A tomahawk is a handy tool to have for a variety of outdoor tasks, from heavy chopping and delicate cutting to use as a thrown weapon for hunting. Unlike axes or hatchets, a tomahawk generally has a straight and slender handle, making it easy to throw consistently. Modern “tactical” tomahawks have also become popular with law enforcement, military, and search-and-rescue organizations due to their versatility.
Bladesmith and designer Ryan Johnson of RMJ Tactical is well-known for his tomahawk designs, but these high-end tools also bear a high-end price. In order to produce a more-affordable ‘hawk, Ryan teamed up with Columbia River Knife & Tool and released the CRKT Woods Chogan T-Hawk back in 2014. We own one of these original models — you can read about it here.
CRKT has released an updated version of the Woods Chogan T-Hawk, and it's exclusively available through the company's web site. The 1055 carbon steel head now has a corrosion-resistant magnesium-phosphate coating, which produces a black finish. The Tennessee hickory handle has been charred to bring out the grain and produce a darker look. It's then sealed with a durable coat of lacquer to repel moisture and preserve the finish.
Another update is the inclusion of a leather sheath that secures to the head with three snaps and protects the sharp edge.
Other than these changes, the Woods Chogan remains functionally the same. It still has the hammerhead opposite the blade, a feature we've found handy for pounding in tent pegs. Overall weight is just under 2 pounds; length is 19.1 inches. MSRP for the Black Woods Chogan and leather sheath is $70 — that's the same as the old version, which didn't include a sheath.
For more information on the new Black Woods Chogan Tomahawk, go to CRKT.com.