# Do you own a tomahawk? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 24, 2022, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596 "2022-03-24T03:46:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/21 "2022-03-24T12:08:38Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > I’m astounded that 27% of the people voting actually own one. I figured the vote to play out as 99% no. 90% of the people who don’t own a tomahawk never opened the thread. 100% of the people who own a tomahawk voted ASAP. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/22 "2022-03-24T12:13:16Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Okay, my curiosity is unbearably peaked! WHY, exactly MUST you own a tomahawk? Agree. This poll sort of reminds me of the “why don’t you lift weights” thread. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/23 "2022-03-24T12:19:45Z")
Nice! After you vanquish the enemy, you can celebrate your victory! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/24 "2022-03-24T12:23:46Z")
I own several tomahawks. I bought them from a company called “Cold Steel”. I don’t really use them for anything. It’s a “collector” type of thing. I also own knives, swords, axes, spears, maces, and polearms from “Cold Steel”, “Museum Replicas Limited”, and “Arms & Armor”. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/25 "2022-03-24T12:27:39Z")
Well, I have a rigging axe. It’s for framing houses. I believe it’s called a rigging axe because the guys that used to build old oil rigs used them. I didn’t vote though. [![](https://resources.cleanitsupply.com/LARGE/managed/770-RB-213569.jpg?v=637547248446322529) ](https://resources.cleanitsupply.com/LARGE/managed/770-RB-213569.jpg?v=637547248446322529) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/26 "2022-03-24T12:39:39Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Oh, and native americans throw tomahawks, NOT hatchets. What did they bury? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/27 "2022-03-24T12:41:20Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Can’t afford it. Dodge only made nine of them, as far as I know. Like the Dodge Dart, the Dodge Tomahawk may or may not be a good vehicle, but it is excellent advice. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/28 "2022-03-24T12:56:56Z")
No. I own several hatchets, though. And a couple of axes, some wedges, and a mini-sledge hammer. But no tomahawks. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/29 "2022-03-24T13:46:59Z")
No tomahawk, but I’ve got one of these: [https://gbl-oned-cdn-prod.azureedge.net/-/media/products/2020/02/11/04/13/resource\_fiskarsamericas\_378501-1005.ashx?rev=10e86c23992544ddb0fa9d60200b0e37&q=100&iw=644&ih=644&crop=1](https://gbl-oned-cdn-prod.azureedge.net/-/media/products/2020/02/11/04/13/resource_fiskarsamericas_378501-1005.ashx?rev=10e86c23992544ddb0fa9d60200b0e37&q=100&iw=644&ih=644&crop=1) and one of these [![](https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-99kn4fj7jr/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/201/461/97LBMS_1__62774.1607300808.jpg?c=1) ](https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-99kn4fj7jr/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/201/461/97LBMS_1__62774.1607300808.jpg?c=1) ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/30 "2022-03-24T13:50:38Z")
Same here, but we _did_ own a Piper Tomahawk for several years. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/31 "2022-03-24T14:05:07Z")
I got a tomahawk from Dixie Gun Works 20-some years ago. I’ve used it for cutting wood by the fireplace, rather than taking wood outside and getting an axe. I got a Cold Steel Rifleman’s Tomahawk a bit over two years ago. It’s better for that task than the ‘more authentic’ one for that purpose. The Dixie one’s head is held on by the tapered handle. The Cold Steel has an un-tapered handle and the head is held on with a pin. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/32 "2022-03-24T14:39:02Z")
No tomahawk but two hatchets/small axes. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/33 "2022-03-24T14:41:54Z")
My comics collection does not include any issues of [Tomahawk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomahawk_(character)), but I do own the “Who’s Who in the DC Universe” issue in which his entry appears. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/34 "2022-03-24T14:46:25Z")
I have a few issues of Tomahawk. But I never cared for him, or western comics much. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/35 "2022-03-24T14:54:42Z")
Bought a souvenir tomahawk/peace pipe at an big tourist trap store near the Grand Canyon. It’s in my big box O’ crap, stuff I am hanging onto that has no value to anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/36 "2022-03-24T15:05:07Z")
[Arthur Treacher] You Thomas-hawk, sir! [/Arthur Treacher] ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/37 "2022-03-24T15:19:51Z")
Not only do I not own one, I have managed to live my life completely unaware that there was any modern tool by that name. If you had asked me to draw one, I would have drawn a lump of stone tied to a stick with some rawhide, not a metal axe. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/38 "2022-03-24T17:17:13Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Okay, my curiosity is unbearably peaked! WHY, exactly MUST you own a tomahawk? For the same reason a lot of folks out this way wear Native American jewelry. Many people like to use local artifacts for decorating or just to have. Mine was a gift from a White Mountain Apache lady and while it shows signs of use, I have never used it for anything but sitting a shelf for decoration. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/39 "2022-03-24T17:19:25Z")
I collect edged weapons, maybe due to my tears in the SCA. Mostly axes but one is a tomahawk. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596/40 "2022-03-24T17:46:06Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Hmm, I voted but was assuming you were meaning tomahawk as a loose description of a hatchet. Reading the thread it seems a distinction is being drawn but I’m not sure where the boundary lies between hatchet and tomahawk. A hatchet is a woodsman’s tool intended for trimming branches, removing bark, splitting smaller diameter logs into kindling, and light camp woodcraft like cutting notches and shaping pegs. It generally has a heavy head, tapered handle, a flat poll (back side of the head) that is _not intended for hammering_, a broad bit (cutting edge) and wide bevel to facilitate woodcraft, and generally a squared toe and heel. The bit is often a hardened steel insert set in a cast iron head for durability although cheaper ones are just cast iron and cannot hold an edge regardless of how you hone it. A tomahawk is a general purpose wilderness survival tool intended for light woodcraft, cleaning game, and as a devastating melee-distance weapon. The traditional shape has a lightweight head, round or ovaled handle, either a hammer poll or no poll (depending on whether it is meant to be thrown), a relatively small bit and thin bevel, and frequently a flared toe and heal to facilitate use as a weapon and skinning tool, sometimes actually with a secondary edge on the underside of the toe. The head is a single piece of forged steel (in any good quality tomahawk) that can be sharped to a shaving edge. Stranger [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-tomahawk/961596.md?page=3)