Cold steel frontier hawk

[Hibrion]

I've been messing around with my CS trail hawk lately, including practicing a bit of throwing, and I got thinking about the cold steel frontier hawk. Does anyone own a frontier hawk, and if so how would you rate it, particularly for throwing?

I'm happy enough with the build quality of my trail hawk, for the price, and wouldn't mind adding another hawk to the collection.

Thanks

 

[Hibrion]

Anyone here have a frontier hawk... or used one?

 

[ArkAngel]

I am mainly a knife and tomahawk thrower.

The frontier is a fine beastie to throw. A little light for me and the competitions i enter as there are minimum distances that i can't achieve with the frontier (i use the Cold Steel Norse hawk)

Be aware that throwing any hawk will in time stuff the handle up. Nothing you can do about it, that's life

Also remove the grub screw from the back of the hawk head, the whole point of tomahawks is the handle will come loose with a bad throw so it doesn't break.

 

[ArkAngel]

Stick pretty well. My handles are cut down so i can throw them from a specific distance for what is called "Mountain Man" competitions

 

[Hibrion]

Thanks. That's all good info. I removed the grub screw from my trail hawk too. I'm not worried about scuffing them up, they're made to be used

Can you recommend a good supplier for hawks?

 

[ArkAngel]

The main place we buy them from is Cold Steel UK

http://www.coldsteel-uk.com/store/Tomahawks-Throwing-Axes.html

 

[TarHeelBrit]

I've got a Frontier Hawk, it was originally bought to chop out some roots by my patio. It did a great job at that and it's also a great thrower. I would remove the set screw and turn the head round for a better friction fit.

It's nicely balanced for throwing and 9 times out of 10 I can get it to stick in the tree. For the price it's a great hawk.

**EDIT**
Forgot to mention that once you have one hawk you find yourself looking for the next one, they can be addictive.

I found this video on hawk throwing and I like his idea for slowing the spin.

[video=youtube;_8ADMTfSFWs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8ADMTfSFWs#t=158[/video]

 

[ArkAngel]

You can put a bit of tape (i use zinc oxide tape) round the top of the shaft where the head fits. That keeps the head tighter on the head.

Please tell me on a Bushcraft forum that the tree you stick in is dead? Throwing into a live tree won't do it any good!!

 

[Hibrion]

Thanks. That's a good video too. I'd be happy to hear about other resources for throwing hawks.

I've ordered two frontier hawks from heinnie, with the shipping the price was better from here than cold steel. One of them is for the old man for father's day, he's keen to get into hawk throwing too.

I have an ash round I cut for throwing knives and hawks at, so no live trees are harmed by me

 

[Hibrion]

I've had the frontier hawk for a while now, and I have to say I really like it. The quality control is not good, however. It arrived with a warped haft and it took considerable correspondence with Cold Steel before a replacement was sent out.

It's light and comfortable, chops reasonably well and is fun to throw. I've found myself carrying it on numerous day walks in the woods as my only blade and it has come in handy a few times including harvesting some fat wood from a convenient downed pine.
Despite the dislike of the grub screw, so far I've preferred to leave it in.

I'm going to start some cosmetic modification now that I know I like it and will post a few pictures when I get the chance. I've already stripped the head and am considering sanding, polishing and blueing it.

 

[Samon]

I've had the trail hawk and the spike hawk. Modded both, but went pretty much all out on the spike hawk. Both were good cutters, not fantastic splitters obviously but splitting wood outside of a flap cappers homestead is kind of just for fun anyway, so no biggy. Look forward to seeing your mod's on the frontier hawk. I'll be getting a Norse hawk as my next one, atleast I think it will be..

Incase you wanted to see mine..







I kept the trail hawk simple, it looks better this way I reckon.

Looking forward to seeing yours!

 

[Hibrion]

Ver nice. I like the blackened handle. Is it purely cosmetic, or are there benefits to this finish?

 

[Samon]

Ver nice. I like the blackened handle. Is it purely cosmetic, or are there benefits to this finish?

Just cosmetic. Quick up and down with a blow torch them some oil and beeswax to lock each other in. Looks good and even with a £10 blow torch can be done easily. I was going to do stripes, but with the semi polish to the head it looked better to be all black.


Here's a sort of stripey/patchy look I sometimes use on handles.. (I made my friend a spear from a broken weed hook/slasher)



I sometimes offer my hand to a local project and refurbish their tools for free so they sell for more, the customers seem to like it as does the boss.

 

[Hibrion]

Might mess around with a torch so, since I have a useless warped handle for practice.

 

[trade axe]

I have a Rifleman and Frontier. I've never thrown them nor had much interest in doing so. I have made a few modifications, particularly to the Rifleman, took off the hammer head etc. I will just add that I've totally saturated the dead space between the wood and the heads with liquid rubber silicone. After curing, the heads have stayed solid for years now, and yes I do use them now and then.

 

[TarHeelBrit]

You can put a bit of tape (i use zinc oxide tape) round the top of the shaft where the head fits. That keeps the head tighter on the head.

Please tell me on a Bushcraft forum that the tree you stick in is dead? Throwing into a live tree won't do it any good!!

Yes mate long since dead. It was once a mighty pine that succumbed to a Tornado. It snapped off about 10 - 15 feet off the ground. They cut and carted the fallen section and left the 'stump" there?? not sure why they didn't cut and cart the rest.

I would never hurt a live tree, they've been my friends for years ever since I climbed my first one. I have a Maple seedling that sprouted in an old plant pot while we were away and now I have to wait til it drops it's leaves and then I can take to the woods and transplant it.