EstwingTomahawk Axe - 16.25" Lightweight Hatchet with Forged Steel Construction & Shock Reduction Grip - EBTA, Black

Good tasting!

Exactly what I expected from Estwing, a quality product.Full Tang and heavily weighted, seriously I'm going to have to practice swinging this thing it's got heft.Mildly sharp out of the box but a stone will take it up a step.Center mass of the tomahawk is where the G is in the logo with the black rubber handle.

was looking for a tactical tomahawk.did the usual research.found lower priced ones ($25-$35) of 'ok' quality, and higher priced ones ($150+) of 'superior' quality.was not sure how much I would use it, so i did not want to spend a lot of money on it, but i did not want something cheap that would break, so I was ready to spend around $60-$90 to get a 'pretty good mid tier' one.and then I found this one - wow. perfect.great reviews.great price.Estwing makes great items - i have several of their tools and am very happy with them.so, I bought it.my thoughts:highly recommended as a 'tactical tomahawk'. that said: if you need a 'true' axe, buy an axe, not this.extremely well made. very nice quality all around.nice even dull black paint finish. looks 'tacti-cool'.blade is 'even' and 'sharp' - unlike some older reviews where that was an issue for some buyers. now, it may not be sharp enough for some as it comes, but I think that is a plus, not a minus, as it leaves it to the owner to determine how sharp an edge it should have. for me, it is sharp enough as is for now.strike point is solid, and sharp enough for me.very nice, simple, and strong one piece design with a rubber grip applied on top of that one piece design.very nice balance in your hand.for me, it is just the right weight for a tactical tomahawk. it feels like an extension of your arm.very nice hammer like grip with a built in 'bulge/curve'. you can grab it at the bottom of the grip (below the bulge/curve)for the most leverage; you can grab it further up the grip (above the bulge/curve)for close work.the sheath it comes with is good, and fully functional to hold it safely. but, if you want a quicker unsheathing capability, and/or a better way to attach it to your belt, you will have to buy a new one, make a new one, or modify the one it comes with - and that is expected at this price point. not an issue for me at all.made in USA - love that!overall, a great addition to your bug out bag, home defense, or the trunk of your car.check out youtube reviews to see one in action.will be ordering another one for sure.

When a product has as many reviews as the Estwing Tomahawk has, I employ the common strategy of reading through the negative ones. If I see the same complaints repeated, I know that the mentioned features are probably genuine problems. With this tomhawk, however, the majority of negative reviewers seemed to misunderstand the purpose of this axe.In short, although I understand Estwing being reluctant to broadcast the fact too openly, this axe is a weapon. That means it's not going to make a convenient hatchet to carry on a pack or belt; it's not going to be balanced to stick when thrown; it's not even going to be especially efficient when chopping wood. It's designed for "anti-personnel" activities, as can be seen from it's odd length--too long for a hatchet, but not as long as a wood axe--and from the fact that the head has been lightened to make it more nimble, unlike most axes that put the majority of weight into the head to optimize it for chopping into stationary wood, rather than potentially mobile but, well...softer...media. More obviously, besides being labled as a "tomahawk", which can reasonably be translated as "war axe", it has a big, sharp spike on the backside of the head. Some reviewers complained that a flat surface for hammering would have had more utility, and I agree that's true--if this axe was meant to be used as a tool.But it's not, it's designed to be a weapon, so if you're looking for a tool, or a sporting axe (either to throw or for competitive lumberjacking) choose one of the axes Estwing offers optimized for those activities. If, however, you want an edged weapon that will keep you at a safer distance than a knife, and requires a minimal amount of training to be used effectively, then this tomahawk is an outstanding choice.I deducted one star from my rating because the thing came as dull as a butter knife. This isn't usually a problem for me with edged weaapons, because I genuinely enjoy sharpening, have been practicing that skill for a few years now, and have gotten good enough at it to make a few bucks on the side sharpening knives and tools for others. But this axe was SO dull that after an hour of my usual routine with course diamond stones, the steep angle of the grind meant I wasn't getting anywhere. I would have needed weeks to have removed enough steel to have gotten a proper edge on the thing by hand. So for the first time since I started sharpening, I had to break out my dremel and use a sanding attachment to grind an edge into this axe head. It went quickly enough after that, but I can't in good conscience give a full five stars to any blade that requires a power tool to get properly sharp right out of the box. Other than tbat, however, I'm quite pleased with the weapon I purchased, and sincerely hope I never have cause to use it. But there is nothing like a break-in to one's home to make one see the utility of being armed, and since the many small children around my house, whose knowledge of firearm safety is dubious at best, mean I can't safely keep a loaded one immediately accessible, this axe is a much better option than an impromtu kitchen knife, or table lamp.