M48 Tactical Tomahawk Military Axe - Green/Black with Compass & Sheath

First off when I walk through my door I see a relatively large box from amazon. As i open up the box I look at the compass first. Of course the compass isn't the main product but for free, you can't beat that it is made well but not too sturdy. Next I look at the axe casing it is a heavy material and really liked the Velcro loop straps although the end of the front portion of the blade sticks out sometimes. On to the axe itself the paracord handle is very helpful with shock absorber the frame of the axe is a heavy duty plastic. The axe also has great weight distribution and the axe out of the box is razor sharp I can't say the same of the spike end but it is only for punctuation. The stainless steel is very nice and durable. I would recommend this axe to anyone.

This is a superior Hawk! It seems that United Cutlery actually listened to the reviews and has tried to improve their product. It is about the same price as the traditional M48, but has been upgraded with 7cr17 stainless steel instead of the original aus-6. 7cr17 is comparable to 440c with Gerber being the main user of this metal, while aus-6 is comparable to 440a which is a slightly lesser grade. They also have included 550 paracord around the handle, which is one of the most frequently recommended things done upon recieving the older M48. I took it a bit further and unwound a length of the paracord to make a wrist strap. I got rid of the D-ring and replaced the compass with my old military all metal one. The supplied compass suprised me in the fact that it is a very close copy to my military compass. The bad part of it was that they had decided to make it all out of plastic. It works very well, but it doesn't seem to be built for really rugged use. The hawk has a nice two-tone finish, olive drab handle mixed with the black head. Same 30% fiberglass reinforced handle and looks great. So, to sum it up, same M48 style hawk but with improved metal, a compass and a cool color scheme. Paracord for improved grip is awesome. Sheath has snaps on the bottom so you just pull the hawk straight down to release it. Sheath also has velcro straps on the back, but also has regular belt-like loops for a more secured hold. To me, this was definately an upgrade for the traditional M48 Hawk, and for almost the same price, you can't beat it. Shipping from Jalic was fast and accurate.

I just got mine in the mail today. A bit about me, I was in the RCN and Canadian Army for 25 years and now retired. We used to use axes and our bayonets out in the field in my day. I sure wish I had one of these. Nice for small work in the field but I would not try to cut anything too big. It would probably ruin the blade and your hands. A lanyard of some sort would be nice and easy to make. It is pretty darn sharp and so it the pummel, I would be carefull. This is a nice axe and well worth the price. The compass is so so and I have much better ones. I did not care about it at all so I will let my grandson learn on it. There is no mirror on the compass nor can you set the declination. But again I don't care about that. But if you do the compass is basically junk.

The axe is well made and out of the box the spike and the blade edges were very sharp. It worked well for light chopping when I chopped up a few tree limbs and branches for firewood on my last camping trip. I'm not an axe throwing expert, so it took me a few tries to get the right throwing technique down, but after a while I was able to stick it into a tree. CONS: The paracord wrap came apart immediately after first use. The sheath is ok and the belt loops aren't that great, but I'll probably get a kydex sheath made for it. The compass is plastic and feels cheap, but points North like all compasses should. The axe in the item picture looks FDE to me which was a small reason I bought it, but the actual color is a lot greener (than OD) than as depicted. Overall, it's a nice axe for the price and I'm happy with it. Bring on the zombies!

UPDATE MAY 2022: I've had this tomahawk for almost ten years. I've taken it camping, Ive thrown it countless times at countless logs, I've chopped a lot of small deadfall with it. It has withstood the test of time and rigorous use. I've used it in self defense training (only) but mostly use it for the aforementioned tasks. Reviewers who complain about sharpness or whatever else are obviously entitled to their opinion, but apparently aren't aware of how to take care of their things. How does that saying go? "Take care of your tools and your tools will take care of you." Regular cleaning, sharpening and basic maintenance of this hawk will have it lasting a long time. ***************** I got this tomahawk as part of a desire to learn weapon self-defense (I'm studying with various weapons), and partly based on its design. The 'hawk just looks cool, and is, visually speaking, a very nice part of my growing collection. The weapon doesn't come very sharp, but that's easily remedied with a sharpener. The point on the opposite end is wicked, however, so just be careful when you're swinging it around. The construction is sound with the axe head being securely fastened into the handle. I know some people like the more traditional feel of wooden handles, but I've put the 'hawk through some rigorous use, and I've discovered that I prefer something that isn't going to break. (I have a pair of polypropylene escrima sticks as well.) The sheath is very sturdy nylon with belt loops for carrying. My one dislike about this tomahawk was that the paracord handle wrap came completely loose when I tested the 'hawk's durability by chopping a 4" log. While this may not seem like that great of an issue, the paracord can act like a shock absorber, protecting your hand. My first two right fingers and thumb were numb for a couple days afterward. As I will be using this only for weapon training from now on, I'll probably just wrap the handle in sport tape. If you do wish to use it for outdoor purposes, you can easily replace the paracord by wrapping it yourself. There are online video instructions on how to do this. Otherwise, wear gloves. All in all, I really like the tomahawk. I had never thrown one before, and after this came I was able to consistently hit a target after maybe 10 minutes of practice. I'd recommend this to anyone interested in self-defense. Just remember that this is NOT a toy, so handle with care.

The United Cutlery UC2836 M48 Ranger Hawk Axe with Compass is a pretty good axe. The compass is junk, but I didn't buy it for the compass. The axe is wrapped with parachute cord that quickly became loose & affects axe handling, but is easily removed & you have some cord leftover. The spike is extremely sharp & will penetrate a car door. The cutting edge is sharp & chops well, with a good "beard" for catching an arm or for hooking logs to look under. My main purpose is to keep in my vehicle with my bug out bag for vehicle extraction if needed. Worth the money.

Although I got this for the best price I've seen anywhere online, it doesn't quite live up to the hype. 1st) Cord wrapped handle came unwrapped the first time I used it. I had to re-wrap it so no big deal, but it should've been secured better. 2nd) Not very sharp out of the box and usually United's stuff is. 3rd) Will not chop down a small tree in a couple minutes like in the video, takes about 10 - 15+ mins at best. It's not nearly as good as a standard axe for such chores, so even though they make it look like an "axe for all occasions", it really isn't. The angle and balance makes upward chops rather awkward and ineffective. And the curved, small chopping blade doesnt take very big bites at all. 4th) The balance is kinda weird so I doubt it's all that accurate for throwing, haven't tried it yet but if it checks out like all the other things it's supposed to do, I have my doubts. 5th) Compass is a VERY cheaply made plastic one. It does work but the thin sighting wires bend very easily. I plan on replacing it if I decide to keep the axe. 6th) Stitching came undone in a few spots on the sheath the first time I went to unsnap it. Other than those conditions, it IS fairly well made and very solid. The sheath is at least well designed, you can hang it various ways from your belt or backpack using the multiple loops or from the handles lanyard. And the extra compartment for the compass is handy for when you do get a good one or if you want to use it to hold a sharpening stone. And the sheaths snaps are holding well so far.

Jan 2012 I have two of these - one is in my kitchen as part of my cutlery and is treated like a long butcher knife or cleaver - this hawk cleaves through chicken/beef/pork bone like it's not there, and sometimes it's not so far it's holding up excellent as cutlery ... I hand wash/dry it after every use and I've been known to finger a little vegetable oil on it occasionally to prevent rust (do these rust?) the other one is an identical hawk that I have purposely abused since it was first taken out of the package ... I've even loaned this out to friends who keep things too long and treat other people's stuff like shet ... I've chopped saplings and de-branched chainsawed trees with it and have torn down the plywood and sheetrock walls/ceiling in a 20x25 garage using only this one axe and a stepladder ... shingles, nails, 2x4's, electrical wiring, plumbing and rotted rafters all fell before it's blade and spike I once used it to chop through a massive block of minnesota snowplow ice around my mailbox to get it open - by the time I got the mailbox open I was hearing people chant my name in my head with every blow they were both sharp enough to clean-shave a cat when they were new - the cutlery one is still tomato-slicing sharp (my teenage daughter and I have both been wounded by it) and I've sharpened the abused outside hawk a few times with a file but I really want to bring it in to be professionally sharpened soon - I'll update this after I hear from the knife shop how much damage the blades have taken (I'm expecting really bad news) march 26 2013 update my inside cutlery hawk continues it's pampered existence, while silently terrifying my daughters boyfriend every time he walks by it (he has no idea what we use it for) ... it's held up perfectly with regular dish soap and water cleanings and after what I consider heavy cutlery use still does not need to be sharpened yet I've continued to use my outside hawk to break up ice around my mailbox and house that is several inches deep in weather down to -30f ... both ends of the hawk excel at this I haven't even been keeping this one inside, I just spike it into a large snowbank and leave it there exposed until I need it again - I don't know how to break this thing, but I'm not giving up one time I had to stop to pee in the woods while holding this hawk - it felt like a piss that would change the fate of the world if you know someone who's an outdoor type, this has to be one of the most thoughtful gifts you can give them, and one they will use/remember for decades - especially because hatchets of this quality are so rarely seen in actual stores

I bought this axe ans I have owned it for a year now. the other day I build a stool in the woods out of wood I chopped with this axe and twine (no nicks or dulling in the edge btw). the spike on the end is sharper than other tomahawks which makes it good for killing things and saving yourself from falling off a cliff (which I know from experience) however don't expect the spike to be as durable when hitting harder things like rock. the paracord wrap is nice but it came undone quickly for me and I never got it on right again, the paracord adds great grip and helps keep my hands from freezing in the winter. the axe part is all you could expect from an axe it will chop branches, small trees, and medium trees with effort. I noticed that it is not full tang however it is connected via three bolts that do the job well, I have noticed that the plastic around the middle bolt turned white after a while so that is probs the part that is under the most strain. this axe will last you many years if you take proper care of it however if you want it to look like the picture mount it on the wall becasue it will not be pretty forever, especially with the black coating which will wear away in patches (this makes it look rugged I find). also there is a clip attached to the end which I quickly took off because it would always hit my hand and sting. over all this is a excellent tomahawk and don't be afraid to test its limits, just don't expect it to look nice afterward. this axe has saved my bacon several times over the course of my first year with it and im looking forward to many years camping and hunting with it.

Got it for part of my truck emergency kit. Quality is good, edges are sharp and have held their edge. I tried it around the house for some small chores and it worked great. It's weight is carried forward near the head, this makes chopping easier, but you should practice a bit with it, balance is different than a traditional wood axe. Compass that fits in head cover is serviceable and a nice item to have in an emergency. Whole package works great for me, and it looks cool as well.

Delivery was a touch slow but don't let that deter you...this is a great item. I bought two, had to have one for myself and a bday gift for my brother. He was equally impressed. Solid construction but have not tested it in the woods yet...the wrapped handle is a little bit loose and causes grip to shift. It was simple to re-tie this, i also put a little candle wax under the cordage and it does not slip at all now. Buy this!

This tomahawk will go through anything, it keeps it's edge well and can be made razor sharp with a bit of effort. its well balanced and feels sturdy, to keep the paracord from slipping off the handle simply give the dangling end a good tug every so often to keep it tight. it lost a star due to the crap sheath the came with it, the pointing edges on the axe side poke through it.

also a perfect tool i use this at work for landscaping and its one of the best tools i have