Cold Steel 90TH Trail Hawk American Hickory Handle, One Size (Package May Vary)

Hear me out, I've been using Amazon for years and I've bought hundreds of items. In all that time I have only left reviews on maybe 5-10 items. I only leave reviews when I am truly truly disappointed (to warn others) or truly truly impressed. I love this thing. This is a very cool throwing axe, and in addition to that an utility axe. I know it's not advertised as an utility axe, and I'm guessing the company would advise against using it as a utility axe just so that they don't have to deal with it when you break it using it for something it wasn't designed for. That being said, it is an axe and it works as an axe. First of all, I've thrown axes before. I am not very good, and if I were to ever enter a competition I would wind up dead last. That being said, I have thrown them before, know the basic concept and technique, and have had some successes. From what I know as an amateur axe thrower, this thing feels good in the hand, has a pretty good construction for the size and cost, and holds up to abuse well. I know that because again I am an amateur. I've had it hit my target (a hardwood tree) from some pretty hard throws at nearly every angle (top, bottom, side, halfway through a turn, hammer side, etc.). I've only had a few hits with the axe blade directly on target, but when I do it almost always sticks in and sticks in deep. I've also found that the thing is pretty accurate. You could say that that is because of my own accuracy, but again I am an amateur. Rather I think the balance of this axe is so good that an amateur can hit their target 100% of the time (I drew a faint silhoutte of a human of the same height as me on the tree. Even when I miss with the axe blade, and hit the tree with a different part of the weapon's body it almost always hits the spot I was aiming for, whether that be a small target like the head or dead center of the chest). In addition to being a throwing axe, I have been using this as an utility axe, both blade side and hammer side. The thing is shorter than a full-size axe but longer then a camp axe/hatchet. While my hatchet has more weight, this item has more leverage. Once again it also sticks in very deep because it appears to be very sharp. A quick note on that sharpness, in the three weeks I've had it I have not noticed it dulling at all... in fact it even seems sharper than when it began. Anyway, this ability to stick deep has allowed me to use the axe as a handle. Slam it deep into a log and then drag or even lift if the log is not too heavy. I've used the hammer side for nailing things, and also in combination with a splitting wedge (though a sledgehammer no doubt works better with the wedge, this item works to a degree as well). It is also good for chopping and splitting small things (I have chopped quite a few long and thick branches, maybe as thick as an upper arm, into firewood length pieces), stripping bark from living or dead trees or even from firewood, and doing small chopping jobs like creating kindling. Finally, in a use I know the manufacturer would definitely not condone, the thing works great as a fire poker. The wood I was chopping was of course for a fire pit I have and frequently use. I was of course afraid the first few times to use it as a fire poker, but I found out that it holds up very well in these extremely hot conditions. The wooden handle in fact has not burned once yet, despite being a wooden object continually poked near extremely hot embers. The fact that it can stick into and be used to drag or move wood also makes it great for moving large logs in the fire. The only thing I've noticed is that the black finish (remember, this axe is made out of silvery shiney steel, and the head is black not because of the metal but because of the finish put on the metal) is beginning to be stripped away by the heat, and a lot of the axe is beginning to be covered with charcoal and ash (from the fire, once again it itself is not burning for whatever reason). The axhead is becoming slightly loose, but this might be from the fire or from the throwing. Again this is a relatively cheap item, and I've been doing both the action this item is designed for (throwing) and chopping/fire poking pretty evenly. Either way, when this thing does start to break and fall apart, I am definitely going to buy another. I love this thing. Highly recommended.

*UPDATE* I’ve throw a lot more than the past me, and this is still a great hawk. I’m still on my first handle, although the key to not breaking handles is not missing. I’ve got other throwing axes to judge against now, and this is still a solid thrower. Just not super pretty *ORGINAL REVIEW* I bought the Cold Steel Norse Hawk as well as the Cold Steel Trail Hawk at the same time. Both of these were my first tomahawks ever, and I don't have that much tomahawk experience, or any experience with other brands of tomahawks to compare to. With that said, here is what I think: First Impression: This hawk looks okay, quality wise, but the edge was VERY DULL. The blade bounced off the stump on my first throw. I had to file it, but it did sharpen to a good edge (good enough for tomahawking). Biggest Flaw: This hawk (maybe all Cold Steel hawks) uses a set screw to tighten the axe head to the handle. Once you throw this hawk, depending on how it lands, that screw will scar up the handle as the axe head comes off. I would appreciate a friction fit much better. These are my first tomahawks, so I'm not sure how many other hawks are like this. The screw really gouges the handle though. How do they work: I am a novice at tomahawking, but I can sink this hawk into my stump target from three spins away, which I'd say is about 25 foot. It feels really natural to throw, and I pretty much started sinking this thing into the wood straight away. The handle feels a little long (I don't know for sure, because I have no experience to reference), but I've just been choking up when I throw, and that works great. I've probably thrown about 100 times, and I've only missed on a handful, mostly from the "three spin" distance. I'm not sure how good I am at throwing tomahawks, but I can say that these definitely work, anyone who knows how to tomahawk should be able to use these no problem, and if you can't make it work, then it's probably you, not the hawk. I think these would be good for any beginner. They're priced low, and they work. They would work better if you custom fitted the handle and didn't use the set screw, and sharpening the axe is probably a must. I'm going to get a nicer version when I get better, but these seem great to learn on.

For the money this Tomahawk is a fantastic price. But for the money, you are getting a small project- not a finished tomahawk. You will need to -AT MINIMUM- regrind the bevel and sharpen the edge. Here is what I did, and here is what I recommend: I completely refinished the entire tomahawk. First, I stripped the cheap painted coating from the metal tomahawk head using a grinding wheel and flapper discs. Afterwards, I polished it progressively from 100, all the way to 600 grit polish on a wheel. (You can easily polish with a rag and an orbital sander instead- the wheel is easier and works better. Harbor freight has them for less than 100$). Once the metal head was polished, I chose to rust blue the head. Rust bluing is the easiest and most durable form of bluing aside from charcoal bluing. Since charcoal bluing is insanely hard to do and the necessary materials are unobtanium for normal folk like myself, I went with rust bluing. To rust blue any carbon metal (not aluminum or stainless steel) you clean it and degrease with mineral spirits or naphtha, and then put a light acid such as a vinegar salt solution or salt and hydrogen peroxide in a can or tub, and use a coat hanger to suspend the axe head in the solution. They make premade solution that you can buy as well. Honestly though, the homemade stuff works just as well in the correct amounts. Just look up rust bluing solutions. You can YouTube this and find many videos. Let the metal rust until it turns barely orange-yellow. Then boil the metal in distilled water in a pot that you do not care about for 20 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to touch. Buff lightly with very fine steel wool (also degreased beforehand). Repeat this process as many times as needed until you like the blued finish. I only did 3 separate chemical baths and boils. The resulting finish will give you the most durable bluing you can achieve. It will be better than most factory knives and firearms you see nowadays. It will be hard to scratch, it will be VERY rust resistant, and it will look absolutely amazing. If everything is done right, (and depending on the number of chemical baths and boils) this tomahawk head should be a dark, cobalt blue- to almost light navy. After bluing, do your final re-sharpen. Bluing will dull the blade, so grind the bevel, then blue, then fine sharpen. This process is far superior to cold blue. Cold blue is an additive that sits on top of the metal. But with rust bluing, the actual surface of the metal itself is what is changing and becoming the protective layer. This is insanely durable and far superior to cold bluing. Disclaimer- this is a process that involves acids and chemicals so wear proper PPE such as goggles and gloves etc. For the handle, I sanded the entire thing down and burned the ends with a torch. I stained it with a dark espresso stain from minwax. I put two coats of boiled lindseed oil on it after the stain had dried for two days. This will help keep the handle from shrinking in the winter and subsequently keep the head tight on the handle shaft. I threw away the set screw. If you do all this right, this will be a tension fit and you will never need it. With the work I have done, I have left this hawk in the bed of my truck, and it has not rusted. It has split kindling and absolutely obliterated many small branches and limbs with ease. The edge lasts between sharpenings and I am not stressed when I forget my sharpening stones while camping or hunting. Do yourself a favor- if you don’t do anything else, get a KME sharpening kit and at the very least, regrind the bevel and get a good professional, level edge on this hawk. If you only do one thing, do that. It will be night and day in terms of the usability for this tool. As far as tacticool factor, I have had many people look at and handle this hawk while camping or hunting and then they go and buy one the next week. Well worth the small investment. All photos are from during the bluing process, including a test fit half way through on the handle. For less than 30$ I highly recommend.

OK so this IS a great little hawk, just not right out of the box, it needs some minor fixes that aren't hard to do at all. The black coating on the head needs to go with a quickness , and so does the stupid sticker they put right on the face of the head. the inside edges that make contact with the handle need filed down to allow easy on-off and a solid friction fit without damaging the handle , the edge profile is so-so and mine came sharp but not nearly sharp enough to use efficiently and safely. The handle is OK but needs the lacquer stripped off, sanded and refinished. The set screw is NOT NECESSARY for a proper fitting head !! And once the handle is sanded/ resealed and the sharp edges on the head are finished with a round file, it can go in the trash since the head will lock into place like a proper hawk at that point. It sounds like its trash and im complaining since it needs that much work done right out of the box, but those things can be done in your basement and will turn it into a sweet little hawk for just a tiny bit of work. For $20, it can't be beat and is worth the time spent on modifications for sure.Just go on YouTube and you'll see some FINE examples that can be used as a guide for your own. Why they use the set screw, black coating, sticker on the head etc. is a mystery since ommiting all that would lower production cost and make it even less expensive yet higher quality potentially. Some people have had probs with the fit but mine was tight on the handle without any wiggle, and so much so that the head gouged into it at the top when it was assembled. So if you have the ability to do a few minor fixes then I would def recommend this hawk, it can be VERY nice once its been taken care of with a little bit of TLC and imagination.

before i talk about the good (and trust me, there's a lot), let's talk about the work that goes into making these 5 star hawks. firstly, with the edge that came on it it would cause more blunt force trauma than lacerations. the handle is about 4 inches too long, and is finished with a lacquer that would cause ocular cancer. oh yeah, thats basically all the bad. now the good. the wood handle, though atrocious, is SOLID. when i went to saw it, it took an ungodly amount of time with a hand saw to even cut off what i wanted. i tried to reshape it afterwards and almost gave up. this wood is as solid as can be, if you manage to snap it you're either stupid or doing it on purpose. next, the head. mine came with a beautiful 'forged' look that gave it character and aesthetic appeal. the edge (if you want to call it that) was basically redone and applied by me. i used a file until my fingers fell off, then ran it on a sharpening stone and rejoiced when i realized it was chopping better than most of my tools with only 3/4ths of the weight and all with a 100% higher cool factor. the hammer head is useful too. i use this tomahawk for mainly bushcraft, but i also throw it quite a bit. im absolutely horrendous at throwing and there were many times when it should have broken but instead just left a small mark or indent in the wood. the head is still sharp after splitting 5-6 inch logs like a fiend, throwing it at everything and leaving it chopped into a stump for nearly 3 days in the rain. overall this thing is a steal and i would recommend it to literally everyone, including your grandmother. mine thinks its cool.

I love this product. I can understand that this product might not be for everyone because everyone has their preferences. I purchased this product after seeing the modifications to it on u-tube. I have always wanted a hawk and from what I saw on u-tube this one makes for a perfect beginners hawk. I purchased this hawk with the intent to modify it. I have seen this hawk with and without the mods and was pleased with all of the potential usages for it. It works as a tool, self-defense, and as decoration (well at least after I finish with the modifications. Out of the box It is already assembled and ready to go. I could have went out to test it before I started on the mods but was all to eager to make the mods. If I were to not make the mods then I would have a difficult time with the stupid sticker. For anyone who knows hawks and has had a hand forged one and really likes those kinds of hawks (I know I do) then I probably wouldn't suggest this one; however if you like throwing I would suggest this one because it truly isn't as valuable as a hand forged one. For the price this hawk is worth it's weight in gold, once again I am a really big fan of multi-use tools and this is a perfect example. At first I wanted to get the hawk that Dave Canterbury was showing (which I still do want to get) on u-tube because it had the same principals but his had a bit larger blade as well as being hand forged here in America, but I didn't have a hundred dollars to drop. This Cold Steel Hawk is perfect for guys like me who are just starting out in bush-craft or general hikers. Plus if I (by some wired chance) am able to break this hawk then I can replace it easily. This hawk was purchased in the 20$ range what more can I say. Speaking of multi-use if I am out in the country somewhere and I break the handle I can make a new one in approximately 10 minutes, I can't do that with an axe. I am planning on buying more of these hawks from cold steel as a hobby and will have no problems finding a tool to take with me into the woods. Thank you.

The tomahawk head seems durable, and I watched a video of a YouTuber who has owned his for 17 years, but the hickory handle it came with is very soft. After a couple days of use, the head began sliding up and down the chipped handle. Recently hammered it back towards the top of the handle, but I'm not swinging this thing around my dog. The splitting performance of the head is awesome, and I can palm it to shave kindling very well, but this handle isn't going to last long at all.

These are great tools that you can have fun customizing. I have 2!

Guter , passgenauer Axtstiel mit einer Madenschrauben gesichert. Sauber gearbeitetem Axtkopf mit guter härte.

Genial y muy manejero. El peso es muy contenido teniendo en cuenta la herramienta que es, corte y golpeó. O.k.

Awesome tool. I say tool because it is a multipurpose tool. Can chop, hammer, throw it, shave, split small timbers. The long handle gives excellent leverage like a framing hammer so you can make fast powerful blows for such a lightweight tool. It is excellent for back country camping because it is so lightweight. It take a long time to get through a thick tree but it’s not a felling axe. I can swing it one handed for a long time before tiring. I’ve owned it for several years and put it through the ringer. Still works great. Not sure what wood the handle is made from - maybe ash? Regardless it is very strong no issues. Handle is oval in section with no bends which I really like I can slide my hand quickly to choke up on it or drop it to the very end for maximum leverage and speedy swings. Only issue I’ve had is that I wasn’t paying attention to the fact it has a set screw to lock the handle to the head. At some point the handle had been forced down from the head - maybe me tightening it and caused the set screw to go on an angle on the inside of head. Problem is it’s still grabbing some thread so I can’t back it out. Will need to drill out someday if the handle loosens. Will leave it as is. I see complaints about quality control but it is a low cost item how much can you expect. It has a tough handle, tough head. I threw this thing so many times and nothing happened other than some knicks on cutting edge which is expected when it bounces off the target and hits a rock. Cold steel makes excellent tools that are more for a purpose than pretty looks. And the cost reflects that. For me the first most important thing is performance and dependability and I get that for very low cost in this tomahawk.

Great little tomahawk, not sharp but can be sharpend. When it can the head was loose and I had to cut and sand a ridge of wood, but after a small amount of work it’s great

Kam wie erwartet stumpf an, Anschliff aber symmetrisch, also leicht auf Arbeitsschärfe zu bringen. Kurz mit der Feile und Sandpapier die scharfen Kanten am Auge abgerundet, den Stil ca. 10cm eingekürzt, abgeschmirgelt und eingeölt und das Blatt geschliffen, schon hat man ein wunderbares Arbeitsgerät für Outdoor und Camping. Als Hammer wie auch als Beil für Anmachholz gut zu gebrauchen. Macht im Prinzip alles für was einem das Campingmesser zu schade ist. Wer ca. 1 Stunde Nachbearbeitung nicht scheut, wenn man es nicht noch aufhübschen will, sondern "nur" ein Werkzeug sucht, ist hier gut beraten zuzugreifen.