I picked up a CRKT Woods Chogan for the fun of it. The fit and finish is far better than the Cold Steel version that I use and really like so I wanted to see how it would work for me.

The first thing I started with was putting an edge on it. In these pictures you can see the shiny laquer finish on the handle.



I used a sanding sponge to remove the shine without sanding off all the lacquer so it would feel more like an oil finish and still have the protection of lacquer.



The fit and finish is very good. I really like the oval feel of the handle and the quality of the forging. The only issue is the weight. The head weighs 1lb 6.8oz for a total weight of 2lbs 1.6oz. It feels more like a heavy hatchet rather than a tomahawk. The weight is just too much for the quick, smooth swings I expect from my hawks.

This is the head on the band saw....



I really like how it came out. 1lb head on the money. Light and lively in the hand with plenty of heft. It bites deep and carves well. It will have no issue taking off 1.5" branches with one swing.

Awesome mod brother! Been looking to get one of these myself. Your sharpening skills are awesome too BTW.

Batman... Show us how you put an edge on an axe.  Angle, tools, process, etc.

I should do a tutorial some day. I would like to buy a much nicer 1x30" belt sander someday soon. That is the basis of my grinds for the most part. Slack of belt grinding gives the best convex.

I'm loving this thing as a heavy hawk chopper. I think only my Rifleman's hawk is heavier. This should a great working tool.

Sweet!

i bought my son & I some
cheap hawks at BSA camp
to start playing with the
concept. I have never carried
a hatchet or hawk in the woods,
but I am quickly warming up to
the idea.

I'll keep an eye out for a Chogan.

Thanks for sharing.

Hawks are a bridge between a knife and an axe. They are on the light side for heavy chopping, but much better than a knife. They can be surprisingly effective if the edge geometry is done correctly.  The lighter the hawk head the more knife like the edge. A thin convex is the only way to go if you want durability and sharpness that will last.

What belt sander are you currently using?

It's just a harbor freight with a round disk on the side I don't use.

I love mine, but, this is as far as I have gone with modifying it.

I made a quick and dirty kydex mask for it. It's as ugly and functional as the guy who made it. It is strictly for keeping me from cutting myself....

You constantly putting up these hawk and hatchet projects and it is not helping me to not go sifting through every flea market and garage sale for a beater to mess with.  LOL

That is how you learn! I jumped in with both feet and I've been having a blast with it.

To be completely honest, I still favor hawks for survival use and short periods in the woods. Especially if I have a tarp and proper gear. The less I have the bigger I want my axe to be....up to around 2 1/4 lb head.

Outside of anything where I need to process a ton of wood for a warming fire, I actually prefer the hawk as well.  It will easily out-chop most knives under 7" and do so with little to no abuse to a properly convex-blade edge.  For more primitive settings where you need to clear a shelter site, construct a shelter and get a small cooking fire, a good hawk is a very efficient tool for the weight and size.  Like any tool, the best way to maximize their value is to practice, practice, practice.  Practice and skill help maximize the tools value and efficiency.  I like pairing a hawk with a small saw and belt knife...the hawk (oftentimes more inexpensive than a custom knife), can take a lot more abuse than a knife and they're often easier to sharpen their blade edge in the field.  

ROCK6

I often marvel at how a 1045 or 1075 steel hawk or hatchet head will cut and cut and hold on to its edge so well when those steels are considered crap in knives. A proper edge seems to be the key.

Great looking mods.

It really looks sharp too.

I just switched out my Trailhawk in my travel kit for the Woods Chogan. The better head fit should make the handle last longer when I don't want to have to replace it.

It will process wood faster with less fatigue.  Important if I need to build shelter when I'm tired and cold.

Now I can put my old handle in the Trailhawk and start practicing throwing it

Lots of material behind the edge aid in stability.

ETA, but I am sure you know that. Didn't mean to come off like a smarty pants it was more just a comment. I don't know a ton about metallurgy, but I remember my dad busting a buck knife trying to chop through an elk carcass. Took a hell of a chip out of the knife. I always cringe using a knife as a chopper since then.

I hated those Chogans because of the weight and the overly thick edge. At least cutting it down some fixes the first issue...