American Tomahawk 'Model 2'

[hugofeynman]

According to that Italian gentleman, after a lot of chopping, the head was almost detaching from the handle. He was not impressed with that. Lots of handle flex, the head almost detaching from the handle… but the sharpness and edge retention was very good, the head is perfectly fine.

 

[Hammer67]

According to that Italian gentleman, after a lot of chopping, the head was almost detaching from the handle. He was not impressed with that. Lots of handle flex, the head almost detaching from the handle… but the sharpness and edge retention was very good, the head is perfectly fine.

Not my experience at all so far. Of course, if one is truly concerned about flex with the synthetic handle, both the Model 1 and the Model 2 are offered with a hickory handle as well.

 

[Hammer67]

Here is a fairly extensive review. You can skip ahead to 59:00 for the chopping part of the review, and then final thoughts:

 

[hugofeynman]

Here is a fairly extensive review. You can skip ahead to 59:00 for the chopping part of the review, and then final thoughts:

Thanks, I already watched that review. Maybe the Italian gentleman got a lemon? He bought it from Lamnia, an authorized dealer, so it’s a legit product.

 

[Riz!]

I tried to take the head off of my nylon model 1 and couldnt. I even chopped with the bolt removed and had no slippage.

 

[Hammer67]

Finally had a chance to escape the continuing epic winter at home, and am down south now, where there are more opportunities to play with sharp and pointy things...

From experience with the M2 so far, I'd say it handles and performs much more like a compact hatchet/belt knife than a typical hawk, not surprisingly. The wider edge and heavier head than a typical 'hawk make it a pretty good little chopper, for what it is.

One thing I like about a hammer poll on a smaller axe like this is the ability to get the edge started and then baton, if you don't want to be swinging the axe, for various reasons:

Choking up with your hand behind the beard makes it pretty easy to make shavings:

And of course, I had to give it some throws for gits and shiggles. After a few glancing blows the head had a very tiny amount of play. Easily fixed with hex tension bolt and good as new.

 

[Dusty One]

Great looking piece !!!

 

[Steely_Gunz]

I really like my model 2, but I kinda wish I had gotten it in hickory instead. The polymer handle is indestructible but it still feels a bit...off. kinda slick and unwieldy. I have planned on wrapping it with some rubber tubing, but I just haven't gotten around to it. Paracord made it too thick and round in my hands. It's bumpy but still shifts around more than I like. I much prefer the way wood grain locks in.

The steel is incredible though. I used it to break down several limbs that fell out of my oak tree, and it was more than up to the job of blasting through even some of the super seasoned and rock hard bits. No rolling or chipping or even appreciable dulling.

The polymer version would make for a great emergency crash axe when you just want to toss it under you truck seat and not really work about until it is needed.

 

[Hammer67]

I really like my model 2, but I kinda wish I had gotten it in hickory instead. The polymer handle is indestructible but it still feels a bit...off. kinda slick and unwieldy. I have planned on wrapping it with some rubber tubing, but I just haven't gotten around to it. Paracord made it too thick and round in my hands. It's bumpy but still shifts around more than I like. I much prefer the way wood grain locks in.

The steel is incredible though. I used it to break down several limbs that fell out of my oak tree, and it was more than up to the job of blasting through even some of the super seasoned and rock hard bits. No rolling or chipping or even appreciable dulling.

The polymer version would make for a great emergency crash axe when you just want to toss it under you truck seat and not really work about until it is needed.

Yeah, I debated quite a bit between going with the synthetic handle and the hickory. I don't mind the synthetic at all, but there's definitely something about a traditional hickory handle that is nice.

Did a little more splitting today with the M2. The more I use it, the more impressed I am with what it is capable of, given its size/weight.