Cold Steel Trail Hawk

Cold Steel Trail Hawk Review

This shows the branch handle I made for the tomahawk.

The Cold Steel Trail Hawk has been a tool that I've wanted to review for a while now. I will admit, I think it is a good tool. I definitely wouldn't use it over a hatchet or an axe in a true survival situation, but it is a good compliment to my council tool's boy's axe when I am out in the field. I haven't used it much, but I plan on taking it on more trips. Even if it isn't as practical as a hatchet or an axe, it is a ton of fun to throw and it will easily take down small greenwood saplings for shelter or other purposes. It will also process firewood for a small cooking fire.

Cold Steel Trail Tomahawk with sheath. (modified)

Specs:

steel: 1055 high carbon steel
length: 22 inches
handle material: grade A Tennessee hickory
overall rating: 5 stars
price: $20                                                                                                            

Features:

Chopping: This is a decent chopping tool. It is not an axe or hatchet but it will work for a day trip. It holds its edge well too.

Throwing: This can throw pretty well. It's probably one of the best cheap tomahawks you can buy. I throw mine into a palm round, but you can throw it into a tree on a camp out. Throwing it can dull it, but I've not gotten any nicks in the edge of the blade yet. Throwing it will eventually break the handle. I've already gone through two handles. It is nice, though, because the handles can be replaced easily out a branch, for example.

Carving: To be honest, it doesn't carve all that well. If you re-profiled it, it might do okay but I haven't tried this and the steel seems too soft for it. However, the steel being soft helps with throwing and chopping because it is less likely to get chipped on the edges. But the steel being soft for carving makes it so that you can't get it as sharp as you would like. It can carve a tent stake or a shelter stake though.

Sparking a ferro rod: Being high carbon steel, it will throw pretty good sparks off a ferro rod.

Thank you for reading and please comment below.