Two Hawks Review

H

hollowdweller

Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
13,182
Not much to say. I picked it up at the PO this morning and opened the box.

While the head is the same SHAPE as pictured on the website, it was covered with rust so it was hard to see if it had any sort of finish on it. This wasn't terminal rust, but it was more than just hand sweat rust. And it covered all surfaces of the handle.

Considering that Two Hawks Tomahawks are cast not forged and almost as expensive as one of Lee Reeves custom hand forged hatchets surely it wouldn't cost them too much $$ to rub a little oil on.

Also one of the things that appealed to me on the website was the nice white handle in the picture. This handle is dark and does not appear to even be the same material as the picture.

Perhaps the most disappointing thing was one of the great things I always read about Two Hawks was they were great users. As far as I can see there was zero work done in putting an edge on. Thing is worse than butter knife dull.

I still DO like the design of the head, and I can say the head and handle seem to be fitted decently but that's it.

To my understanding these are cast by the same place that does Ragnars hawks.

In conclusion I'd like to say if you want to spend 3 times the price of a hawk from Ragnar, and are willing to spend some time working on the head to get an edge on (assuming the thing is tempered- I'm wondering since it looks like nothing was done to it after it came from the mold) it might be a great user.

However if you want to spend 1/3 the price for something not rusty and about a million times sharper buy one from Ragnar.(or anyone else)

I emailed the maker and I'll let you know what happens.
 
Could it be that Two Hawks are now made by someone else? I know they are being done with a different maker now that he has passed.
 
From: 2 Hawks
Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 1:06 PM

Subject: Re: Woodsman


Wow, that does sound bad. The head was dipped in oil right before packing and shipping. Does the box look like it may have got wet? It can loose some of it's edge if rusted. Some steel wool will take care of that though. But he tests each hawk before sending by shaving hair off his arm, yours included. As stated on our website how all of our hawks are made and finished, all our handles are flame grained and buffed now.
I'm very sorry this happed. Please send the hawk back and we will try again as well as making the handle to your specifications.
Brooke
Click to expand...


Hopefully they will make good. I'll take some pics before sending back
 
Sounds like they will take care of you. IMHO, perhaps contact the maker first before posting such an experience and then report the outcome.
 
They said send it back and they'd fix it up. I'll post the pic of the rusty one and then do a report when I get the new refinished hopefully sharp one:thumbup:

I really like the head shape on this one but it's dull. Hopefully they will do it up right.
 
I, too, am VERY interested in learning as much about the new smith and his wares. I had a longhunter on order from the origonal TwoHawks that I never got due to his unfortunate passing. So far, things don't sound to promising about me making sure I'm still on the queue... :(
 
Turnaround was almost instantaneous.

Here's a FEW pics, I am trying to conserve on my pic hosting account.
hawk11.jpg

hawk33.jpg


I did some other pics and comparisons and posted them in this thread:
http://ramanon.com/forum/showthread.php?p=449012#post449012

I sent it back this morning so when I get the reworked version back I'll take a few more pics and post them here.
 
i definite owe ragnar an order.

love the fact that while he's selling and admitting to sources, chinese imported and other "inexpensive" models, he can and will reheat treat them, rehandle them to spec, and sharpen them, for a VERY reasonable fee. whoa.

bladite
 
Hollowdweller,

I also like the light-colored wood they show on their website. The dark wood isn't bad, per se, but it kind of takes away from the overall appearance (not including the rust). However, did they at least pick a piece of wood for the haft that had good vertical grain that was aligned with the head?

I really want a longhunter, but I don't know if I'm willing to bet on someone new carrying on mastercraft tomahawk maker's legacy. Especially with no reply emails from the new maker, no one saying much about them in general, and then a disappointing review from someone here on our boards known for writing detailed reviews. *sigh* :(
 
The heads are cast so shouldn't be any different except in the final grind, handle and tempering.

I like the head I'll let you know when I get the new one back.
 
Was the head oiled when it was recieved? If the edge was damaged by rust you will note a very aggressive finish which is pseudo-serrated in nature, it won't be smooth.

-Cliff
 
Cliff,

They said that the head was oiled before they sent it but there was no stains on the newspaper or anything.

They sent me a picture of the head when they shipped it out and I believe it to be the same head, no rust.


It would have been in the mail only like 3 days and it was pretty rusted. On the other hand it was not wrapped up in the box just kind of thrown on top of some balled up newspaper, and the lid to the box was not pushed to where the sides were flush. I could see into the box thru the clear tape.

I'm not sure about the description you gave. Most of the hatchet heads I have had get rusted that were really sharp were still pretty sharp with some surface rust. This edge if you look at the link I posted I could run my finger over, pressing and not get cut.

I don't really care how long they take to get it back to me as long as it's sharp and not rusty. The head is a nice design and would probably be fairly usable if sharp:thumbup:
 
That was what I was wondering, it isn't like oil would evaporate. In regards to the edge, yes, that was my point, I should have been more clear. Edges won't corrode smooth as you noted so it is very unlikely the edge was very sharp initially.

-Cliff
 
One thing, that I know of, that will do this is a solution that muzzleloaders use to antique/rust brown their weaponry. If you don't properly neutralize it, it will, within hours, begin to oxidize the metal again. I know this, as it's happened to me before. Could this be a possibility?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top