I like your take on ‘hawk configuration. I’ll check it out. Can’t hurt to have another one tucked away.
What I like about the SOG Fusion is that it’s light, fast and razor sharp. It doesn’t have quite the utility of what you’ve described, though.
Seeing as how you are talking about coming over here in the Yaak/Kootanai (twas you in Pend d'Oreille?!), It would be useful to see what mountain folk hereabouts use for a hawk. To a man, they carry something close to what I have described. Wander on over to the Eureka Rendezvous and see... And it wouldn't be a bad thing to meet up with them folks, cuz when SHTF, they will be your reliable network for barter and trade (me among them, though I will most likely be in the Bob Marshall\Great Bear complex, coming down into Swan\Seeley area for winter)...
Yes, the SOG Fusion is all you claim, But an old-school hawk is far more practical - and will beat out the war-hawks in all but defense, and is still a great defense weapon anyway (though different in application).
Sure, it's a bit more weight, but it is a small thing considering the fact that you always have a camp axe, and a hammer hanging from your belt, built into that tool, not to mention it's other utility applications. And one can eliminate those things from your possibles because of their presence in the hawk. I carry no other axe or hammer. nor pick or grubbing tool.
And as far as defense is concerned, If one is down to a hawk and a knife (most unlikely), your most likely protagonist is probably a big bear or a moose, surprised along the trail - not a man or group of men, as one would likely see in hand-to-hand military applications... Most men willing to kill you for what you have are without honor, and would be more apt to bushwhack you from afar.
But in those cases where a hawk would make a difference, (griz, moose, cougar, wolf), the added reach and weight of an old-skool pole axe (and a large bowie-style knife) is of tremendous advantage, one would suppose.
However, truth be told, one can be fairly confident that one will not be faced with such a scenario... not with a .45/70 in your hands and a .44mag on your belt... and a sawed-off slung on your pack/saddle... So the utility of the hawk is probably more important than it's prowess as a fighting tool, even in such a case.
Different strokes... Just sayin'.
BTW, another practical weapon, which I keep just behind my hawk (left hip), is an Alaskan Ulu, which is the ultimate in skinning tools, and ain't half bad as a slashing weapon in close quarters. It is kept to a very fine edge, and being used only and exclusively for skinning, it is usually the finest edge I have (the bowie and folding knife, multi tool, and etc. being often used for things other than cutting).
A small stone and a bastard file are also bare necessities.
Another oddball thing to include in your caches (not necessarily for on-person possibles) is some of those cheap throwing knives one can find in Army/Navy type outlets... You know, the ones with a flat shank rather than a handle... They are not of much use for throwing, but they make a damn fine spear point if the ammo runs out.
Thx for your reply.