Regarding Carrying Tomahawks

[Autie1876]

Hello,
I recently acquired a smaller tomahawk, and am looking to use it while out and about in the woods. How common of a practice was it to put a sheath on one? I haven’t found very many historic examples of people doing so, so I thought I might ask y’all. Thanks.

If there's a chance u will need to defend yourself from someone trying to kill u, why would you put a sheath on your tomahawk? I don't think they will wait for you to unsheath your weapon even if you ask nicely.

 

[Autie1876]

Agreed, but Eckert wrote from first hand records of events, so it doesn’t seem like he would make that up.

That said, the 300 yard head shot has always bothered me…he should have known that was nearly impossible. I can’t even see a turkey head at 300 yards, much less hit one. I’ve often thought that was an editing typo and should have been 30 yards…

I am pretty sure the fabled 300 yard shot was a 30 yard shot when he made it, but as it was retold and retold it grew in distance everytime, Ekcert just wrote what was written in journals as they were written instead of changing it, I prefer that over the author changing what was written to fit his opinion. As for Greathouse carrying a tomahawk in a sheath under his arm it was easier to take it off & hang it on a branch when you have to do something so it's out of the way & u won't lose it like you could if u put it on the ground. I really doubt it's easy to get it out quickly though. A shoulder holster for a pistol isn't meant for a quick draw either.

 

[Notchy Bob]

We have one more historical reference which seems pertinent. This is from John Bradbury's Travels in the Interior of North America in the Years 1809, 1810, and 1811...

The statement, "I... fastened on my belt, in which I stuck my tomahawk..." tells us, for sure, how the tool was carried. He doesn't mention a sheath. We don't want to read too much into this, but I doubt he had one. If he did, we can at least infer that it was not slung from the shoulder, nor was a sheath secured to his belt. Going back to page 1 of this thread, post #3 (by @tenngun ), we can find a reproduction of a sketch by Alexander Hunter Murray (a fur trader at Fort Yukon in the 1840's) which shows a tomahawk "stuck in" the belt. I suspect Bradbury did something similar. I'm not advocating this method of carry. Just sharing a historical quote that touches on the original question in this thread.

Regardless of how it was carried, Mr. Bradbury evidently considered a tomahawk to be a useful and important tool. At one point, he described preparing for an overland journey with a small group of men, on foot, meaning they had to carry everything themselves and only brought things they considered essential. A tomahawk was part of every man's kit:

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[George]

The Pennsylvania Gazette
October 6, 1763
WILLIAMSBURGH, September 16.
…. on his discharging his piece, he was attacked by several Indians at once; the first that made up to him he knocked down with his gun, but the savages wresting it out of his hand, he knocked down another with a tomahawk, which he carried under his belt.

Spence

 

[tenngun]

Back in my ‘By God Mountain Man’ days I told a story how I was caught in the cold, it was so cold my fire froze. I broke it with my tomahawk and put it in a bag to sell to Ashley as amber.
While traveling I was intercepted by three Blackfoots and they charged me. Has to throw in lots of dramatic details here. But atlast knowing I would have to fight and only having one shot I shot at the middle Indian charging me only to look at my sparks laying there in my flash pan froze solid
I then drew my hawk and upended my pan grabbing powder and sparks I tossed them in to my mouth to thaw
As soon as warm I threw my hawk at the middle Indian, shouldered my gun, spit tge now warm sparks in to the pan and fired my gun. I hit the hawk splitting the ball. Those half’s hit the Indians on each side of the middle then my hawk took out the middle one.
I left them mountians three horses richer
But my bag of frozen fire jut turned to smoke as it warmed.

 

[cornstalk]

That’s some for sur. Quick thinking and fair shootin. Must be true cause ya still got yar hair.

 

[smo]

Here’s what I use when carrying my hawk..
It covers the head and simply slips behind my sash or belt. Usually worn in the small of my back.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Watched the revenant movie again last night there was a bit of hawk action in it and not once did I see a sheath or cover either in hand or in a belt or sash. I know, I know hollyweird.

 

[tenngun]

Watched the revenant movie again last night there was a bit of hawk action in it and not once did I see a sheath or cover either in hand or in a belt or sash. I know, I know hollyweird.

Even a blind squirrel….

 

[appalichian hunter]

squirrels dont carry thomahawks, and surley a blind one.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Not to beat the issue to death, but here is another reference to carrying a tomahawk in the belt, with some additional comments about how it was used:

This is from "Uncle ****" Wootton, published in 1890. Howard Louis Conard is credited as the author, but he was actually the "amanuensis," the one who took down Wootton's dictation. The passage above refers to a trapping expedition that took place in 1837. There are several additional comments about tomahawks in this book, but this is only one I found which specifically states the tomahawk was carried in the belt. For those who are interested, we note that these mountain men wore full buckskin outfits and each carried "a couple of pistols" and two large knives in the same belt with the tomahawk. There is no mention of a sheath for either knives or tomahawk, but other authors (e.g. Ruxton, and Sage) have specifically mentioned knife sheaths and I would assume Wooton and his pals at least carried their knives sheathed.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[Rod Man]

Dunno how correct this is, but this is how I have things now.



This hatchet is similar to a trade axe of the 1830’s. The top is a bit flat. I’m in the process picking up something proper.

RM

 

[appalichian hunter]

Nothing wrong with that hand ax.

 

[Rod Man]

My impression is that of a surveyor. More for work than fighting. Driving stakes and limbing trees.

 

[Einsiedler]

My impression is that of a surveyor. More for work than fighting. Driving stakes and limbing trees.

Rodman,
All good surveyors should have one of these.

 

[Rod Man]

Rodman,
All good surveyors should have one of these.
View attachment 122685

They Came IN!!!! Heck Yeah!!!

Cool!!! Really Cool!!!

Can't wait to get my grubby paws on mine!

RM

 

[Einsiedler]

They Came IN!!!! Heck Yeah!!!

Cool!!! Really Cool!!!

Can't wait to get my grubby paws on mine!

RM

Some are rough, but very serviceable. The above is one of the one’s I am keeping. .

 

[Rod Man]

Some are rough, but very serviceable. The above is one of the one’s I am keeping. .

Of course, beggars can’t be choosy!!! I’ll take what I can get and make the best of it.

RM

 

[Stophel]

I've seen a few sheaths, most likely all early 19th century. With shoulder straps, and one that was mounted on a belt. However, I'd be willing to bet, that in the 18th century, a lot of people did just carry the tomahawk thrust under the belt, with no sheath over the cutting edge at all. I'm certainly not going to do that. It would be pretty dang dumb.

It is possible that these tomahawks were not particularly sharp. Seeing as how it was basically a weapon, not so much a tool, the edge doesn't necessarily need to be very sharp to drive it into someone's skull.

Mine has a sheath.

 

[gunnyr]

I've seen a few sheaths, most likely all early 19th century. With shoulder straps, and one that was mounted on a belt. However, I'd be willing to bet, that in the 18th century, a lot of people did just carry the tomahawk thrust under the belt, with no sheath over the cutting edge at all. I'm certainly not going to do that. It would be pretty dang dumb.

It is possible that these tomahawks were not particularly sharp. Seeing as how it was basically a weapon, not so much a tool, the edge doesn't necessarily need to be very sharp to drive it into someone's skull.

Mine has a sheath.


View attachment 122974

I also think that tomahawks were not sharp , at least as a knife. Just a club with a hunk of iron on the end , but still
able to bruise its way through wood. Just my thoughts.
Gunny