18th Century Wilderness Survival, Then and Now!

I have come across quite a few requests on other forums for recommendations on equipment for use in the woods. Now in some cases it is not a matter of right and wrong, so much as a matter of choice for individuals. I have seen merrit in other peoples choices in equipment and tools, and I can see reasons why people might not agree with my choices, but for me those reasons are outweighed by my reasons for the choice I make.
As an example let us look at the hatchet versus the tomahawk. Many outdoors people and survivalists will choose a hatchet because the head tends to be heavier and larger which makes it easier to use cutting wood and trimming branches. It is also good for shaping work, say making an axe helve.
But the hatchet is generally heavier than a tomahawk, and if the helve breaks in the woods or in a wilderness situation it is not so easy to make a new one and secure the head with a wedge.
Now I have to ask myself just how much wood cutting am I going to need to do? I do not generally need to cut firewood in the forest because small stuff is easy to break and larger stuff is easily broken over a rock or log. What I need is something light, something that will make trap and shelter stakes and have the ability to hammer them into the ground. I need something to help construct primitive shelters, and perhaps even hunt with if nesassary and help butcher game, and a very important need for me is the ability to make a new helve if it breaks and be able to remove the old broken piece from the head and fit the new one.
My tomahawk will do all these things, the fact that it is not as heavy is not really a problem when cutting, because I use a longer helve which gives me more power in the stroke. In 18th century Historical Trekking we use our tools and equipment all the time, and these tools have been in use and serving woodsmen and woods women for at least 300 years for chores, and defence. When making your choice, think about it carefully, your life could depend on it.

The author's tomahawk has a round eye, and the helve fits in from the top in the same way as a pickaxe or mattock. The eye is tapered so the helve does not require a wedge to secure it.

This is a German style hatchet with a round eye just like the tomahawk. The author made this one from an ordinary hatchet head by softening the steel and cutting it to shape with a hacksaw then reheating to cherry red and hammering the head onto a pickaxe spike to round the eye. This hatchet has the advantage of the round eye and is a little heavier than a tomahawk, but not as heavy as a modern hatchet.