Multiple Uses of a Tomahawk Axe in our Daily Lives

A Brief Introduction to Tomahawk Axe
A Tomahawk axe looks like an ordinary axe, but it distinguishes itself from all other axes on the basis of its construction. They are light weighted than other axes and are durable as well. The most basic purpose of a Tomahawk ax is in throwing sports and this is why these axes are also known as throwing axes. But they can be used for lots of other purposes as well which we will discuss later on. One of the most common and most favorite weapons of the Native Americans, especially of the Vikings, was a Tomahawk ax. The Vikings used to raid and plunder towns by robbing the residents of those areas from their food, possessions, and money.
These people were mostly farmers and warriors and always used to carry a Tomahawk ax with them. The Viking sword also holds great importance as a beautiful artifact of the Medieval era but the Vikings had a close connection with the throwing axes may be because it complemented their wild and barbaric way of living. Apart from the Vikings, the Vietnam soldiers also used to carry these axes for tactical and utility purposes. It is understood that Tomahawk axes are used outdoors but let us have a detailed view of the multiple uses of these axes, especially in our everyday lives.
Uses of a Tomahawk Axe
The following are certain aspects of our daily lives in which we can make use of a Tomahawk ax efficiently and effectively.
1. Outdoor
You may find your ax and the money spent on it being wasted if you never take your hawk out in the woods because there are very few indoor tasks that a Tomahawk can perform. Whenever you are outdoors and especially out in the woods, you get to know the true worth of a Tomahawk because it performs all of the tasks which you may find the need to execute very efficiently and smoothly. One of the situations you may find while you are outdoors is a survival situation. Having a good tool or a weapon at hand can be the difference between life and death in such a situation. Let us discuss this in detail.
2. Survival
A Tomahawk ax proves to be very useful in a survival situation. Below are some of the tasks from top of my head that I used a Tomahawk for while I was on an outdoor excursion with my friends.
- Chopping and Splitting Wood
- Building Shelter
- Starting a Fire
- Carving and Pounding Tent Stakes
- Cutting of Ropes
- Cutting of Snow
- Processing Game
- Signaling
- Foraging of Chaga and Fatwood
Chopping wood is something which you may find the need to do very often if you are stuck in the woods for some days and need to survive. Why would you need wood? You will need wood to build shelter and most importantly to start a fire. The way of chopping wood is pretty much simple, all you need to do is swing the tool you have and chip out the pieces of wood from the source but what type of tool will you use. Can a knife chop a log of wood? Of course not. An ax is the best option here as it is durable, strong and of course bigger than a knife. If you have a Tomahawk with you, then you will need to apply less force by yourself and let the ax do the major work. Just grip the long handle of the ax with both of your hands and swing it to chop off the chunks of wood you want.
You can also use a Tomahawk to split wood. You will need such wood to create fire for camping etc. Therefore, you will need small pieces in order to create a greater surface area for flames to ignite and burn. A Tomahawk ax is not ideal for this task but in an emergency situation when you do not have access to a better tool, this one will make do.
Yes, you are thinking right! A Tomahawk can be used as first aid equipment as you can use to it create a splint out of wood for broken bones. Isn’t that awesome? Just chop some wood with the help of your ax and create a splint out of it.
You can also cut a rope with a Tomahawk. Rope can be cut with a knife but with a Tomahawk, it gets a lot easier and you get a fine edge as well. The best way of cutting a rope with a hawk is to place it on a piece of wood and then cut it in two by swinging the ax on it. This way you get clean and smooth results with less effort and less time as well.
You may not have heard about this use of a Tomahawk but if you ever get stuck in the snowy area, then you can use a hawk as a digging tool. In such areas, there is so much snow that it hinders free movement i.e. walking and running is definitely out of the question. So, instead of using your hands to deal with that snow, you can use an ax for cutting that snow. This keeps your hands from freezing and also helps you in forming a snow cave as a shelter and you can even dig a hole for fire as well.
If you are stuck in the woods, the network is out and you are unable to connect with anyone. Therefore, you will have to find something in order to send signal anyone above there. But how can you do this with a Tomahawk ax? With an ax, what you can do is use the metal side of it as a reflector so that when a helicopter or a plane flies from above, you can use the reflection of the sun for sending the signal to them.
3. Hunting
Tomahawk axes are a great choice of hunting for those who do not feel comfortable with the firearms i.e. guns and rifles. You can use a crossbow for hunting as well but you can have thrilling hunting experience with a hawk as well. They are throwing axes and are designed specifically for this purpose. Therefore, they can be thrown from a distance to hunt an animal down. You can further use a Tomahawk to field dress your hunt and cut it down into pieces. People usually do this for fun on their hunting excursions, but some people may not have any other option except this one in an emergency situation. For survival, you need something to eat and when you are out in the wild with death hanging above your head, the idea of fresh meat sounds more appealing than ever. You can also take off the hammer of the ax and use the stick as a tool for field dressing.
4. Throwing Games
One of the best and most basic uses of a Tomahawk is in throwing sports. These axes are specifically designed to serve this primary use so they can fly through the air smoothly and hit the target right on spot. Throwing axes are lighter in weight than other knives and are very durable as well. They mostly feature razor-sharp blades so that they stick to the target when they hit them. Also, their grips are very comfortable to facilitate in easy handling and to provide a better grip of the tool.
5. Tactical Use
The Tomahawk axes are used for tactical use as well. You will be surprised to know that some types of hawks were carried by the military and soldiers used them in battles and wars. Not only the people of the Medieval era but soldiers from both sides of the American Revolution also used them somewhere around the 18th century and even after that. Robert’s Rangers also made use of these axes during the Indian and French war. A Tomahawk ax has a wide range of uses in an outdoor situation and because of this versatility and its effectiveness as a weapon, it was a preferred weapon during the Revolution. Then why don’t people use it today? It is because, with the advancements in technology, the need for advanced weapons arose.
Long ranged weapons are now more preferred than short ranged weapons and this is the era of nuclear wars where bombs, nuclear power, missiles, and firearms are of much use than close ranged weapons, but this does not mean that the use of a Tomahawk ax as a weapon is now absolutely obsolete. People still use Tomahawk axes for tactical use but mostly in the wild or when they do not have access to a firearm. It has a sharp blade and being light-weighted it can be wielded easily, therefore, you can use it for tactical purpose as well.
Tomahawk axes can be used for multiple purposes and when you are going on an outdoor excursion, you must definitely have one by your side.