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Posted: 5/12/2017 8:12:47 PM EDT
I am a complete noob when it comes to taking proper care of a tomahawk or hatchet. But  I just won one of CRKT's wood Nobo T-hawks! YAYA!

Since i have never owned something like this i dont want to ruin it. How would i sharpen this thing, and what is the best method to do so? I am really worried about busting the handle. Any tips so that doesnt happen. I have seen a few people wrap their handles, does that really help or is it just for looks?
Link Posted: 5/12/2017 9:27:48 PM EDT
[#1]
Here is the Tomahawk in question:

Nobo Tomahawk
Link Posted: 5/12/2017 10:20:04 PM EDT
[#2]
Here is a "working" tomahawk that I use for general purpose tasks.  The wrap helps quite a bit.  It is just paracord so very cheap and effective.  I sharpen it using a disc type stone.  I don't remember the model stone but YouTube and you will find some.  It isnt razor sharp but plenty sharp for a general purpose tool. This pic was when it was new.


Link Posted: 5/12/2017 11:02:17 PM EDT
[#3]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Here is a "working" tomahawk that I use for general purpose tasks.  The wrap helps quite a bit.  It is just paracord so very cheap and effective.  I sharpen it using a disc type stone.  I don't remember the model stone but YouTube and you will find some.  It isnt razor sharp but plenty sharp for a general purpose tool. This pic was when it was new.


http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a96/burntcrispy/A85AF6B9-3DED-4808-8A52-90A487014A18_zpsixegjrr8.jpg
View Quote
You actually have the model i have wanted to get.

Since you have a tomahawk by CRKT you maybe able to answer some questions.

- How well does it hold an edge?

- Have you broken a handle before? If you have, did you replace it with a factory handle or someone else's?

- If you have used the hammer side before, how has it held up?

Since this is a new model there isnt a factory stealth yet, does anyone know of a good place that can make one? I dont want it to cost an arm and a leg, but my google-fu isnt working well today and i cant find anyone that makes them for tomahawks.
Link Posted: 5/13/2017 6:46:49 AM EDT
[#4]
I use the round stone that comes in the handle of RMJ tomahawks when my RMJ is I need to touch it up on a camping or hunting trip. For my knives I also take along a double sided diamond hone, fine on one side, extra fine on the other and a small strop that I made with a paint stirrer for the backing and a piece of leather attached to it with epoxy and it is fairly saturated with turtle wax rubbing compound. Those three handle all of my sharpening needs if I'm out for a few days. The trick in the field is to keep it touched up so it doesn't get crazy dull. If I happen to chip it or roll it hitting it on a rock or something I'll do what I can in the field and then use my worksharp when I get home to set the edge back up like new.

Link Posted: 5/13/2017 7:28:39 AM EDT
[#5]
Dude, just buy extra handles. That's the point of a tomahawk.

I've thrown my hawks literally thousands of times, and I've only broken a few handles.  And some of those times don't really count because I was throwing multiple hawks at a single target and every once in awhile miss and hit the handle of the first ones.

I personally don't use a tomahawk for "processing" firewood or anything like that. For those I use a dedicated hatchet or axe. The added weight (and length of the axe) make them far superior for cutting a lot of wood than a tomahawk.  My hawks are mostly for throwing, even though I have a few in the "fighting" style, which are mainly for fun (though theoretically I could fuck something up with one if I happened to  be attacked while holding it; in fact, one time I armed myself with a "fighting hawk" when an Indian was trying to get into my house.  No joke.)
Link Posted: 5/13/2017 7:54:15 AM EDT
[#6]
practice throwing tomahawks with 25 dollar indian tossers

http://www.crazycrow.com/hand-forged-throwing-hawks/custom-competition-throwing-hawk-set
Link Posted: 5/13/2017 2:03:07 PM EDT
[#7]
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Quoted:
practice throwing tomahawks with 25 dollar indian tossers

http://www.crazycrow.com/hand-forged-throwing-hawks/custom-competition-throwing-hawk-set
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Thanks for the link! But i think i will stick to calling them tomahawks around the girlfriend considering she is a native american an all.
Link Posted: 5/13/2017 3:20:44 PM EDT
[#8]
dot not feather

Link Posted: 5/13/2017 7:04:01 PM EDT
[#9]
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Quoted:
dot not feather

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It is cool. In all honestly it would get a laugh from her before she took it and killed the fly on the dart board with it at 75 yards! She is pretty much a master of any thing edged and tough as nails. I think being born on kodiak island and raised in Alaska does that to you. So i will be going to her on how to throw it.  I really wanted a general consensus on how these tomahawks are and how to take care of them or any needed mods to keep it safe from me as my google-fu sucked.

My main plan was to take it with me while backpack camping as the smallest axe i own is a boys axe made by Vulcan. Most i would do is light firewood processing and throwing it when i board.

Was actually looking at the British belt axe made and sold by ragweed forge. But then i won this. I do think the British belt axe would fit my intended role a bit better, but i am not experienced enough to know.
It is A-23C, so you will have to scroll a bit to get to it.
Any one care to chim in on this? The British belt axe look like it would be able to handle any sort of of firewood task a bit better.

It does seem like CRKT finially brought out the model alot pf people wanted. Trying to find anything on the T-hawks shows post after post of people buying the chogan amd cutting the hammer off.
Link Posted: 5/13/2017 7:43:43 PM EDT
[#10]
I guess I've never had an axe with me while backpacking, not even a hawk.  Not saying you're wrong for doing it, but I never had a need for one.

After my knee turned to shit, I can't walk that far downhill with a pack anymore (uphill is fine), so I don't backpack, hence the luxury of bringing whatever axe I want when camping now.
Link Posted: 5/13/2017 8:00:10 PM EDT
[#11]
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Quoted:
I guess I've never had an axe with me while backpacking, not even a hawk.  Not saying you're wrong for doing it, but I never had a need for one.

After my knee turned to shit, I can't walk that far downhill with a pack anymore (uphill is fine), so I don't backpack, hence the luxury of bringing whatever axe I want when camping now.
View Quote
Makes sense. I dont get to do it much, or long. I am still a relative noob at it so if i stay out to long i probably wont come back! But i have always like the challenge associated with backpack camping.
Link Posted: 5/16/2017 6:44:53 AM EDT
[#12]
Bump for op and my interests .
Link Posted: 5/16/2017 7:53:45 PM EDT
[#13]
I just bought a really big double sided diamond sharpening stone.
The one I have is about 2" wide by 6" long and has a plastic handle, one side is coarse, the other medium grit.
I did an initial few passes with a regular metalworking file to knock the high spots off then I worked it over with the diamond.
It won't shave hair but it's way sharper than it came out of the box (I have a CRKT Kangee 'hawk).
Link Posted: 5/17/2017 9:08:30 PM EDT
[#14]
I used a double sided puck to sharpen mine. It has different grits on each side. I believe it is a Lansky but I'm not entirely sure. It does a good job and gets it sharp again quickly 
Link Posted: 5/20/2017 10:01:23 PM EDT
[#15]
Thanks everyone for the help. The Tomahawk came today. She is beautiful. What surprised me the most is that CRKT threw a bunch of other free stuff as well. Like a couple of 50% off coupons and a bunch of decals(aka: Man stickers! ), some small EDC multitools, a viking necklace(), a special edition of  a survival magazine, and a 8gb CRKT flashdrive. I do plan on doing a review on her, but a short version so far would be she is very well made like most of the CRKT products i have come across. It actually did come with a very basic stealth that you could use it you really had to.
Link Posted: 5/26/2017 4:58:02 PM EDT
[#16]
Lansky Puck for sharpening and Renaissance Wax to protect the head from rust and the handle from water.
Link Posted: 5/29/2017 11:12:06 PM EDT
[#17]
I really like Hawks that have the bottom of the beard sharpened as on the two shown here.
Link Posted: 6/1/2017 11:02:49 AM EDT
[#18]
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Quoted:
I really like Hawks that have the bottom of the beard sharpened as on the two shown here.
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As do I! That is why I am going to see about sharpening both edges. I haven't done much with it yet as I am trying to get everything ready for my trip to Seattle in a few days. Jus a like brush clearing in my backyard. Worked well, just really needs to be sharpened.
Link Posted: 8/6/2017 10:19:17 AM EDT
[#19]
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Quoted:
Lansky Puck for sharpening and Renaissance Wax to protect the head from rust and the handle from water.
View Quote
QFT. Use the puck to get the edge going. Then, I took some sandpaper and affixed it to some strips of wood. To really get a good edge I use the puck, and then go to finer grits of sandpaper to really get that good edge.
Link Posted: 8/13/2017 6:57:11 AM EDT
[#20]
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Quoted:
QFT. Use the puck to get the edge going. Then, I took some sandpaper and affixed it to some strips of wood. To really get a good edge I use the puck, and then go to finer grits of sandpaper to really get that good edge.
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View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Lansky Puck for sharpening and Renaissance Wax to protect the head from rust and the handle from water.
QFT. Use the puck to get the edge going. Then, I took some sandpaper and affixed it to some strips of wood. To really get a good edge I use the puck, and then go to finer grits of sandpaper to really get that good edge.
Thanks for the tip!
Link Posted: 8/13/2017 12:11:15 PM EDT
[#21]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Here is a "working" tomahawk that I use for general purpose tasks.  The wrap helps quite a bit.  It is just paracord so very cheap and effective.  I sharpen it using a disc type stone.  I don't remember the model stone but YouTube and you will find some.  It isnt razor sharp but plenty sharp for a general purpose tool. This pic was when it was new.


http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a96/burntcrispy/A85AF6B9-3DED-4808-8A52-90A487014A18_zpsixegjrr8.jpg
View Quote
@burntcrispy

Friends don't let friends use Photobucket.

Imgur, Kek.gg, and at least 10's of other image hosting solutions are available.
Link Posted: 8/13/2017 7:43:42 PM EDT
[#22]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
@burntcrispy

Friends don't let friends use Photobucket.

Imgur, Kek.gg, and at least 10's of other image hosting solutions are available.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Here is a "working" tomahawk that I use for general purpose tasks.  The wrap helps quite a bit.  It is just paracord so very cheap and effective.  I sharpen it using a disc type stone.  I don't remember the model stone but YouTube and you will find some.  It isnt razor sharp but plenty sharp for a general purpose tool. This pic was when it was new.


http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a96/burntcrispy/A85AF6B9-3DED-4808-8A52-90A487014A18_zpsixegjrr8.jpg
@burntcrispy

Friends don't let friends use Photobucket.

Imgur, Kek.gg, and at least 10's of other image hosting solutions are available.
@burntcrispy

Hell, i use Flickr. I like it. You dont have to go thru the encoding button on this forum with Flickr either . Just go to the share button in the photo you want to post, go over to the BBC code, then copy&paste it into the post.

Bonus, you get 1Tb of free storage.
Link Posted: 8/13/2017 8:10:19 PM EDT
[#23]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I just bought a really big double sided diamond sharpening stone.
The one I have is about 2" wide by 6" long and has a plastic handle, one side is coarse, the other medium grit.
I did an initial few passes with a regular metalworking file to knock the high spots off then I worked it over with the diamond.
It won't shave hair but it's way sharper than it came out of the box (I have a CRKT Kangee 'hawk).
View Quote
I have medium and fine DMT sharpening stones that are about 2.5" x 10" that are so old they come in the wooden boxes with rubber feet. I use them to dress the edges of our Henckels kitchen knives that my wife enthusiastically smashes regularly. It works well on my Iltis axes, and my hatchets and hawks as well.
a 6" mill file carries easily and restores a chipped edge in the field and still delivers a good sharp cutter.
the sandpaper and stropping compound kits are great on convex edges but are too bulky to carry along with you, and work best on a bench.
the two-sided pucks are good to keep it touched up in the field, but aren't the right choice to rehab an abused edge.
you can use a spyderco sharpmaker on an axe or tomahawk with some care and get a quick usable edge.
I have a woods chogan and a kangee. The chogan is kind of heavy, but worked like a champ delimbing a bunch of large branches for the brushpile.

a 6" mill file and a puck can easily be carried along and will handle 90% of your axe/hatchet/hawk sharpening needs.
Link Posted: 8/13/2017 9:33:01 PM EDT
[#24]
Looks like i am going to have to learn to use a puck!

Off to YouTube to listen to internet mechanics!
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