Tomahawk vs. Short sword vs. hammer

[Daniel8]

Alright I've been thinking of adding a large hand weapon to my EDC patrol/scouting gear for some time. Think Eli in movie "Book of Eli". While I personally probably wont run out of ammo, I do still see a great value on a larger combat blade type weapon. I like the Tomahawk idea as it can be used as a breach tool. But a short sword also is faster for combat. Here are the links to what I am looking at. LMK what you think and why.

https://www.rmjtactical.com/collections/tactical-tomahawks/products/shrike?variant=22181945016368
https://www.rmjtactical.com/collections/field-knives/products/wyvern#fullDescription
https://www.rmjtactical.com/collections/hammers/products/snuggles

 

[jontte]

you could also check what cold steel has to offer?
you would be paying alot...alot less,but still get quality for your money.

always nice to have melee weapons at hand.

 

[tmttactical]

First I have to be honest and cheap. The price of all these items is way over the top. Next where would you be using these items. In the forest the tomahawk would be best. In the jungle / dense brush, the short sword would be best. I can't see any need at all for the hammer. Just my cheap 2 cents.

 

[Kevin L]

I think your choice should depend upon what kind of training you have access to.

If you can find a kendo or--preferably--a kenjutsu instructor, then go with a Japanese sword called a katana.

If you can find Chinese martial artists who have trained with people who were members of a triad and/or tong, then go with a tomahawk or hatchet (I know that the tomahawk is associated with the Native Americans, but the Chinese tong and triads use a very similar weapon called a 'Fu' hatchet). If you can find a martial artist from Malaysia or Indonesia, you could do worse then training in silat, or, possibly, the use of a kris knife (the kris knife doesn't seem practical for utilitarian use, but--as a medic--I can see how horribly devastating a wound from this wavy-blade knife can be. It seems to me that waviness of the blade would cut blood vessels in an alternating manner that would cause more trauma and rapid blood loss than a wound from a straight blade).

Training always trumps 'stuff' when it comes to prepping.

 

[Roninsensei]

RMJ tactical is some good gear but it’s a bit too big for my liking. The strike is a little too long for a tactical tomahawk. And they want a lot of $. There’s comparable gear for less. In fact you could get all three for less than the hammer cost.

https://www.amazon.com/CRKT-Rune-Tomahawk-Sheath-Compatible/dp/B01N2AW3LT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=13BVNGOCOS65H&keywords=crkt+rune+tomahawk&qid=1573978758&sprefix=Rune+crkt,aps,505&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-90TH-Trail-Hawk/dp/B0014BMBA6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=34Z5JEXLZ2U0J&dchild=1&keywords=cold+steel+trail+hawk+tomahawk&qid=1573978848&sprefix=Trail+hawk+toma,aps,216&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-90PHH-Pipe-Frontier/dp/B0030D9ROE/ref=sr_1_3?crid=34Z5JEXLZ2U0J&dchild=1&keywords=cold+steel+trail+hawk+tomahawk&qid=1573978887&sprefix=Trail+hawk+toma,aps,216&sr=8-3

https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-97JMS-Machete-Jungle/dp/B006YBY9GA/ref=sr_1_1?crid=399G40FDOAMHC&dchild=1&keywords=cold+steel+jungle+machete&qid=1573978956&sprefix=cold+steel+jungle+mach,aps,201&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Condor-Tool-...eywords=Condor+machete&qid=1573979032&sr=8-16

https://www.amazon.com/Condor-Tool-...eywords=Condor+machete&qid=1573979093&sr=8-21

Any and all of these choices you can get for about how much you’ll spend on one of RMJ’s stuff and they will hold up just as good. I’ve personally used all of these items and recommend them for there toughness and ability to handle abuse. That’s not to say that RMJ tactical isn’t great stuff. It is! But it’s not worth the money. They are a little too proud of there stuff. Lol The first tomahawk is actually designed by RMJ and he chose the specifications for it. If you like the idea of a fighting tomahawk this is the one to get.

 

[DrHenley]

I like the looks (and price) of the Estwing tomahawk.

 

[Daniel8]

Yeah... I know that RMJ is really expensive. Hence why I haven't yet made the purchase. Usually when I want something in regards to preps i buy it without much hesitation. But 500 for a tomahawk is steep. However the lower priced ones just don't strike me as something that will put up with rigors of hard use for many years.

 

[Roninsensei]

Daniel they will. That’s why I posted them. I’ve used and abused all of the above and they’ve done just fine. The trail hawk I have repeatedly used on concrete. It held up just fine.

 

[Roninsensei]

Also the Estwing tomahawks are good but the rubber handled ones tend to fall apart with repeated use. However if you have the skills rehandling is simple enough.

 

[grayghost668]

I currently have a cold steel tomahawk with a wooden handle ,should I replace it the handle will be something other than wood,,,,,,

something along these lines

 

[Roninsensei]

Image didn’t load

 

[GaRp58]

I personally probably wont run out of ammo,

Weapons jam sometimes my friend. I had 7 mags for my Serbian Zastava. In a 6 hour firefight, you realise how long it takes to re-load mags, take your weapon apart or clear a jam; under pressure! 1 min. reload and 3 seconds empty... remember, every fighter pilot, tank or truck driver, helicopter pilot or other soldier becomes INFANTRY when his machine goes down...every un-armed person has the greatest disadvantage. Run or die. Take the time to get good with a tomahawk or good knife. Never runs out of ammo or gives your position away from sound or smoke when your gun dies or the ammo is gone. Live free. GP

 

[DrHenley]

But if you THROW your tomahawk or knife...

 

[GaRp58]

In the forest the tomahawk would be best. In the jungle / dense brush, the short sword would be best

Tomahawk: hand to hand, longer arm and throwable. (not good idea sometimes) Short sword/machete: hand to hand, longer arm, not throwably accurate.
Both tend to stick in bone because of shape and capability of splitting the same if they connect. Both need extremely strong hand and arm, combined with stamina to fight longer. Short sword (bowie) heavy.
Short deep thrusts are more deadly than cutting deep into the arms except if you get an artery. Bleeding to death takes longer and sometimes can be survived. Deep hits in vital organs cannot be bound or tourniquetted as easily as a severed arm.
Nasty work, in the SAS, the trainees had to stand up to their necks in blood and guts to try to lose the gagging feelings from the same, if you ever had to cut a throat and get sprayed with hot blood, some can't take it. One of the first steps of weaning out the weakest trainees. ing at a distance is one thing, cutting and stabbing at hands reach is a different construction site... GP

 

[GaRp58]

But if you THROW your tomahawk or knife...

Only after driving enough hundreds of thousand miles, do you understand driving.
Only after shooting thousands of rounds from each weapon, do you understand what it can or cannot do.
Only after throwing your bladed weapons thousands of times, can you understand how hard it is and trust yourself in a FIGHT to make no mistakes...
Life is like drawing with a pencil, but having NO ERASURE. A fight for life and death also. GP

 

[DrHenley]

I think you missed my point...

Yes a knife or tomahawk never runs out of ammo...UNTIL YOU THROW IT. Then you are out of ammo!

 

[GaRp58]

Gotcha! Well like I said, thousands of throws will make a believer out of you. The decision has to come fast. The outcome does too! GP

 

[bigpaul]

crossbow! silent and deadly as a burglar found out awhile ago when he got a crossbow bolt in the belly.
if you want a repeater go for a wooden archery bow.
if I had to chose from the list I would say a tomahawk, not a hand axe, but something like a Viking style axe.

 

[DrHenley]

Not saying blades don't have a place, they do. But there are limitations that you have to understand. A blade can be a one-time distance weapon or a many-use hand to hand combat weapon.

If your ninjutsu is really really good (like Roninsensei ) then maybe you have a chance against an opponent with a gun at more than arms length distance. Even I have been trained how to disarm an opponent at 20 ft. I'm too old to do it now though, I'm afraid.

 

[GaRp58]

deadly as a burglar found out awhile ago when he got a crossbow bolt in the belly.

Somebody did a bodyshot on a burglar? Survivors? Punishable? Outcome?
DrHenly, we may be getting older and not feeling up to it anymore, but I believe if the adrenaline kick comes back one day, we will be surprised what could happen. I am not faster than a bullet, but I have a good chance of being faster than a trigger finger or the draw of the weapon even. Hope so. GP