A tactical tomahawk is a multipurpose tool that’s useful in both rural and urban settings. There are numerous versions on the market today, with many costing upwards of two to three hundred dollars. Personally, I’ve used some of these higher-priced versions before, and they perform at a very high level. But what about a cheap tactical tomahawk? Can it perform?
Can a Cheap Tactical Tomahawk Perform Like a High-End Model?
High-end tomahawks are sharp out of the box, solid in construction, and hold up to repeated hardcore use. Recently, I’ve noticed some more economical models on Amazon. This made me wonder how these frugal options would fare when put to extreme testing.
Well, I purchased one for under $20 and set out to test it for myself. Will it surprise me and reach a high level? Or will it falter and fail, proving that you truly get what you pay for?
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Cheap Hawk First Impressions
The box was my first indication that I was dealing with an inferior tool. It was flimsy and torn and imprinted with simple black outlines of a generic Tomahawk. The company name was Hitdudu.
According to the company description, it is “a brand that specializes in the research and development of outdoor products.”
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With that said, the box isn’t what I was testing; the tomahawk was. The Tomahawk was packed with its nylon sheath securely attached. I say “securely” because it took some strain to detach the two snaps and remove the hawk. It almost felt as if the material was going to tear as I forced the buttons open, but it didn’t.
The tomahawk itself was shiny and without noticeable scuffs or defects. Its included cordage was coiled in its own bag, and it took just a few moments for me to securely tie it through its pre-drilled lanyard hole.
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Upon handling the tomahawk, I found the handle to be much lighter than I expected. Correspondingly, with its solid head and tail spike, it was a bit top-heavy even within my firm grip. In past testing of other tomahawks, this same circumstance became a benefit as the weight aided my striking. If that was the case here, I wouldn’t know until I began my chopping trials.
The blade appeared sharp, and the tail spike was dangerously pointed. Overall, I was intrigued by this tomahawk, and visually, it seemed solid enough to do some damage.
Dull, Out-of-the-Gate
Appearance is one thing, functionality is another, and this is where this chopper began to fail. Hacking through saplings, tough palm fronds, and chipping away at wooden boards all presented a challenge for this economical chopper. The blade was not sharp by any means, even at the very start of my testing. It didn’t dull over time; instead, it was dull straight out of the box.
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With considerable power in my arm, it severed branches in the woods. But even with my most powerful strikes, it did very little against the various pieces of lumber I used for testing. It bounced back with every strike, just barely chipping away at the planks.
The type of wood I used varied from cedar to oak to pine. The most damage was to the soft pine wood. Similarly, it did very little against the two harder and denser varieties.
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A Surprising Spike
What did take me by surprise was the quality and performance of the spike poll. It was pointed to extreme sharpness, and penetrated most materials that I put it up against. It stuck deep into a live stump of a palm tree and pierced wooden boards with enough penetration to hold it firmly in place, without me holding or supporting it.
Naturally, the hardwoods gave it more of a challenge. However, overall, I was pleased with its performance and was convinced that at least the spike portion could deliver.
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A Shoddy Sheath
My elation with the spike’s performance quickly ended when I began to fiddle with the sheath and its belt-carrying ability. I did notice earlier that it was difficult to remove the tomahawk from its sheath. Putting it back in was exceptionally worse. Its design was such that the tomahawk had to be lifted up and out of the sheath from the top.
Unfastening the hook and loop closure was the easy part. Next, two snaps needed to be undone, followed by pushing the handle upward to secure the unit from the top. However, the tip of the spike and the top corner of the head barely cleared the opening. This caused the tomahawk to get stuck many times before it was free. This is both time-consuming and a safety hazard, as there was no safe place to hold it while pulling upward.
I also tried to pass the belt loop through my belt to secure it to my waist, but with no success. The nylon loop was far too short in length for my belt and sewn too tightly against the body of the sheath to push it through. My verdict on the sheath was that it would only be useful for long-term storage and not for daily use.
Cheap Tactical Tomahawk: Results Are a Mixed Bag
While it may sound cliché to say you get what you pay for, in this case, it is partially correct and partially wrong. On one hand, the tomahawk seems durable enough for regular use. Its spike is its standout characteristic, and it feels good in-hand with weight and balance when chopping.
It scored far lower marks with both sharpness and its included sheath. However, for me, this isn’t a deal breaker. At under $20 (which is a great price in today’s world), I would take all the positives and negate the negatives with a knife sharpener and a modified sheath.
If on a budget, you could definitely do worse than this tomahawk. So don’t always judge a book by its cover, nor a tomahawk by its price. In the end, you may be pleasantly surprised.
