What makes a tomahawk a tomahawk?

Join your favorite tomahawk merchant (me) as we discuss what defines a tomahawk, and see some of the diverse designs that are out there.
Also our Backripper, Empress, and Stingray tomahawks are available from the link below:
www.wingardwearables.com/shop-1
And if you want to support our microscopic channel, please share it with friends or mention us in comments on tomahawk-related videos by other content creators.
Enjoy and BE EDGY.
#wingardwearables #tomahawk #scholagladiatoria #skallagrim #bushcraft #axe

[@knives2my497]

After The Last of the Mohicans and The Patriot my tomahawk collection grew. 😁👍

[@glennnash2606]

Thank you, professor you should have a Doctrine in Tom Hawk, I learned a lot about tomahawks In your video.

[@wingardwearables]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@chrisjones3645]

I halfway agree about what a tomahawk is. It's name was literally created by the Algonquin language speaking tribes. The frontier style followed by later the pipe hawk are historically accurate. Now, your empress hawk is definitely designed differently for warfare in today's world I would just have preferred to not have the huge hook. Either no back hook or a much much smaller back hook with the frontal striking blade slightly increased in size and this would be a hawk I would seriously consider. I love the dedication, the knowledge, the quality in the metal used and the carrying mechanism is absolute ingenuity and I love it. I do however fear the empress which is the closest to what I'm looking for is designed too far outside of frontier style and would basically be trained with a separate weapon. Noticed you said more stuff to come out so looking forward to seeing what little tweaks you make. ✊

[@wingardwearables]

Thank you for your comment and sharing your thoughts. Just an explanation behind those dimensions: We derived the spike dimensions for all our tomahawks based on studies of historic examples as well as 3 dimensional anatomical studies. Spike tomahawks almost always had the spike side project further out from the handle than the axe/chopping side. We surveyed dozens of examples, and spike lengths averaged well over 2”long. Based on 3D anatomical testing, I believe such a spike length is required in combatives to use it like a “meat hook on the stick.” There are many different tomahawk orientations and anatomical areas as you retract the tomahawk and attempt to drag the spike into an opponent. If your spike isn’t over 2” in length, there are many anatomical areas and retraction angles that will completely fail to bite into the opponent and catch onto a skeletal structure so you can tear the opponent down to ground. In my survey of historic examples, I can only recall two spike tomahawks where the spikes were below 2” in length, and one of them appears to have originally been longer but broke off to a shorter length that was resharpened. I think the historic bias towards 2”+ long spikes is anatomically driven for combative effectiveness. Also I agree that the Empress’s frontal spike blade would be more effective if it was larger. However we were constrained by concealed carry ergonomics. If it was 1/2” to an 1” longer, based on my experiments, this extra projected length would tend to catch on things or, if you have a bit of a beer belly, would press more into your body as you bent deeply at the waist. So that dimension was kept shorter for carry convenience. Still, it projects far enough to breach the skull or to impact many of the front facing load bearing bones of the upper body. Best regards and thank you for your kind words.

[@N2Mtns2]

@@wingardwearables Zac I do trust you (Chadde) I’m getting confused now I just know I don’t want a Pick. I’ll be smashing & slashing like my ancestors. Yes I want to be carrying. Some ass punk attacked my oldest Son @ a gas station here (near DEARBORN) and had the audacity to try to wrench Ty’s Cell Out of his hand … summary ending is Tyler is a MOUNTAIN. 6’4.5” 285 SOLID. The punk lost. Surveillance tapes showed him crawling away .. but he was still caught. WHAT ??? He did What to WHO ??? Crazy World.

[@banditone00]

Take the Supreme Court’s tactic on defining a tomahawk. “I can’t define it but I know it when I see it”. I just found your channel and I really enjoy your content. My tomahawk knowledge and experience has gone from carrying a SOG tomahawk while serving in from 04-09, and then slowly and progressively learning and upgrading. One of my buddies and I have gotten into RMJ and Winkler hawks, and have messed with carrying them concealed quite a bit. I love your setups, as they come out with live blades. My buddy has a shoulder rig where his winkler rnd micro comes out of smooth from a kydex clam shell, but the front spike hooks his cover garments and rips big holes. I look forward to watching more of your content and getting my hands on some of your hawks.

[@wingardwearables]

Thank you for the kind comment-I am not sure that a single piece kydex sheath is the best solution for tomahawk carry in the civilian context. I tried carrying a Lagana VTAC underarm back in 07-wasn’t comfortable and eventually I got bit by the beard when practicing QuickDraws. So for now, all our carry systems are 2 pieces of kydex tethered to shock cord. Seems to work well both IWB and underarm. Best regards👍

[@Traderjoe]

There’s plenty of people who refer to hatchets as axes, and I consider a hatchet to be closer to a tomahawk than an axe is.

[@wingardwearables]

Yeah, and there definitely are examples of historic tomahawks that used plain, small hatchet heads. And today you hear folks in special operations that will refer to tomahawks sometimes as hatchets-even when referencing “hatchet kills” using items specifically made and marketed as tomahawks. I think it comes down to intent-if it serves the role as a sidearm/weapon, that makes it a tomahawk. This is something Mark Miller points out on his site furtradetomahawks - it’s dubious when an antique dealer claims an old small hatchet head is a tomahawk if the specific item doesn’t also have the provenance that proves it served that role.

[@Sr_ECO]

To me, hatchets are mini axes, since a hatchet is more of a tool and a tomahawk is a weapon/tool, that's just my opinion

[@N2Mtns2]

I inherited my Native Dad’s Hatchet. But …. Can I Throw your Empress several times please? He taught me young. Your Skill is an Art. Even loved by Feminine Tomboys like me.

[@wingardwearables]

We recommend throwing the Empress at foam based targets. It doesn’t hold up against wood targets. Too much shock/vibration. But our Stingray tomahawk does well on throwing against wood targets. And the new model, the Sparrowhawk, does even better.

[@N2Mtns2]

@@wingardwearables Zac I Trust you so I’m gonna look & compare for a Female. Native & Marine. Hell I want more than Foam. I’m not defending me & mine from Amazon Boxes. lol. If it tells ya anything about me I live on SAVAGE RD. 🤔 hmmm

[@N2Mtns2]

@@wingardwearables mental note: stingray & sparrow hawk?? I’m sturdy cuz my chores & working out but I don’t want Tall Guy … I’m 5’8” & need/want mobility without constrictions. (Edit) : lol the other side of me is Viking. I’m Double Dipped so I’d druther go fist to cuffs. Dad always said “Don’t give your weapon to the threat”. Throwing is a Sport I Love. But it’s a sport & this world is going NUTZ. Bold. Cold. & I don’t have street lights so. 🤷‍♀️ 👩🏻‍🌾🐺🐶

[@justuscrusade5263]

Dont forget about the Lungripper! Been looking forward to it for quite a while...

[@wingardwearables]

There will hopefully be an update video in the near future 👍

[@cosmichef75]

#9 special person to watch this lol. This will be the year that I finally pick up one of your tomahawks.

[@wingardwearables]

Excellent! We will have one ready for you when you are!

[@JamesTheAxeThrower]

it makes perfect sense to me that a historically accurate design would be good for every day carry! they always needed to keep it on themselves so they would definitely want it to be as comfortable as possible!

[@wingardwearables]

I appreciate the comment. It’s crazy how small and light they were-seen examples of tomahawks that weighed less than a smart phone

[@John..18]

Fantastic video,, thank you so much.. 👍

[@wingardwearables]

Very nice to receive your comments, have a great day!

[@krakentacticaledc]

Fantastic video & definition

[@wingardwearables]

Appreciate that!

[@KyleMeyer949]

I like your definition of tomahawk. I feel it could be fair to say a tomahawk is an axe intended to be a weapon specifically in North American cultures. But I personally feel that’s to limiting. I like your, simply a one handed axe that’s primary role is a weapon definition. Tomahawk has always been a kind of catch all word to describe any item that meets that and still is today, if you and someone else were in a room and they said pass me that tomahawk over there and all there was was an African war axe or small one handed Viking axe you would know what they meant.

[@wingardwearables]

I think that’s a really important point that I missed-that the word could be used to refer to other variants of short battle axes and it would be accepted in communication with others.

[@seleye963]

I have to say Zac, brilliant video 🙌 I appreciate seeing the improvements from past videos as well. For example having the images in the background was helpful with understanding the head handle connections you spoke about. I look forward to seeing more content and getting more hawks good sir 😤(as well as other wonderful wearable wears from Wingard Wearables) always grateful for the knowledge and perspective 🙏

[@wingardwearables]

Really appreciate your kind words-we have been SLOWLY improving on videos. I used to do no editing at all. Now these videos are taking hours to finish but glad to hear that the results are worth it. We will be trying to post more regularly. Best regards!

[@calebfoster552]

I’m one of the 12!!!! Great vid man

[@wingardwearables]

Thank you for that-appreciate the positive vibes

[@groundfog]

Great video!

[@wingardwearables]

Thanks!

[@greywendigo7026]

In my perspective a tomahawk is used primarily as a weapon and with some utility uses including decorative/ceremonial pipe tomahawks that were also used in combat. Axes and hatchets being better and more durable as tools.

[@wingardwearables]

Can’t disagree with you.

[@DeezyP]

I've got a friend letting me try a backripper. I can't wait to try it. The Empress and DickPick have my eye though.

[@wingardwearables]

That is a cool friend!

[@elim7228]

Great video, very much appreciated. Thanks from Canada!

[@wingardwearables]

Thank you for the positive vibes!

[@B.U.K.O.]

Beautiful insight into historical context, keep up great work 💪🏻

[@wingardwearables]

Thank you🙏

[@dmytrolozovytskyi1095]

Great video and awesome research!)

[@wingardwearables]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@bigt9745]

I would also personally say that the handle is important to the tomahawk. Most tomahawks have a straight handle, better for fighting, while European style axes have swept handle designs. This is also a good way to differentiate between hatchets and tomahawks.

[@wingardwearables]

That’s an interesting suggestion. But there seems to be a diversity in two handed axe handle design. Today definitely the swept/curved handle seems to be the norm. I do remember seeing examples online of two handed fighting axes that folks would classify as axes (maybe as “battle axes”) and those usually have straight handles (like you pointed out, better for fighting). Will need to think on this. Thanks for the comment!

[@thomasbradley9012]

You forgot about the lightsaber tomahawk from starwars.

[@wavepropulsion1]

Funny KZbin translates tomahawk into spanish as "war axe". My tomahawk actually is a traditional basque hatchet with a seven oz head and 16 inch handle. If you search "hacha de Huesca, flores Cortés" you found it in images. It is made in the same pattern as bronze age axes as found in Armenia from thousands of years ago. The old hatchets, specially at the beginning of the metal melting, was small and multifuncional for being expensive for the average person. See the copper axe of Ozzi wich was the main survival tool and weapon. All over Europe you can found traditional hatchets looking like a tomahawk, and most are cheap but strong as agricultural tool.

[@wavepropulsion1]

What makes a tomahawk IMO is a very light and narrow head on top of a long stick about the size of one forearm. The lightness works better as a weapon, faster, and polivalent from able to build a canoe to capable of peeling an orange or carving a fishing hook, with reach for pushing or hooking. Tomahawk seems to be the cultural adaptation of the native word to a similar imported tool. The cold steel trial hawk looks similar to an english miners axe from the nineteen Century.

[@wingardwearables]

Thank you for the comment and yes, I looked up the image and it does look very similar to many common North American trade axes and tomahawks. Also thank you for sharing your perspective on the history of light axes.

[@wingardwearables]

I like this comment. Also although I enjoyed modifying my cold steel trail hawk, the axe head itself is much larger than most tomahawks, and doesn’t really look much like many of the historic hammer poll tomahawks. I am generally not drawn to most of the hammer poll tomahawks on the market today. However, the historic ones look fantastic, so I suppose I will need to design my own hammer poll tomahawk, based on these originals, so that folks have the option to get nice and functional examples. Here is a link to historic originals: www.furtradetomahawks.com/hammer-polled-tomahawks---12.html

[@wavepropulsion1]

​@@wingardwearables thanks for your responde. Generally I don't comment in english due to my limitaciones, but your content worth it. I'm more in the aproach to connect with my primitive being, old man here, and the tomahawk is part of it. So, many thanks mate

[@wingardwearables]

@@wavepropulsion1 👍

[@independentprepper1]

Thanks for the video be edgy

[@wingardwearables]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@independentprepper1]

Received my empress yesterday I’ve been wearing it all day have a couple hot spots but I’m going to try some monkey tape see if that fixes it. I’ll be making a video soon about your product so far I love it. Thanks for the dedication.

[@wingardwearables]

@@independentprepper1 Thank you for your order! If you have any questions or need any carry tips, just shoot me an email. Look forward to seeing your video. Best regards!