While it might not be every day that a tomahawk is needed, the SOG F06TN-CP FastHawk Tomahawk is a good choice if you have to clear some scrub off your land or maybe if you are looking for something to throw at a target (Note: This tomahawk is identical to the F06-N or F06N). This tactical tomahawk is very compact and lightweight, which lends itself well to backpacking and working in the woods around your home. With a fiberglass-reinforced nylon handle that is securely fastened to the head with two bolts and a steel ferrule, you can be sure you can put your back into it and it won’t break.
With quite a menacing look, the blade comes sharp from the factory, yet the spike on the back side is not sharpened. As good as it is at chopping, we found it makes a pretty good throwing hatchet as well, which is precisely what we would expect from anything that is called a tomahawk.
SOG F06TN-CP FastHawk Tomahawk Features
The SOG F06TN-CP FastHawk is really just a compact version of the full-sized SOG F01T. The head is made of 420 stainless steel and is coated in a scratch-resistant, black oxide finish that is good for reduced reflectivity and enhanced corrosion resistance. The cutting edge is 2 inches long and comes sharp from the factory. The spike on the other end of the head is not sharpened but has false edges that make it so that you can’t cut yourself; yet it will stick into something if it is struck with the point.
On either side of the head, just above the point where the handle attaches, there are deeply checkered areas to help ensure placement and less slipping when pounding things like tent stakes or nails. The head is mounted to a fiberglass-reinforced nylon handle with two Torx-style through bolts. Just below where the handle connects to the head, there is a steel ferrule to prevent splitting and to protect the handle, just in case you miss.
The handle is less than 12 inches long and has a slight texture all over it. Extra deep grooves in the grip area ensure it will not come loose in your hand. A nylon, bottom-load belt sheath is included to store and carry the FastHawk.
It is worth pointing out that the overall conceptual design of this hatchet is loosely based on the original Vietnam Tomahawk design by Peter LaGana, who founded the American Tomahawk Company in 1966. The original design had a wood handle and a similarly designed ax head. During the Vietnam conflict, nearly 4000 of these Tomahawks served Soldiers and Marines in the jungles of Southeast Asia.
Since the American Revolution and the earliest days of the United States, the Tomahawk has been a unique battle tool both for the American Indians and soldiers. It is interesting that, even to this day, tomahawks of various designs and manufacturers are still being issued and used by our armed service members. The use and popularity of the tomahawk is really a unique piece of American History.
Testing and Use
Don’t let the small size of the SOG F06TN-CP FastHawk fool you into thinking it is not a real tool. Chopping, cutting, hammering, piercing, breaking, digging, pounding, prying, shaving, notching, opening, and throwing are all things that it is able to do – and do well. Now there are a few fundamental differences between this mini throwing ax and, say, a regular camp hatchet. The biggest is that the blade edge is smaller and thinner. Many camp hatches are really optimized for splitting wood and chopping small branches.
This is not to say that the FastHawk is not able to split kindling – it just takes a little extra effort because the head is less wedge-shaped. Come on, anyone at a campsite is going to love the fierce look of this tool and would take it any day over their hatchet. Of course, we tried our hand at a variety of tasks, but the ultimate reason for wanting a tomahawk is that you can throw it. In this respect, our view of the FastHawk is no different. With its compact size, we found that it was very easy to get it to stick to our wooden target.
In fact, the FastHawk is so adept at being thrown that it stuck on our very first try. The small size and low mass actually make the FastHawk throw very easily and with minimal effort. Since it tends to spin faster than a larger tomahawk, it really has a better chance of hitting its target squarely. We have used this small ax continually for all kinds of tasks and have thrown it at least 100 times, and have not had the head come loose from the handle. Everything has remained rock solid.
The most we have done is touch up the edge with a file after we accidentally struck some hard objects with it. The one thing that we were not so keen on was the nylon belt sheath. The sheath is a bottom-load style, which can make it tricky to put the hatchet back once you are done using it. This is especially true when the sheath is fastened onto your belt. Also, the belt loop on the back of the sheath is small, and it is difficult to get a wider 1-3/4″ or 2″ belt through it. We would have preferred a top-load sheath since it would have made it easier to put the hatchet back in when we were finished with our tasks.
Conclusion
The SOG F06TN-CP FastHawk is fast, light, agile, easy to carry (thanks to its compact size), and ergonomic and comfortable to use. Given its versatility and functionality, everyone who spends a little time out in the woods hunting or hiking would do well to add one of these to their tool collection. Strap one on your backpack or ATV, or keep it in the truck, and we are pretty sure you will find a reason to whip it out and use it (but if you’re prone to road rage, we definitely don’t recommend you buy one).
Best of all, you can impress your buddies with your newfound tomahawk-throwing abilities. For our Performance rating, we gave the FastHawk an 8/10 since it really does make mincemeat of a bunch of different camp chores. For Value, we also gave it an 8/10 since you will be hard-pressed to find a better combination of features for a lower price. The SOG F06TN-CP (F06-N) FastHawk tomahawk is a pretty cool take on a historical piece of gear and is perfect for the modern man.
