Cold Steel axes:

These superb tomahawks and axes are precision drop forged from 1055 Carbon steel. Drop forging is, without doubt, the best method of manufacture for any impact weapon, particularly one with a cutting edge. During the forging process a metal ingot is heated almost white hot and then formed into shape in a series of progressive dies. The large steel dies are fixed to enormous compressed air hammers. Each die hammers the hot metal into a gradually more finished shape. The steel is kneaded and compressed into a completely homogenous mass making the grain structure uniform and minimizing gas pockets or other imperfections that can ruin the construction of a hand forged hawk or axe. This is why most good axes, hatchets, and hammers are drop forged. These hawks are differentially heat treated. This means that the cutting edge and hammer face is fully hardened, while the balance is left relatively soft to absorb the shock of striking blows.