During the days of the American frontier, “tomahawk” and “hatchet” were terms often used synonymously. The modern tomahawk, mass-produced and widely traded by Europeans, became known as the “trade axe.” These tools generally weighed 1-1½ pounds and featured a 19-inch handle. Blacksmiths handcrafted the heads, incorporating carbon steel for the cutting edge, and fashioned them without a hammer poll.

Unveiling the Versatility: The Art of Tomahawks and Hatchets

Contemporary tomahawks may include a hammer poll or a spike. They are designed with a straight hickory handle that fits securely from the top, widening towards the end, ensuring a secure grip akin to a pickaxe handle, allowing easy head removal and replacement.

In recent years, there has been a debate online about the effectiveness of tomahawks in the wilderness. Some argue that axes are more practical, while others point out that mountain men historically used tomahawks when traveling on foot due to their portability. I prefer using a tomahawk as my primary chopping tool due to its lightweight and abundant available deadwood in the wilderness areas I frequent, eliminating the need to fall large trees for firewood or build log cabins.

Chop It Up

Always back up your work, no matter the task, whether chopping or splitting wood. This will ensure optimal energy transfer and prevent your tool from getting stuck in the ground or hitting bone! With its lightweight head and long handle, a tomahawk relies on speed and momentum rather than weight, similar to a machete. This makes the tomahawk easier to carry and control when being swung.

When chopping a small log positioned horizontally on the ground, it is best to do so while kneeling or sitting. Keep the forearm and tomahawk handle parallel at the moment of impact and afterward, which is referred to as the parallel plane. If the hand and forearm(s) are kept above the point of impact, it can cause the bit to continue back towards the person chopping. Additionally, using a longer handle makes the tool safer to use.

To chop a log, make a “V”-shaped cut at an angle, not straight on. The width of the “V” should be about the same as the log’s diameter. If possible, roll the log over after chopping halfway through. Alternatively, make four chops in one direction and then repeat in the opposite direction to maintain the diameter of the cut. This technique is from the book Camp-Lore and Woodcraft by D.C. Beard.

Choke Up

Despite its 19-inch handle, a tomahawk can be used with one hand by choking up a little. Lighter tomahawks with a 16-inch handle are easily carried and used for one-handed chopping. This method involves getting up close and personal with the wood and maintaining a parallel plane. Hatchets and hawks are great for light-duty, one-handed chopping, such as quickly sharpening a thick green branch for making cooking equipment or tarp stakes.

Remember to grip the handle with both hands when using a 19-inch-long handle or longer to have better control and more power with a lighter tool. Focus on accuracy rather than using brute force. Practicing the proper technique is essential for using a tomahawk accurately and safely!

When removing branches from a fallen tree, it’s crucial to stand on the opposite side of the branches being cut, using the trunk as a shield. Cut the branches close to the trunk and in the direction of growth.

Splitting

When using a tomahawk for splitting, it’s important to note that it lacks the weight necessary for conventional axe or hatchet splitting, where the log is placed vertically on a chopping block and then split using weight and the wedge shape of the tool. There are a couple of key considerations for splitting: wood selection and technique. When selecting wood for shelter or fire, it’s important to use wood no thicker than your wrist or bicep for splitting. In a camp situation, most wood doesn’t need to be thicker. For firewood, anything thicker can be used as larger fuel.

Baton Spitting

Batoning with a tomahawk allows the user to create precise, intentional splits in wood rather than being accurate with a potentially dangerous chop. The weight of a tomahawk is better suited for batoning than a heavy axe, which can be fatiguing over time and cumbersome for one hand to hold the position while the other hammers away on the poll to split wood.

Contact splitting is when you hold the tools’ handle and wood parallel and place the bit at the top end of the small log. Raise them about a foot, then bring them down together on a chopping block. This will drive the bit into the wood and create a split. Pull the handle and wood apart in opposite directions to finish the split. It’s safer to split small-diameter wood this way. Avoid chopping into the top of the log first. Softer wood is easier to split than harder, knotted-up wood.

Make Em Fine

When using a tomahawk, stick to smaller splits for kindling and making feather sticks for fire. Use a small knife for tasks requiring delegated craftsmanship. To make feather sticks, chop into a log with the heel of the tomahawk, about 1 ½ – 2 inches deep, and draw back finger-thick pieces of dry wood against the sharpened bit. It’s a different skill set but produces fine wood shavings for tinder and kindling.

Conclusion

Many outdoor enthusiasts are rediscovering the value of a well-crafted hawk & hatchet as a versatile tool for camping, woodcraft, and survival. It can be used for cutting small-diameter trees and logs, splitting wood, crafting tarp/tent stakes, processing firewood, limbing downed trees, and quickly building a survival shelter.