Tactical Tomahawk... tool or toy ???

from my impression of my looking at this stuff... it looks like the most practical tactical use of the "modern" tomahawk, is to chip out shooting access holes in the soft mud concrete they have over there... I doubt I'd want to chip a hole big enough to shoot out of, on the new concrete I poured this summer, or even the 100 year old foundation of my old farm house ( which I did some repairs on this summer, & a concrete saw, electric jack hammer & sledge, & was an all afternoon project )... so I'm assuming the concrete there is much much softer than what we use around here...

chopping your way out of an aluminum downed air craft maybe... but that's nothing I need to train for, with any stretch or reality...

but I could see buying a Kukuri
 
Salty,
I found this source, but it seems as full of lore as it is of fact, making it less than reliable...
http://home.comcast.net/~burokerl/tomahawk.htm

The term is from Ojibwe, which is a variant Algonquin language.
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dic...term_type_id=2&term_type_text=places&letter=t

However, to suggest that it was the primary fighting implement of Native Americans in the first link above would be a gross misrepresentation. It was used for fighting by some groups in some areas, but in the SW, for example, war clubs (aka 'rabbit sticks') were more common for the task and even then not necessarily the "primary" fighting weapon.

It should be pointed out that many prehistoric "tomahawks" were not particularly sharp and were more along the lines of weighted clubs and mauls than of hatchets. Construction of prehistory Native American tomahawks often involved materials other than chert, depending on what was available.
 
Rifleman1776 said:
If you consider stone clubs and chipped 'axes' as tomahawks that statement might be correct.
But the iron and steel tomahawks arrived with the white man. In war they were given to the indians as were many knives.
Frontiersmen from the east who became mountainmen and Rev. Riflemen knew how to use a tomahawk both as a tool and weapon. They didn't need to learn from the indian.
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You are correct Rifleman. My sentence was perhaps not worded correctly. What I was trying to get across is the fact that the early European woodsmen saw the utility of carrying a tomahawk (whether it be stone, antler, bone or steel.) And the obvious advantage of steel was not lost on the natives.

It's the dual utility as both a weapon and tool that puts it on a list of "great weapons" Now, whether that ranks it as a "military weapon" is up for debate.
 
If you have to ask if it's a toy, then you know the answer.

They are pretty handy in general for camping and hunting but wouldn't make my top ten of defensive tools.
 
Tomahawks are worth it.

Guys you have to understand that a tactical tomahawk is going to be more useful for self defense, digging, or light chopping. Most of the time this wont replace a hatchet or full sized axe.

My dad and I bought a SOG tactical Tomahawk and did a good review with lots of pictures and even my blood. Check it out here.
Sog Tactical Tomahawk Review FatherSonPrepppers.com
 
An Estwing sheetrock hammer is a handy tool and can make a good weapon also, although their 22 Oz framing hammer will probably do more damage
 
nice review...

BTW... I started this thread a couple years ago, & I've not found the need to purchase a tactical tomahawk... yet... however since the only "bags" I've put together are "get home" bags, & I don't envision the need to "bug out" with any real percentage I haven't justified the need for one... & wasn't really planning on buying one, was just surprised it was rated so highly as a "tactical tool"

along the hammer thought process, I have an Estwing shingle hammer that while not built of tactical colors, would likely do most the same things as a tactical tomahawk...
 
I have always been fascinated by primitive weapons. There seems to be three basic types of primitive weapons. Those that use blunt trauma and those that use cutting and those that use elements of both. A war-club uses blunt trauma, and its advantage is that it can be effective on a subject using armor. It is however, slower to swing and use that a lighter weapon. A cutting weapon is very fast to wield, but is not very effective against armor. The tomahawk is a hybrid in that it has a cutting edge, enough weight to enable some blunt trauma effect (stunning if the head is struck), but light enough to enable speed of use. In short, the tomahawk was very effective in early America, invented by the Native Americans and adapted by White frontiersman who observed its effectiveness in close-quarters combat. Nevertheless, unless in a hand-to-hand target-rich environment (of the Indian attack scenario), it would seem to me to not be as effective as a modern handgun.
 
Useful tool! Mind changed from toy.

My dad had given my high school aged boys a SOG tactical hawk for Christmas. I was not impressed, I figured even ammunition would have been a better use of funds. My mind was changed when we had our January deer season in KS, and the two hanging deer froze solid while waiting for a couple more to join them.

After working my way through skinning a frozen deer and not having a good amount of luck knocking the front and back legs off the first one with a heavy throwing knife made from a leaf spring off a pickup, I sent the youngest in to retrieve my old forged tomahawk. He returned instead with this TOY, I was not impressed, but figured it would work. I knocked the last rear leg off with a couple swings and was impressed with how sharp it was and the balance. I wound up using it to skin a lot of the next deer, had to be careful not to cut through the hide. When I got to the front legs, they both fell off clean cut with a single pass. By guiding it down along the spine, I was able to bone out the frozen back straps in less time than I had taken with a good knife on the first deer. It allowed me to use both hands for considerable control, and had the weight and sharp edge to cut just as well as a knife, (even after cutting three legs, bone tendons and meat).

To think I only figured it would be useful for chopping a sternum and pelvic girdle when cleaning deer. I easily could take care of an entire deer with only the one TOOL! If it only had a hammer instead of a pick on the back of the head......
 
A tomahawk is nothing more than a lightweight hatchet, and hatchets get stuck in things when you use them. A mace, or machete, or big knife would be better; you have more direct control over them, and they don't get stuck as easily (not that I've killed anyone before) If real soldiers are actually carrying around tomahawks seriously and not just keeping them as an interesting item, then they need to get a grip on reality and replace it with an extra magazine, or grenade, or something else more useful.

Don't get me wrong, they are cool... but if you're using it for war, you are limiting yourself.

As a lightweight camp ax though I would imagine it would be great
 
If real soldiers are actually carrying around tomahawks seriously and not just keeping them as an interesting item, then they need to get a grip on reality and replace it with an extra magazine, or grenade, or something else more useful.
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There is no "if"
It even has it's own inventory number

They've been carrying them for hundreds of years
http://militarythoughts.blogspot.com/2007/09/this-is-coolbert-hatchet-man-n.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Tomahawk_Company

American Tomahawk Company is a US-based company which manufactures modern tomahawks for use by the US Military.

It was founded in 1966 by Peter LaGana to make tomahawks for the Vietnam War and folded in the 1970s.

ATC was revived in early 2001 by Andy Prisco and LaGana shortly before LaGana's death. ATC makes tomahawks to this day, primarily for the US Army.
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American Tomahawk Company's "VTAC" ("Vietnam Tactical Tomahawk") is in use by the US Army Stryker Brigade in Afghanistan, the 172nd SBCT Team based at Grafenwoehr, GE, the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, a Recon Platoon in the 2-183d CAV (116th IBCT)(OIF 2007-2008) and numerous other soldiers.

[4][5] The VTAC was issued a National Stock Number(4210-01-518-7244) and classified as a “Class 9 rescue kit” as a result of a program called the Rapid Fielding Initiative; it is also included within every Stryker vehicle as the “Modular Entry Tool set”.[4][5]
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The major thing that is being missed here is the tomahawk can be used to trap an opponents weapon or limb in melee fights. If your opponent has two arms on a rifle with bayonet fixed and you hook it, you have pretty good control of the situation.

An extra round in your sidearm might be better. Of course, in shootings, the hit rate is only around 20% for police. Military numbers are near impossible to figure, but probably not any better. When somebody is on top of you and you need to put something in between yourself and them a grenade isn't much good.
 
Tomahawk/melee/hatchet. Most notably used in the middle ages. 2 or 3 worn on the belt were thrown at the enemy line to create a "hole" into which they could use their sword and daggers to best effect.

It is an effective tool/weapon that a friend saved my life with once... My advice, see what you can find at the home depot or equivalent.
 
kduffy said:
My dad had given my high school aged boys a SOG tactical hawk for Christmas. I was not impressed, I figured even ammunition would have been a better use of funds. My mind was changed when we had our January deer season in KS, and the two hanging deer froze solid while waiting for a couple more to join them.

After working my way through skinning a frozen deer and not having a good amount of luck knocking the front and back legs off the first one with a heavy throwing knife made from a leaf spring off a pickup, I sent the youngest in to retrieve my old forged tomahawk. He returned instead with this TOY, I was not impressed, but figured it would work. I knocked the last rear leg off with a couple swings and was impressed with how sharp it was and the balance. I wound up using it to skin a lot of the next deer, had to be careful not to cut through the hide. When I got to the front legs, they both fell off clean cut with a single pass. By guiding it down along the spine, I was able to bone out the frozen back straps in less time than I had taken with a good knife on the first deer. It allowed me to use both hands for considerable control, and had the weight and sharp edge to cut just as well as a knife, (even after cutting three legs, bone tendons and meat).

To think I only figured it would be useful for chopping a sternum and pelvic girdle when cleaning deer. I easily could take care of an entire deer with only the one TOOL! If it only had a hammer instead of a pick on the back of the head......
Click to expand...
The best edge you can get is at a 30 degree angle with 320 grit. Deburring can be done with the palm of your hand or at shirt.
For your old skinning knife.
 
I have one of the Laguna vtac hawks, and while it is an impressive piece of equipment, I felt it was limited.
I'm sure it is a great War implement, but honestly, I don't spend much time at war. I need a hawk that has more usability in the field. The narrow, flat cutting edge is not very good at processing wood.
So, I got a warbeast from 2 hawks. It does wood processing, will dress large game, and I'm pretty sure will do the war thing as well if I need it.
I'm not knocking the vtac, I guess it's just not exactly what fits my needs. It is cool. I may keep it anyway.
 
While I like a Tomahawk as much as the next guy.. I'm not sure how tactical a 3500 pound 20 foot long single shot boom stick is.

As far as the Bug Out Bag miniature axes, I'd say that's about what they're good for. To stick in a BOB. That's where you're sacrificing 6 different big tools that do their job really well for one tool that's small and does six jobs better than badly.
 
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