Tomahawk Selection

I have had a few questions in regard to selecting a tomahawk for police work. I am no expert on ‘Hawk construction but a few things to consider would be type of steel used. Tool steels like D2 are good, it is no secret that I love the American Kami stuff, DJ uses S7 which is used in high impact/shock applications like jack hammer bits. http://www.americankami.com/impact.html
The second would be a full tang, meaning that it is made from a single piece of steel rather than having a head with a partial tang supported by a handle. Remember that you are going to be beating the piss out of this thing and it needs to hold up to the punishment. Handle material is also important so it should not be slippery and provide a solid gripping surface that fits the hand to prevent rolling and so forth.

The shape is also important, I need a spike that is thin enough to fit most locks hasps so I can break them. I also need it think enough to withstand the prying and twisting that is required for doors. I bought an AK Micraxe prior to knowing that DJ also makes a WarHammer design. After my purchase and looking at them, I think they may be the perfect answer to LE needs. More on that in a minute.

Last thing would be size, I need to be with me ALL the time, so it should be small enough to ride on your vest and not interfere with going locomotion, going through doors/windows or sitting in a vehicle.

The Attached picture shows the War Hammer previously mentioned. I don’t need the standard axe face and a sharp beard for breaching. A fighting Tomahawk needs these things. Based on the videos, some guys were concerned about admin approving the carry and use of a ‘Hawk, this is just a hammer and will do everything a standard Hawk will do and more. And it still looks badass.
My team used to attached a piece of PVC pipe to the rear of our vests and we would fill them with small hammers and halligans. Down side is weight of these tools and the size of the PVC pipe required to hold them. As a result, guys were not carrying them ALL the time. And based on our work, there is always a requirement to have a breaching tool on your person. None of the tomahawk breaching stuff is meant to replace larger tools, shotguns or XB. They are for emergencies or unexpected breaching problems. And in that role, nothing else works as good or on so many different problems.

I will be doing a few more videos to show how they can be used on a variety of doors and interior problems. Buy as much quality as you can from a reputable company, lives may depend on your choice after all. (I do not work for American Kami, I recognize quality and craftsmanship when I see it) If you have specific questions on TTP’s, post that in the OPSEC section of the P&S forum and I’ll do my best to answer them.