The East India Co. Amazon Prime offered a teaser glimpse of the upcoming series The Terminal List, based on the novels of Jack Carr. The books are solid thrillers — a good cut above the average. I like Carr and listen to his Danger Close Podcast regularly. I am most appreciative that he introduced me to the work of geopolitical analyst Peter Zeihan, who is now part of my daily attempt at understanding the tumult of the world c. 2022.
I will certainly give The Terminal List a go this July.
Sharp-eyed Frontier Partisans noted that we get a glimpse of SEAL sniper James Reese wielding a Daniel Winkler tomahawk in the teaser. Carr loves them Winkler ’hawks. So much so that they have become a trademark — literally — for the retired SEAL author.
Journalist Matthew Cole made a great deal (and not in a good way) out of the SEAL Teams’ predilection for tomahawks in an exposé in The Intercept a few years back — which he has since expanded into a book. I took a long look at that piece here. Cole writes:
At first the hatchets appeared to be merely symbolic, because such heavy, awkward weapons had no place in the gear of a special operator. “There’s no military purpose for it,” a former Red Squadron operator told me. “But they are a great way of being part of a team. It was given as an honor, one more step to strive for, another sign that you’re doing a good job.”
For some of (the) men, however, the hatchets soon became more than symbolic as they were used at times to hack dead fighters in Iraq and Afghanistan. Others used them to break doorknobs on raids or kill militants in hand-to-hand combat.
A SEAL reportedly told Cole:
“Guys are going out every night killing everything. The hatchet was too intimate, too closely aligned with a tomahawk, to have been a good idea.”
Well… I find the notion that there’s “no military purpose” for a “heavy, awkward” tomahawk pretty strange (I’m guessing Carr would, too). From New York to New Zealand from the 17th Century through the 19th Century, tomahawks or belt axes were part of virtually every native warrior or frontiersman’s kit. Clearly, some SEALs thought they were a bad look. Others thought differently. I guess a tomahawk might be seen as atavistic; I see it as Continuity & Persistence.
Winkler established his reputation making ’hawks and knives for the frontier reenactment community. His work was featured prominently in Michael Mann’s 1992 Last of the Mohicans.
Those magnificent weapons caught the eye of a member of the special operations community. Winkler Knives recounts:
Just after ‘MOHICANS’ was released to theaters in September 1992, a Navy SEAL based in the Virginia Beach area having just returned from deployment in Operation Desert Storm, was tasked with sourcing a high-performance breaching/combat axe. After watching the film, the SEAL inquired as to who made Magua’s tomahawk. As Winkler was the maker, the SOF Operator contacted Daniel. What followed was the first Winkler Knives Breaching/Combat Axe. The Operator immediately recognized the virtue of an integral full tang axe with a combat spike, however, funding issues prevented the project from becoming a reality. The SEAL personally purchased the prototype axe, carrying it with him on every deployment for the remainder of his Naval career, and after military retirement as a game warden in North Carolina.
After 2001, Winkler dedicated himself to crafting high-end modern implements for special operations personnel — men like Jack Carr. The price range for his axes/tomahawks is $600 to $800+ and the wait time is several months.
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The historical lineage of the tomahawk is long and storied. Take, for example, the Butler Tomahawk:
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My own kit includes a Wetterlings Forest Ax. Not a tomahawk — a hatchet. It’s not as nimble as a ’hawk; it’s suitable for more heavy-duty camp and homestead chores. I’ve de-limbed many a juniper with that piece. I carry it with me everywhere, for the same reason our Frontier Partisan forefathers carried a ’hawk or belt ax: You can build a shelter with it; cut kindling; dig a fire pit; hammer tent stakes. You could break a car window if you needed to. It’s more tool than weapon, but make no mistake: it would be more than serviceable in extremis.
So, here’s to the ’hawk wielders, from Simon Kenton to Jack Carr; from Nathaniel Poe to James Reese. They’re part of a long line of frontier warriors.
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Norman+Andrews says
Thank you Jim, trying to convince my new Lady how important they are.
Norm.
JimC says
Happy to help!
Paul McNamee says
I always find the “rules” or “optics” of weaponry to be head-scratching, at times. Sure, chemical, biological, nuclear cross a line but … war is war.
The idea that a tomahawk would be perceived as too brutal/savage for the modern day is laughable when you consider one of the basic attacks with a knife that is taught is to slip up behind the enemy and catch him right under the nutsack and drive upward. A wound so deep into the bowels it usually puts the victim in shock and they are done before they can cry out. (that’s one my father would relate from his basic training in the army.)
Like they say about martial arts – when a real fight comes along, a street attack for your life – ending it quickly with violence of the sky dropping on them is what needs to be done. Nothing pretty or aesthetic about it.
Matthew says
Complaining about tomahawk’s reminds me actually of Legends of the Fall when the main character is perplex that it is considered savage to scalp the dead but not use poisonous gas which I think is true. It seems far more brutal to me to use gas which can kill civilians or even your own side than anything one does to someone who is already dead.
I think the people who object to ‘hawks are more concern with optics than reality.
Quixotic Mainer says
I think it was Jeff Cooper who said; “Killing with a sword is brutal but honorable. Killing with a germ is base and disgusting.”
Joe says
I’ve heard Daniel Winkler does excellent work. Outlander producers should hire him immediately hah!
Comprehensive and entertaining post.
JimC says
Thank you, Joe.
lane batot says
A good tomahawk has great value even if it does NOTHING! Back in the days, when I was(briefly, thank goodness) a Repo Man in the Houston, Texas area(the MOST HOSTILE damn humans I’ve EVER had to deal with in that area! But then, well, I WAS a Repo-Man…..) I had LOTS of tense, aggressive interactions with irate “customers”, until I started wearing–openly and obviously–a tomahawk in my belt! After I started doing that, it is amazing how much politer and more civilized folks were towards me! And my boss was 100% okay with me doing it, too!
JimC says
Outstanding.
Quixotic Mainer says
If our correspondent thinks a ‘hawk is heavy and awkward, he ought to acquaint himself with the glories of dashing up flights of stairs with a ram or a halligan in hand.
Any serious woods trip really does need an axe if you’re not in a burn restricted area. Batoning with a knife is a cool trick, but definitely a contingency activity only. I have a new CRKT Chogan that arrived at Christmas, and am looking forward to taking it on some overnights this summer.
JimC says
I’ve always thought the fixation on knives’ performance in batoning is kinda silly. Like you say, it’s a cool trick, and an expedient that might become necessary only if you forgot your damn hatchet! I need to get me one of them Chogans.
CodyL says
I have been enamored by buy the spontoon hawk lately not a tool just pure weapon.
JimC says
It is that.
Greg+Marshall says
Way off topic, but I love the way you refer to that on line store (on which I have become so dependent). It always brings up a flash of Tom Hardy in that wonderful TV series “Taboo”.
JimC says
Hah! I’m glad I’m not merely amusing myself.
lane batot says
Ha! I enjoy that fairly accurate comparison too, so much so I have imitated it(as I’m sure you’ve noticed) by referring to The Wal Mart and/or Amazon as “Hudson’s Bay Company”……
Stanley Wheeler says
Love that Butler Tomahawk – but it does seem too pretty to sink into a skull, or for use in mundane tasks. I can’t hear or read of tomahawks without thinking of the tale of the spark that fully ignited the French and Indian war in which the young Washington surprised a party of French troops ostensibly on a peace mission. The Indian warrior known as the Half-King split Jumonville’s skull with his tomahawk, removed the brain, and crumbled it in his hands. I’ve included my version of the event in the prologue of the 3rd book in a series Jim has previously mentioned here.
Is it possible to have a weapon that is, or appears, too brutal for use in hand-to-hand combat? I have to agree with the comments of Paul and Matthew above. If it’s effective, it’s acceptable.
deuce says
The legendary Hank Reinhardt sent John Maddox Roberts some sort of hatchet/tomahawk while JMR was serving in ‘Nam. The idea that edged weapons have no place in modern close combat is just laughable. Have these clowns not heard of the “21 Foot Rule”?
https://www.policemag.com/341203/revisiting-the-21-foot-rule
Eccentric Cowboy says
In the last two years I’ve actually gotten a few tomahawks and learned up on fighting with them, CRKT models Kangee, Berzerker and Chogan, and in the time I’ve spent trailing and swinging them, I’ve come to believe that they are some of the most versatile and deadly tools and weapons ever conceived. On one hand, they’re great trail tools. I’ve been able to split logs more than five inches in diameter in a single swing, yet they’re sharp enough to shave the hair off my arm with ease. I actually had a mania for them for awhile, and actually got a friend to purchase a number of them and he consistently splits his wooden targets with them while throwing. Whether it’s the spike or hammer poll, they’re deadly weapons as well. I’d be confident in a close quarters confrontation with any one of my models. After all, if they can easily split logs, what chance does a skull or a few ribs stand?
I now almost wonder how I got along without them all these years. I can stick one in my belt and get moving without any fuss.
I’ve heard that the people Afghanistan saw some of our soldiers using hawks in practice sessions and came to fear those, as they judge their enemies by their melee weapons. I don’t know if that’s true, but I believe it. No one can see someone chopping through hard material with those things and think they’re harmless.
One day I hope to own one of these delightful Winkler models!
JimC says
Those CRKT hawks come from Oregon, too. Homegrown, as it were. Always good to hear from you EC.
Eccentric Cowboy says
Do they really now? Well that’s superb! Nice to have something that ain’t imported from China, and it sure shines with these beauties. I’m constantly trying to keep myself from buying more of them, heh.
And thanks compadre! Always a pleasure!