If you’re in the market for a very versatile tool or weapon the tomahawk should be at the top of your list. It can be used to break down doors, bust locks, hand combat or for chopping wood. best military grade tactical tomahawk

They were originally used by Native Americans – often times given as gifts or to sign peace treaties. As technology improved so did tomahawks, originally they were made from stone and eventually they began forging them out of iron. Today the cheaper tomahawks are usually made from a softer metal such as stainless steel while the more expensive grade tomahawks are machined out of a harder alloy such as 4140. best military grade tactical tomahawk

Higher grade tomahawks such as the ones made by American Tomahawk can often be found in the front lines in military operations. Because they have such a wide range of applications it is pretty rare to find a soldier without a tomahawk on hand. best military grade tactical tomahawk

 

The Difference Between Tomahawks, Hatchets and Axes

Truthfully, a hatchet, tomahawk and axe are all very similar. A tomahawk is really a more versatile hatchet and a hatchet is a smaller axe. So in short, they’re both axes. When you think about an axe you probably think of a full sized axe – 28”-36” in length, real lumber jack shit. Full sized axes are rather heavy and really can be quite dangerous if used incorrectly. Unless you’re chopping down entire trees an axe is probably overkill. best military grade tactical tomahawk

A hatchet, like an axe is primarily used for chopping wood. Of course, like anything with a blade it can be used for a variety of purposes. A good hatchet will have a sharp edge for chopping wood but it needs to be wide enough to split the wood once it’s penetrated. While it is possible to cut an entire tree down with a hatchet it’s not designed to do so. Splitting wood is a more reasonable task to undertake with a hatchet. best military grade tactical tomahawk

Lastly, a tomahawk is designed for combat and for use as a general tool. This is the main difference between a tomahawk and a hatchet! A hatchet manufacturer should be designing their hatchet to cut wood, a tomahawk manufacturer needs to think about the wide variety of applications that it might be used for. Wood splitting is NOT the primary application of a tomahawk.

A tomahawk will often feature a spike on the end opposite end of the blade. This spike can be used for digging, breaking through a door or for driving a spike into a zombie’s brain. The best tomahawks usually have a sharpened beard and/or spine. The beard is the bottom portion of the blade and the spine is the top purpose. A sharp beard can be fairly useful for hooking and grabbing.

 

The Best Tomahawk Brands

Depending on the application you can go out and buy yourself a cheaper tomahawk which may serve your needs. Keeping the edge sharp will be difficult and realistically you’ll be using a dull blade more often than not. best military grade tactical tomahawk

The alternative is to purchase a harder steel which has been hand crafted and will provide a sharp edge that lasts. If you’re looking for a brand that will stand the test of time, American Tomahawk Company (ATC) is usually a great place to start. Of course, like anything quality comes with a price tag. best military grade tactical tomahawk

High End Tactical Tomahawk Brands

• American Tomahawk Company
• RMJ
• Hardcore Hardware Australia
• Benchmade
• Gerber

Mid Range Tactical Tomahawk Brands

• SOG Specialty Knives
• Condor Tool and Knives
• Smith and Wesson
• Columbia River
• Estwing
• Browning

Low End Tactical Tomahawk Brands

• United Cutlery
• Cold Steel

Tomahawk Brands to Avoid

You can get a tomahawk for a cool $10 and while it may seem like a good idea at the time the truth is, it’s a POS. A few companies that fit this bill include SZCO and BudK. As you can see there are a ton of brands that make tomahawks. Obviously, this list is a generally guide. SOG for instance makes some very cheap tomahawks out of poor quality materials. As a rule of thumb, you get what you pay for.

Types of Tomahawks

The are three primary types of ‘hawks. Tactical, Combat and Throwing ‘hawks. They each have a unique purpose and usually have slightly different features.

Tactical Tomahawks

Tactical ‘hawks are the Swiss army knife of tomahawks. Their primary function isn’t hand to hand combat, although they do an admiral job during combat. These tomahawks will be more focused on smashing doors, breaking windows, opening locks or used in survival situations.

The top tactical tomahawk on the market for under $100 is the Columbia River Kangee T-Hawk Tomahawk. The entirety of the spine is sharpened and more than half of the beard is razor sharp. For breaching or search and rescue applications you may want to look towards the Gerber Downrange Tomahawk. best military grade tactical tomahawk

Combat Tomahawks

Combat tomahawks are very similar to tactical tomahawk the main difference is the main purpose is for hand to hand combat. Lighter tomahawks are usually better for combat as they allow you to maneuver and strike with greater accuracy. best military grade tactical tomahawk

You can also find tomahawks that feature a more traditional knife grind as opposed to an axe grind. Basically this means it’ll inflict more damage on impact. A good example of this is the badass Sayoc R&D Hawk. Unfortunately the Sayoc R&D Hawk is incredibly expensive – we really like the Browning Shock n’ Awe Hawk for combat purposes. best military grade tactical tomahawk

Throwing Tomahawks

Perhaps the most badass tomahawks are designed for chucking. Throwing tomahawks are more for sports then every day use, but like archery or skeet shooting throwing ‘hawks is a hell of a time. You can’t just throw any old axe and expect it to work out. It requires a very fine balance which creates the end over end toppling action. best military grade tactical tomahawk

best military grade tactical tomahawk

United Cutlery Tomahawks: UC2836 M48 Ranger Hawk Axe & United Cutlery UC2765 M48 Hawk Axe 

The M48 series from United Cultery is their entry level tomahawks. If you’re looking for a tomahawk to put on your wall because it looks bad ass both of these tomahawks will fit the bill. If you’re looking for a real combat weapon I would stay away from the United Cultery brand in general. Their niche market has always been selling replica’s from movies and shows which doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in the buyer that it will perform under the gun. best military grade tactical tomahawk

The 48 Hawk Axe and the M48 Ranger Hawk is cast out of 2Cr13 which is a stainless steel manufactured in China. 2Cr13 is a rather tough material, however it won’t hold an edge for very long meaning you’ll be sharpening this bad boy frequently. In addition to this, the blade and handle ARE NOT one piece which leaves it prone to breaking. Whenever you have a connection of sorts it’s generally going to be the weakest part. best military grade tactical tomahawkgrade tomahawk

Columbia River Knife and Tool 2725 13.75-Inch Kangee T-Hawk Tomahawk & Chogan Tomahawk 

The main difference between the Kangee hawk and the Chogan is the backside of the tool. The Kangee has a spike perfect for penetrating tough to puncture materials while the Chogan has a flat heat for hammer like applications. These tomahawks were both designed exclusively for Columbia River by Ryan Johnson (RMJ Tactical). best military grade tactical tomahawk

Unlike the United Cultery tools, CRKT tomahawks were made for the field. They’re excellent tools to carry for breaching and combat. You can bust a lock with the spike or you can blast through a window or cut your way through a car door. They’re made out of SK-5 steel which is a Japenese Steel and treated in such a way that they’re durable and they keep an edge.

Cold Steel Trench Hawk Axe

The Cold Steel Trench Hawk is a pretty great pick up. It’s made from 5150 Carbon Steel which means it is a little bit more prone to rusting than stainless steel. best military grade tactical tomahawk

It is an exceptionally hard material which stands up well to impact over time. It doesn’t hold an edge as well as the CRKT tomahawks which should be expected given the price point differences. It’s a little bit heavier than most other hawks on the market. If you’re looking for a throwing hawk the Trench Hawk Axe isn’t as balanced as some of the others on the market.

Smith and Wesson SW671 Extraction and Evasion Tomahawk Hatchet 

The Smith and Wesson extraction and evasion tomahawk is aptly named. It’s not for hacking down lumber or to be used in throwing competitions. It’s a tool used for extraction – often times folks complain about the weight. As an extraction tool, you want the extra weight for breaching.

It’s full tang – which simply means the blade and handle are one piece. Its made from 1070 steel which is a fairly standard carbon steel. best military grade tactical tomahawk

 

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