United Cutlery M48 Tomahawk
May 20, 2011 1:33:01 GMT
Post by Wes on May 20, 2011 1:33:01 GMT
United Cutlery M48 Hawk Axe Tactical Tomahawk
I love camp axes and tomahawk-style hatchets and I suppose I was just in the mood for something new when I saw this axe in the latest Bud-K catalogue. Plus at just under $35 it wasn't too great an investment if I ended up hating it. I bought it at the same time I bought my United Black Ikazuchi, but the M48 was backordered for a month. Now that I have it and put it through its paces I thought it deserved a little review in case anyone else was considering picking it, or any other tactical camp axe, up.
Historical overview
The axe is one of man's oldest tools and weapons, and while hand axes aren't exclusive to North America they are most widely associated with the hand-to-hand weapons of the Native Americans, the Tomahawk. The name Tomahawk originated with the Algonquin people, but was widely used by all Native Americans. It was primarily a hand-to-hand combat weapon, and was typically made of stone, or the sharpened jawbone of a large animal fastened to a wooden handle. While the popularity of hand axes have never really diminished because of their usefulness as a camp tool in addition to their effectiveness as a close-quarters combat weapon, there has been a recent resurgance in them using modern materials and designs.
Full Disclosure
I am in no way affiliated with United Cutlery or Bud-K.com. I purchased this axe for my own curiosity and interest and have not received any compensation for the thoughts and ideas expressed in this review.
Initial Impressions
When I first unpacked the axe and held it in my hand I was a little surprised at how small the business end was compared to the weight of the thing. It's definitely balanced for a heavy chopping motion as a good axe should be. I wasn't impressed with the grip of the M48, but more on that in the appropriate section. Everything seemed solid and sturdy and I couldn't wait to get it home and do some chopping.
Statistics
Blade length from edge to point: 8"
Cutting surface length: 4"
Handle Length overall: 14"
Grippable surface length: 9"
Overall Length: 15.5"
Point of Balance: 2" from base of axe head
Weight: I don't have a scale that can measure this. I'd guess it to be around 1 lb
The Blade
The M48's blade is made of anodized AUS-6 Stainless steel and is razor sharp out of the box. While my camera was charging I took it to a couple 2-liter bottles of water and while they were too large to cut in half, the axe cleanly sliced them open I didn't have any smaller bottles to test the soft target cutting ability of the axe on at the time of this review. The edge is flat-ground with a secondary bevel and the spike on the back is imposing and sturdy. Three holes are drilled through the blade behind the edge Presumably for balance. The blade sports a hefty tang, secured to the handle by three star-bit screws.
The Handle
The handle is made of 30% fiberglass reinforced nylon. It feels solid and unyielding in the hand, but is a bit small in diameter for my meat mittens. The material is a little slippery as well and I would be worried that extended use in the campsite would result in the axe flying from sweaty palms. The carved grooves in the handle do little to aid the gripability of it. Thankfully United included a hole for attaching a lanyard, but none was included. I have ordered paracord to wrap my handle with. I'll take more pictures when I do. About 3/4 of the way up the handle there are little flare points. I assume these are more for aesthetics and to define the gripping area than they are to prevent your hand from sliding up the shaft. I would have liked to see the base flared out more instead to help prevent the shaft from sliding out of your hand.
The Sheath
The M48 comes with a nylon belt sheath that is fairly unremarkable. I would have rather it come with a lanyard. The material is sturdy and well made with heavy duty rivets and snaps but I don't like axe sheaths that you pull the axe out from underneath. I prefer sheaths where you slide the handle in from the top. I'm just always worried that something will snag and pry the snaps loose and then the axe will fall out and I'll be missing a few toes. I'll probably use the sheath to just protect the axe head when in storage but won't rely on it to carry my axe at my side. Another minor beef I have with the sheath is that the snaps catch on the underside of the blade and wedge there so it's almost impossible to draw the axe quickly and safely. You have to fight with it almost every time to wiggle it around the snaps. Somewhat frustrating.
Handling Characteristics
It handles as you would expect a camp axe to handle, good forward balance for chopping tasks. Not too much vibration in the handle while chopping. I think it could stand to be a bit heavier for tougher chores. It just doesn't seem to have enough weight to bully through stubborn sapplings quick enough for my tastes.
Test Cutting
I took it out back and hacked some of the bamboo in my small grove. I started small and worked my way up. It faired admirably for what it is in my opinion.
My grove looking all ready to be violated again.
This was the largest stalk of bamboo I managed to cut cleanly with one swing.
Then I wanted to test out the spike. First I stacked a pair of 1x4 cedar planks on top of one another and gave it a whack. The spike obliterated them...
So then I grabbed a sheet of 1/2" plywood and gave it a solid whack. The spike penetrated effortlessly through the wood as you can see from the picture below.
Conclusions
For the money I would list this axe as a good value. It's sturdy, well balanced, and fun to swing around. There are much better camp axes out there, but this one adds a bit of flare over the boring hatchets most of us have in our camping supplies. With some minor modifications this will go from a good axe to a great axe.
Pros
- Solid construction
- Well balanced
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Slippery handle
- A little light for my taste.
The Bottom Line
This is a fun little axe and if you don't mind putting a little effort into it will make a great addition to your Zombie Apocalypse arsenal.
I love camp axes and tomahawk-style hatchets and I suppose I was just in the mood for something new when I saw this axe in the latest Bud-K catalogue. Plus at just under $35 it wasn't too great an investment if I ended up hating it. I bought it at the same time I bought my United Black Ikazuchi, but the M48 was backordered for a month. Now that I have it and put it through its paces I thought it deserved a little review in case anyone else was considering picking it, or any other tactical camp axe, up.
Historical overview
The axe is one of man's oldest tools and weapons, and while hand axes aren't exclusive to North America they are most widely associated with the hand-to-hand weapons of the Native Americans, the Tomahawk. The name Tomahawk originated with the Algonquin people, but was widely used by all Native Americans. It was primarily a hand-to-hand combat weapon, and was typically made of stone, or the sharpened jawbone of a large animal fastened to a wooden handle. While the popularity of hand axes have never really diminished because of their usefulness as a camp tool in addition to their effectiveness as a close-quarters combat weapon, there has been a recent resurgance in them using modern materials and designs.
Full Disclosure
I am in no way affiliated with United Cutlery or Bud-K.com. I purchased this axe for my own curiosity and interest and have not received any compensation for the thoughts and ideas expressed in this review.
Initial Impressions
When I first unpacked the axe and held it in my hand I was a little surprised at how small the business end was compared to the weight of the thing. It's definitely balanced for a heavy chopping motion as a good axe should be. I wasn't impressed with the grip of the M48, but more on that in the appropriate section. Everything seemed solid and sturdy and I couldn't wait to get it home and do some chopping.
Statistics
Blade length from edge to point: 8"
Cutting surface length: 4"
Handle Length overall: 14"
Grippable surface length: 9"
Overall Length: 15.5"
Point of Balance: 2" from base of axe head
Weight: I don't have a scale that can measure this. I'd guess it to be around 1 lb
The Blade
The M48's blade is made of anodized AUS-6 Stainless steel and is razor sharp out of the box. While my camera was charging I took it to a couple 2-liter bottles of water and while they were too large to cut in half, the axe cleanly sliced them open I didn't have any smaller bottles to test the soft target cutting ability of the axe on at the time of this review. The edge is flat-ground with a secondary bevel and the spike on the back is imposing and sturdy. Three holes are drilled through the blade behind the edge Presumably for balance. The blade sports a hefty tang, secured to the handle by three star-bit screws.
The Handle
The handle is made of 30% fiberglass reinforced nylon. It feels solid and unyielding in the hand, but is a bit small in diameter for my meat mittens. The material is a little slippery as well and I would be worried that extended use in the campsite would result in the axe flying from sweaty palms. The carved grooves in the handle do little to aid the gripability of it. Thankfully United included a hole for attaching a lanyard, but none was included. I have ordered paracord to wrap my handle with. I'll take more pictures when I do. About 3/4 of the way up the handle there are little flare points. I assume these are more for aesthetics and to define the gripping area than they are to prevent your hand from sliding up the shaft. I would have liked to see the base flared out more instead to help prevent the shaft from sliding out of your hand.
The Sheath
The M48 comes with a nylon belt sheath that is fairly unremarkable. I would have rather it come with a lanyard. The material is sturdy and well made with heavy duty rivets and snaps but I don't like axe sheaths that you pull the axe out from underneath. I prefer sheaths where you slide the handle in from the top. I'm just always worried that something will snag and pry the snaps loose and then the axe will fall out and I'll be missing a few toes. I'll probably use the sheath to just protect the axe head when in storage but won't rely on it to carry my axe at my side. Another minor beef I have with the sheath is that the snaps catch on the underside of the blade and wedge there so it's almost impossible to draw the axe quickly and safely. You have to fight with it almost every time to wiggle it around the snaps. Somewhat frustrating.
Handling Characteristics
It handles as you would expect a camp axe to handle, good forward balance for chopping tasks. Not too much vibration in the handle while chopping. I think it could stand to be a bit heavier for tougher chores. It just doesn't seem to have enough weight to bully through stubborn sapplings quick enough for my tastes.
Test Cutting
I took it out back and hacked some of the bamboo in my small grove. I started small and worked my way up. It faired admirably for what it is in my opinion.
My grove looking all ready to be violated again.
This was the largest stalk of bamboo I managed to cut cleanly with one swing.
Then I wanted to test out the spike. First I stacked a pair of 1x4 cedar planks on top of one another and gave it a whack. The spike obliterated them...
So then I grabbed a sheet of 1/2" plywood and gave it a solid whack. The spike penetrated effortlessly through the wood as you can see from the picture below.
Conclusions
For the money I would list this axe as a good value. It's sturdy, well balanced, and fun to swing around. There are much better camp axes out there, but this one adds a bit of flare over the boring hatchets most of us have in our camping supplies. With some minor modifications this will go from a good axe to a great axe.
Pros
- Solid construction
- Well balanced
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Slippery handle
- A little light for my taste.
The Bottom Line
This is a fun little axe and if you don't mind putting a little effort into it will make a great addition to your Zombie Apocalypse arsenal.