

450 bucks..... Yikes!

Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on April 24, 2015, 06:26 AM:

Yeah Lance. Don't forget, every time you remove it from your scabbard, you must draw blood, even if it is your own. I always wondered what those little notches were for, close to the handle? Anyway, it's probably 75% show, makes you look really smart. When you get right down to it, they are very heavy, Aside from intimidating, what can you really do with it, other than cut some bush? lol

Good hunting. El Bee

Posted by knockemdown (Member # 3588) on April 24, 2015, 08:25 AM:

Good ol' fashion zombie protection here at the shop. They work equally well on crackheads & other street talent...

Posted by Lone Howl (Member # 29) on April 24, 2015, 09:49 AM:

I have been told, by a couple military buddies, that you get a lot of respect (from the local population) if you are carrying one of those on your hip over in ragheadville.
Comes in handy for busting out car windows, flattening tires, and other cool shit.
Cant imagine it being comfortable to carry much though?

Mark

[ April 24, 2015, 09:51 AM: Message edited by: Lone Howl ]

Posted by cornstalker (Member # 4593) on April 24, 2015, 10:19 AM:

POKEY!!!!

Love that dog.

Darby, I guess you had better buy one of Zombie-hawks and let me know if it's worth it. [Smile]

Mark, I had not thought of the uses that you mentioned in Iraq. It sure would be better than busting the extension tube off your AR (on edit: M4)butt stroking a car window.

[ April 24, 2015, 12:02 PM: Message edited by: cornstalker ]

Posted by Fur_n_Dirt (Member # 4467) on April 24, 2015, 10:22 AM:

If I carried that thing, I would feel like a badass!

Posted by Kelly Jackson (Member # 977) on April 24, 2015, 10:41 AM:

that tommy hawk would look cool stickin out of a couple folks foreheads. lol I been watching Vikings on the history channel toooo much. Carry on.

Posted by TOM64 (Member # 561) on April 24, 2015, 12:00 PM:

Never butt stroke anything with an AR, that's what those mid evil muzzle devices are for, of course a bayonet would send a chill down someone's spine if it were coming at you...

Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on April 24, 2015, 12:16 PM:

The black attitude has always been, doesn't matter if you can do it, just walk the walk, and look cool doing it. I have only been around them in the military, and that was a long time ago, but judging by what I see on TV, nothing's changed.

I also understand that anytime you might say anything critical, you run the risk of being called racist. That's always the first and last line of defense.

I wish them well and hope they learn values, etc. When I see people like Allan West or Ben Carson, people that have accomplished something without the BS, I have nothing but admiration. But, this ghetto stuff is really getting old.

Now, what the hell provoked these comments? Folks in the middle east respecting someone wearing a tomahawk, really bad ass stuff. But actually meaningless, in terms of ability to defend and administer retribution. Talking shit can take you a long ways but always be careful lipping off to the quiet ones.

Actually, there is little to no hope for a certain segment. Sure, the Liberals can throw a lot more of our money at them but will the recipients become legitimate? Who's the guy that writes for National Review? Can't think of him at the moment, but what an intellect. I would be proud to have him for a neighbor and a friend.

Good hunting. El Bee

edit: This is who I was thinking of. Never read a single article of his that I disagreed with.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Sowell

[ April 24, 2015, 12:24 PM: Message edited by: Leonard ]

Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on April 24, 2015, 03:02 PM:

"When you get right down to it, they are very heavy"

I think you and I are on different knives. The SOGfari Kukri weighs in at a whopping 15 ounces, not even a pound. You can shave with this thing. The angle of the blade lends itself to doing some great work when stripping brush. I can only presume it would play hell on someone's neck, throat, or any extremity of their choosing if push comes to shove, but fortunately, have not had a reason to test that opinion just yet. Here is the SOG Kukri. I paid $20 for it. Was looking for a machete-type knife that was short, easy to manipulate, and utilitarian. Aesthetics and too cool for school weren't on my list of considerations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PANzcrMzdOc

Posted by DarbinCo (Member # 4590) on April 24, 2015, 08:20 PM:

Those Kukri blades have a long and storied history. Here's just a sampling of info on them.

http://www.ayo-gorkhali.org/en/gurkhas/the-kukri

I have a friend that's got one, dam handy tool. The chopping power is incredible, they would take a head clean off.

Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on April 25, 2015, 07:19 AM:

As far as the comment about weight, I was thinking of the traditional kukuri, not the specific one you mentioned. I agree, it's a good price for what it is. Still, a lot of drama in a blade like that, besides what you can do with it.

Good hunting. El Bee

Posted by cornstalker (Member # 4593) on April 25, 2015, 05:58 PM:

Great!! Now I want one of those too!! [Razz]

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