CRKT Woods Chogan T-Hawk

[Harper]

Right now there is an exceptionally good buy on the CRKT Woods Chogan T-Hawk on Amazon for $32:

http://www.amazon.com/Columbia-River-Kn ... 1_1&sr=8-1

I just picked one up for that price even though I don't need it.

From what I could find out, the Chogan is on the heavy end of the tomahawk spectrum. One negative is that it doesn't come with a mask. But I don't think that this much of an issue with the people here.

This particular model comes with a hammer poll. I prefer a hammer poll for both bushcraft and fighting. I've trained with the hawk and find that the spiked poll can be a detriment to the wielder.

I tend to think of this more as "kit" than a weapon for my normal use so I placed it in this section (mods please feel free to move if you think it appropriate). But, obviously, it it also can be an excellent weapon.

I have a lighter hawk which is fine for combat with opponents in no/light armor and bushcraft. But the heavier weight of this hawk will likely bite deeper into an adversary donning heavier armor and perform better when processing larger diameter fire wood.

Like everybody here, I both like and train with swords. But I find an axe/hawk in combination with a long knife/short sword, bow and smaller bushcraft knife is more pragmatic and fit my needs better for the field. This tomahawk can be used for combat, bushcraft, processing game, etc.

I tend to favor a more classical finish. But I figure that if you take the varnish off the handle and replace it with oil (I like Obenauf's) and then do some work on the blade, that this hawk could pass for Dwarf-make.

Here is a review by Skallagrim on the Chogan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rlu6q9D ... tml5=False

Here he gives a brief discussion of the Pros and Cons of axes versus swords:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN7s1Uh8rhc

[Harper]

This just arrived.


(Not my picture)


I'm more pleased with this purchase than I thought I would be. In my opinion, it is definitely worth the money.


Here are some initial impressions:

-The hawk is a lot nicer looking than I thought it would be. It is not as shiny as it looks in the picture above.

-There is no mask (as stated in my initial post).

-It is heavy. While the head and handle are shaped like a hawk, I consider it more of an axe. This hawk is noticeably heavier than my 2 Hawks Longhunter (which costs 4-5x more). There may be some sacrifice of velocity for weight. However, I suspect that the head will bite deeper. It would likely be more effective against light and medium armor.

-The blade came sharp enough. Some may wish to sharpen it more depending on its intended use.

-The hammer poll is quite good and should be very effective.

-The head was well fitted and pressed onto the handle. It won't slip on its own.

-The varnish on the handle has to go. I felt the hawk sliding a little while going through some practice swings. It should be sanded down and oiled.

-The diameter of the handle is wider than some of my other hawks. This works for me. It has a beefier, weapon feel to it.

-I would consider the grain orientation of the handle of the hawk which I received to be poor. But at this length and with the beefier diameter, I consider it a non-factor.

-This hawk should easily perform the same functions of a hatchet or small pack axe. It has the added versatility of being a purpose-made weapon.


At this price point, I think that the Chogan is a great addition to a Ranger's kit. It just needs a mask and a little work.