Very often in modern cinema you can see this or that melee weapon. Knives, daggers and even exotic Japanese swords have already become boring for the modern viewer. Film fans want something new and more spectacular. What could be better than such a mystical and at the same time formidable weapon as a tomahawk ax?
With this name alone, pictures of Indian wigwams, the exotic life of freedom-loving people surrounded by beautiful wildlife, appear in the imagination of the layman. And of course, bloody and very brutal battles. But no matter how realistic the film was made, it remains just a director's fiction, a product, although in demand by a demanding audience, but far from real life. The tomahawk ax has its own real story, which does not quite match the cinematic one.
History of weapons
The word "tamahaken" first appeared in the everyday life of Indian tribes. Initially, it was used to refer to “what is being cut” - an object that looks like a sharply sharpened stone attached to a short stick, which was used in Indian villagesboth for military and peaceful purposes. “Tamahaken” as a result of English pronunciation gave a new word, which is now known to everyone as “tomahawk”. An ax that, according to historians, was also used as a smoking pipe by the natives of America in peacetime.
First steel axes
The British, whose settlement was located side by side with the Indian tribes, were the first to see the tomahawk. The ax was used by the Indians for hunting and in close combat. The Europeans suggested that this tool would be more effective if it was not made of stone, but of steel. Thanks to the British, the first iron axes were brought to the American continent, which later became the most popular commodity.
The tomahawk ax improved by Europeans has become in special demand among the natives of America. The Europeans exchanged it for furs mined by the Indians. The production of these axes has been put on stream.
Over time, they created a certain technology that can significantly speed up and reduce the cost of the production process. It consisted in the fact that tomahawks were made from an iron strip twisted around a steel bar, the ends of which were subsequently welded to each other, forming a blade. But there was also a more expensive option - between the welded ends of the steel strip, the craftsmen clamped a hardened steel plate. In such axes, it was a blade and performed a cutting and chopping function.
Products were mass-produced in Europe, mainly in France and England, and brought to the local natives. Earlier thisthe tool was used mainly for household needs and, in rare cases, for hunting. After being upgraded, the tomahawk Indian battle ax became a formidable weapon used by the British Marines.
Using Tomahawks: Getting Started
Europeans, having studied the Indian ax, realized that for close combat it is more convenient and effective than a knife or a spear. This is due to the design feature that the tomahawk possessed. The ax of the Indians had a short handle used as a lever. This made it possible to use this weapon to a weakened or wounded soldier. The length of the handle made it possible to wield the tomahawk in a crowd or in one-on-one combat.
Based on the existing design, the Europeans, having replaced a sharp stone with iron, created their own significantly improved military weapons. It began to be actively used during boarding and close combat. It was also used to hit targets at a distance. The tomahawk throwing ax has become an effective weapon, hitting a target at a distance of up to twenty meters. At the same time, the Indians themselves were trained in the art of war. Those acquired professional skills, which made it possible for them to conduct military operations using the tomahawk. The ax became an element of combat and hunting equipment. It was used if it was necessary to finish off the shot animal.
Ease of use has made the tomahawk (axe) very popular with the local population. The photo below shows the design features of the product.
Ohthe nature of the damage caused by the Indian ax
Explored by archaeologists excavations in the territories of Indian settlements indicate that the skull, collarbone, ribs and left forearm bone are most susceptible to mutilation from tomahawks. According to the nature of the damage to the skull of the examined corpses of soldiers who died from the tomahawk, it was believed that the blows with an ax were applied from top to bottom along an arcuate trajectory. Collarbone injuries were apparently produced in cases where a chopping blow to the head did not achieve its goal. Injuries to the left or right forearm were less common. In all likelihood, they could have been produced when a person covered his head. The second technique used by the warriors of that time was an arcuate slashing blow to the body. It was applied along a horizontal path. In such cases, the ribs were damaged.
Types of Indian Tomahawks
Celt. It is one of the first models. Its shape resembles a similar stone tomahawk. These products did not have special holes that facilitate putting the working part on the handle. The blade was inserted into the shaft with the help of a sharpened butt. This Indian tomahawk was widely used between the 16th and 17th centuries
- Celt with a point. The blade of this Indian hatchet has the shape of an elongated triangle passing through the shaft so that one of its sharpened corners is located on the back side of the hatchet, forming a point. The design of the tomahawk gave the impression that the steel sheet had split the shaft. For his reliablecommits, special bindings were used.
- Missouri type. This Native American tomahawk was used until the 19th century. It was distributed throughout the Missouri River. The working part of the ax was placed on an ordinary ax handle with an eye. The blade was not hardened and was of enormous size. Its surface had various cuts and holes for decoration.
- Tubular type. Tomahawks of this type are the most common. A feature of the tubular hatchet is the presence of a special through channel in the shaft, which stretches along the entire length of the handle. In the butt part of the tomahawk there is a special cup designed for tobacco. The hole located in the upper part was closed with a horn, metal or wooden plug, which could be pulled out at any time and this model could be used as a smoking pipe. The blade of the hatchet was decorated with engraving. The tomahawk had an elegant appearance and was often used as a gift in order to establish diplomatic relations between Indians and European settlers.
- Espontonic type. The chopping parts of these axes could have various shapes and sizes. The handles at the base were often decorated with decorative processes. The blades were removable. If necessary, they could be removed and used as a knife.
- Peak Tomahawks. These are products, the butt part of which was equipped with points and hooks. A similar form originated from boarding axes. Peaked tomahawks were widely used by settlers for household work. This option gained wide popularity among the Indians, who eventually began to use it as a weapon.
Tomahawks-hammers. These products, like tubular tomahawks, were widely used in trade. They were in special demand among the shooters-colonists and Indians. But the difference between the tomahawk-hammers and the tubular variants was that in the first, the butt part had hammers. Their designs were not as fancy as those of the tubular ones, so they were not used as diplomatic gift items
- Trading ax. The product does not have an elegant shape. The butt, which has a rounded shape, was used as a hammer. The handles of these axes are inserted from below the holes, and in some models - from above. Since this version of the ax was predominantly used by women, it was called the “tomahawk squaw”. The sizes of trading axes were different. Small dimensions were convenient to wear behind a belt. Therefore, the products were also called "belt ax", or "bag". This item was used for trade between North America and Europe. In Indian villages, the trading ax was used as a household tool and as a military weapon.
- Halberd type Tomahawk. The hatchet consists of a chopping part and a long handle, at the end of which there is a long bayonet hammered into it. This model was made from a monolithic steel plate, mainly a wide arcuate or semicircular shape. The butt was equipped with two additional points. ATsome models have metal spikes or semi-circles for tobacco instead of these flat points. The head of the halberd hatchet can be collapsible and attached to the top of the product on the thread. Handles can also be fastened using threads, mainly in cases where the ax handle is made of wood. If the handle is metal, then it can be a single whole with the top. Brass was also used to make the handles. In such models of halberd axes, the tops were inserted into special sockets in the handle and fastened with rivets.
Tactical weapons
The battle axes that American soldiers were equipped with have undergone a thorough modification in our time. There were modern and more advanced versions of tomahawks. Since these products were intended not only for combat missions, they began to be called tactical.
Tactical axes and tomahawks were in great demand among American soldiers during Operation Desert Storm. Without a compact and handy device for breaking doors, the soldiers were forced to carry huge fire axes with them. Tactical axes are much lighter and more maneuverable, besides, in addition to their main task (chopping), they perform a number of additional functions. They can knock down padlocks, wring out doors, break windows in cars, etc. In a combat situation, such an ax is considered indispensable, especially when it is undesirable to use firearms.weapon. Similar situations can arise if the battle is fought near combustible and explosive substances, pesticides.
Tactical axes and tomahawks are especially popular in the special forces of the United States of America. In the army of the Soviet Union, these models did not take root. The military command of the USSR initially planned to equip personnel with tactical axes, but over time considered that this would be too expensive. An analogue of the American tomahawks in the Red Army was the sapper shovel, which, according to the Soviet leadership, is no worse.
Modern variants of Indian tomahawks
Nowadays, combat and tactical axes are made from solid sheets of metal. According to the drawing, such a product is cut out of a metal sheet, subjected to further processing on machines and has a monolithic structure. There is another way, which consists in the fact that only the chopping part of the ax is cut out. Tool steel is also suitable for it. The handle is made separately. It is best if it is made of polymer material, as this can significantly reduce the weight of the weapon.
Tactical M48
The chopping part in such a product as the M48 Hawk tomahawk ax is made of 440c stainless steel, which is subject to further processing in the factory in the form of black coating.
The length of the ax is 39 cm, the length of the blade is 95 mm, the thickness is 2 cm. The M 48 Hawk tomahawk handle is a reinforced polypropylene product, toto which, with the help of power bolts and a steel, reinforcing the stability of the fit of the rim blade, the chopping part is attached. The length of the handle is 34 cm. The tactical hatchet weighs 910 grams. It comes with a special nylon sheath.
The advantages of handicraft production. Why is a forged tomahawk better?
It's easy to make an ax with your own hands. The product will turn out to be of truly high quality, as a classic ax should be, only if it is produced in a forge. It can be used to forge both a standard ax, necessary for carpentry on the farm, and a very aesthetic exclusive tomahawk.
It can be used as a gift, souvenir or interior decoration. According to their technical characteristics, forged products are much better than cast factory ones. This is due to the peculiarities of the crystal lattice of metals, the structure of which can be changed during forging. As a result, a tomahawk made in the forge with changes in the crystal structure can withstand power and shock loads well, the blade of such a tomahawk remains sharp for a long time. The service life of do-it-yourself axes is much longer than that of factory products.
Buy a tomahawk ax in Novosibirsk
Axes, tomahawks and shovels in any city of the Russian Federation can be purchased through the online store. Usually, specialized sites sell tools with delivery throughout Russia in the optimal time. Courier delivery is ordered at a convenient time for the client. Or you can pick up the goods yourself by contacting the point of issue of orders.
Prices of goods under the order - from 1300-1800 rubles. up to 30,000 rubles and more.
In Novosibirsk, you can make an order by calling:
- +7 913 372-06-78;
- +7 913 952-68-04;
- +7 383 38-08-149;
- +7 953 76-27-740.
