Artisan Cutlery Tomahawk Buying Guide: D2 to M390 Titanium

The Artisan Cutlery Tomahawk is one of the most confusing models in the catalog, and also one of the most rewarding once you understand it. Under one name, Artisan sells a $45 compact D2 folder, a full-size $225 M390 titanium folder, a $90 fixed blade, Damascus customs, and a $598 titanium-damascus cleaver. They share the Tomahawk name and the ATZ-1815 platform code, but they are aimed at completely different buyers.

This buying guide breaks the Tomahawk family down by size, blade, steel, and price so you can find the version that actually fits your carry. The lineup has grown so wide that the old advice to think of the Tomahawk as a budget D2 series no longer tells the full story, and the premium half of the family deserves attention on its own.

The Tomahawk Platform: What Every Version Shares

The Tomahawk has been part of the Artisan Cutlery lineup for years, and the ATZ-1815 code covers folding knives in two sizes plus one fixed blade. Every folding Tomahawk opens with a flipper tab on Artisan's ceramic ball bearing pivot system, giving the same smooth, reliable deployment across the whole price range. The full-size folders measure 3.94 inches (100 mm) of blade with an overall length of 8.98 inches (228 mm), while the compact models shrink the blade to 2.36 inches (60 mm) and the overall length to 7.16 inches (182 mm).

The folding family is organized by Artisan's usual code logic: 1815G models are the premium titanium builds with a frame lock, 1815P models are the full-size D2 builds with G10 or micarta handles and a liner lock, 1815PS models are the compact D2 versions, and 1815B is the fixed blade. The GS and GSD variants are the cleaver-bladed premium versions.

The Tomahawk Family at a Glance

Model	Size class	Blade	Steel	Handle	Lock	Price
1815PS	Compact folder	2.36 in tanto	D2	G10 or carbon fiber	Liner lock	$44.99-$57.83
1815P	Full-size folder	3.94 in tanto	D2	G10 or micarta	Liner lock	$52.49-$59.99
1815B	Fixed blade	6.30 in drop point	D2	G10, sheath included	-	$89.97
1815G	Full-size folder	3.94 in drop point	S35VN	Titanium	Frame lock	$187.49
1815G	Full-size folder	3.94 in drop point	M390	Titanium	Frame lock	$224.99
1815GD	Full-size folder	Damascus	Pattern-welded	Titanium, customs available	Frame lock	$164.98-$216.00
1815GS	Compact premium	3.14 in cleaver	M390	Titanium	Frame lock	$205.70
1815GS	Compact premium	3.14 in cleaver	M390	Titanium damascus	Frame lock	$598.50

Budget Tier: The D2 Tomahawks From $45 to $90

D2 is a high-carbon, high-chromium tool steel that sits right at the boundary between tool steel and stainless, with hardness of HRC 59-61 and noticeably better edge retention than mainstream budget stainless steels. It is the steel behind every entry-level Tomahawk, and at these prices it is an exceptional value. If you want the details on what D2 will and will not do, the D2 steel guide covers it in depth.

The compact 1815PS models start at $44.99 with a 2.36-inch tanto blade in G10, with a curved-scale G10 version at $51.41 and a carbon fiber version at $57.83. At 75 grams, these are light enough for office carry and small enough to disappear in a pocket, while the tanto tip gives them an aggressive cutting geometry for opening boxes and slicing through packaging.

For $52.49 to $59.99, the full-size 1815P models bring the same D2 tanto blade up to 3.94 inches with G10 or micarta scales and a liner lock, weighing 145 grams. The extra blade length makes them far more capable for food prep and general utility, and the micarta version at $59.99 is arguably the best pure value in the entire Tomahawk family.

The odd one out in the budget tier is the $89.97 1815B fixed blade: a 6.30-inch black coated D2 drop point with a G10 handle, an overall length of 11.42 inches, and a sheath included. At 450 grams it is a serious outdoor tool rather than a pocket knife, and it is the only Tomahawk that belongs in a camp bag instead of a pocket.

Premium Tier: Titanium Tomahawks From $165 to $225

Step up to the 1815G models and the Tomahawk changes character completely. The satin S35VN titanium version at $187.49 and the M390 titanium version at $224.99 keep the full-size 3.94-inch blade but switch to a drop point profile, titanium handles, a titanium pocket clip, and a frame lock. Blade hardness rises to HRC 60-62 on the M390 build, and the titanium construction drops the folder into a completely different weight class than the D2 versions.

S35VN is the balanced all-rounder of the premium powder steels, while M390 pushes edge retention to the top of the production steel chart, and the two titanium Tomahawks let you choose between them on exactly that tradeoff. The S35VN and M390 guides on this site explain the difference in plain language.

Above the plain titanium models sit the Damascus versions. The 1815GD models carry pattern-welded Damascus blades on titanium handles, priced from $164.98 up to a $216 version customized by BJ Hill, and they are the versions collectors tend to chase. Damascus is not a steel with a fixed recipe, which is exactly why each knife looks unique, and the Damascus buyer's guide explains what you are actually getting.

Flagship Tier: The M390 Titanium-Damascus Cleaver at $598.50

At the top of the Tomahawk tree sits the 1815GS M390 cleaver with titanium-damascus handle scales and pocket clip. Its 3.14-inch cleaver blade is the shortest in the family, but the design intent is entirely different: the wide, flat cleaver edge excels at slicing, and the titanium-damascus handle makes the knife a wearable piece of art. At 80 grams with an overall length of 7.16 inches, it is also one of the lightest premium knives Artisan makes, because the titanium-damascus construction is dramatically lighter than solid steel.

A second 1815GS M390 version with a plain titanium handle sells for $205.70, which makes the cleaver geometry available at a far more approachable price for anyone who wants the shape without the full-dress materials.

Tomahawk Blade Shapes: Tanto, Drop Point, and Cleaver

One of the reasons the Tomahawk family feels so broad is that it carries three completely different blade profiles. The D2 budget models use a tanto profile, with a straight cutting edge that transitions into a high, angular tip. Tantos excel at piercing and at cutting tasks that concentrate force right behind the tip, which makes them popular for utility and defensive-minded carry, and the compact PS models keep that geometry even in a 2.36-inch blade.

The premium 1815G models switch to a drop point profile, where the spine curves downward toward the tip. A drop point keeps the tip strong, gives a large belly for slicing, and is generally considered the most versatile all-purpose blade shape for everyday carry. If you use one knife for everything from opening mail to breaking down boxes to occasional food prep, the drop point is the easier shape to live with.

At the top of the range, the 1815GS cleaver versions swap both profiles for a wide, flat blade with an almost straight cutting edge. Cleavers are slicing machines, moving a large amount of edge through material with each pass, and they have become a favorite of EDC users who prize blade geometry over piercing ability. The Tomahawk cleavers are small enough to carry, but the shape tells you exactly what they want to do: cut.

Which Tomahawk Should You Buy?

Match the Tomahawk to the way you actually carry:

• Office and light EDC: the compact 1815PS D2 models at $44.99-$57.83 are light, slim, and cheap enough to beat up without guilt.
• General-purpose value: the full-size 1815P D2 with micarta scales at $59.99 is the best all-around folder in the family for the money.
• Outdoor and camp use: the 1815B fixed blade at $89.97 gives you a real 6.3-inch D2 blade with a sheath for serious work.
• Everyday premium: the S35VN or M390 titanium 1815G folders from $187.49 to $224.99 bring frame lock, titanium construction, and flagship steel to a daily carry size.
• Collector pieces: the Damascus 1815GD customs and the $598.50 M390 titanium-damascus cleaver are the versions built to be shown off.

How the Tomahawk Family Compares

If you are weighing a Tomahawk against other Artisan models, the comparison is straightforward. Within the Artisan catalog, the Tomahawk's closest relatives are the Osprey and the Orthodox, which share its size logic of full-size and compact variants at very different price points. The difference is personality: the Osprey skews lighter and leaner, while the Tomahawk D2 versions lean on their tanto geometry for a more aggressive edge profile. What none of the siblings offer is the Tomahawk's range, because no other Artisan model covers a fixed blade, compact and full-size folders, premium titanium builds, and Damascus customs under one family name, for reliable everyday carry.

Tomahawk Maintenance and Final Thoughts

D2 is a tool steel, and while the budget Tomahawks are reasonably corrosion resistant, they reward a wipe-down after heavy use and occasional oiling. The titanium versions are near-indestructible and can be cleaned with almost anything, and Damascus blades should be kept dry and lightly oiled to protect the pattern. The folder vs fixed blade guide is a useful read if you are torn between the 1815B and the folding models, and the best Artisan knives under $200 roundup places the premium Tomahawks in context with the rest of the catalog.

The Tomahawk is no longer a single knife with a single job. It is a full family that spans from a $45 compact D2 workhorse to a $598 M390 showpiece, and once you pick the tier that matches your budget and carry style, the Tomahawk name delivers exactly what it promises, for reliable everyday carry.

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