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New TOPS Micro Hawk Delivers 6 Inches of Cutting Edge

March 6, 2016

Finding a compact tomahawk that is robust enough for self defense and outdoor cutting tasks in a EDC-able package hasn’t been easy – until now. Half tool and half weapon, the new TOPS Micro Hawk is just shy of 7 inches overall and constructed of 1095 High Carbon Steel.

This is designer Shawn Owens’ unconventional take on a tomahawk. Owens, who is also a bush pilot, Filipino Martial Artist, and edged weapons instructor drew from the characteristics of traditional tomahawks, karambits, and traditional knives to arrive at the design.

TOPS Micro Hawk

TOPS Micro Hawk – second cutting edge on top side

The Micro Hawk features a very stout 0.32” thick blade and a traditional cutting edge. But upon closer examination you’ll notice a unique feature – an additional cutting edge that shares the same bevel as the primary edge on the top side of the blade. This edge extends clear to the rear of the head, ending at the spike, which provides the user with a combined 5.9″ cutting area and an alternative means of contacting a target. In addition to chopping, Micro Hawk owners can add jabs and thrusts to their hacking repertoire.

TOPS used its classic black traction coating to ensure maximum durability, as well as 550 cord wrapped around a skeletonized handle. This feature contributes the most to its surprisingly light weight. Including a black Kydex sheath and 360 degree rotatable clip, the Micro Hawk weighs in at just 13oz.

“It’ll be great for turning smaller pieces of wood into tinder and kindling. It’s not really meant as a ‘do everything’ tool, but I like it for defense and small camp/survival chores,” TOPS Knives Marketing Director Craig Powell tells us. The Micro Hawk is visually and functionally impressive in its testing where Powell demonstrates various cutting and chopping tasks, not missing a beat even when faced with pieces of wood twice its size.

Knife featured in image: TOPS Micro Hawk

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