carrying yer belt axe/tomahawk

[John Tice]

A big thanks to all who responded to my earlier inquiry about makers of early American belt axes. After doing some more reading, including Carl Russell's "Traps and Tools of the Mountain Man" I decided to get one offered by TOW:
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(q...CATID=9&SUBID=60&STYLEID=233&PARTNUM=AXE-S-KP

I have to say I really like it. It has good balance and represents an early form that emerged in the mid 18th century and persisted into the 19th century eventually becoming known as the “Kentucky axe.” It combines early English forms with the pointy ears coming off the eye, but with an elongated square poll and shorter blade with the center of gravity more in the center of the head. A truly frontier form but not quite the full American or Yankee ax pattern.

What I need to do now is make a sheath for it. What is a good way to carry it ? Some people tuck the tomahawk into their belt with just a sheath that covers the blade, or, with more of a cover for the whole head, others make its own carrying sleeve with a shoulder strap.

Thanks JT

 

[crockett]

I would go with the shoulder strap as too much stuff stuck in the belt gets to be a problem and if you take off the belt all the stuff has to be handled. Make sure the strap has a buckle so you can wear it over a shirt in Summer or over a capote in winter. I position my belt axr so it is underneath the hunting pouch. Most folks don't even realize I am carrying one.
If you have Carl P. Russell's book get some dog rawhide and make the General Hopkin's style, real fast and easy. Grease the hawk's head and wrap in plastic and aluminum foil before form fitting. Lace the halves with a rawhide thong or in short pieces- creating sort of a fringe.

 

[Ridge]

I carry mine on my belt.

I have enough stuff hanging around my neck...shot pouch, horn, canteen, tump line, haversack...

 

[BrownBear]

I have no experience with hawks, but carried a 20" cruiser axe in the woods for two years. It was very reminiscent of your model. All I can say is that it was a real PITA hanging from a belt sheath, with the handle tangling and clacking on everything when you were breaking brush. I always thought about some kind of "shoulder holster" for it, but never got around to making one.

Since I wasn't usually carrying a gun, the axe ended up spending most of its time in my hand, grabbing it by the handle right up below the head. Not an option for your needs, but it should give you an idea how much I hated that thing hanging from my belt.

 

In the east they were usually carried in the belt or sash.

Many witnesses make reference to the tomahawk in the belt: Dodridge, Isaac Weld

There is a reason we often refer to them as 'belt axes".

That said I also have seen museum pieces with the sheath attached to the back of the shooting bag.

There was a small form often refered to as a "bag axe" that was small enough to keep inside the shooting bag.

 

[Eric/WV]

I just made a sheath for my belt axe. Trace around the entire head of your hawk and add approx 1/2". Cut a welt for the front and back. Sew the front, back and bottom. On the bottom, leave a hole to allow your handle to slide through. The top is left open.

I carry my hawk in my belt, and the entire head is encased in the sheath.

 

[Greenmtnboy]

I attached two one inch leather loops on the back of my Haversack at a comfortable angle so I can slide it in and out without to much hassle.
If I am going light than a sheath with a sholder strap is the ticket.
I like Brownsbears ax but perfer the hunter's ax by Gransfors Brunk out of Sweden.
:thumbsup:

 

[LFC]

You'll definitely want some kind of sheath that covers the edge. This should maybe go without saying, but, after poring over Dwight McLemore's book The Fighting Tomahawk (in which lots of carries that left the edge exposed are pictured), I tried such a carry myself. I tried various carry positions in my belt, settled on what seemed a safe location, but before an hour was out had created a most-bizarrely-shaped laceration on my left palm after brushing against the edge accidentally. I've since gone to using Track of the Wolf sheaths laced around the heads of my tomahawks, usually carring in my belt, right at the back. I'm quite open to other ideas, but that's what's seemed best of the options I've experimented with so far.

 

JT, here is a period correct shoulder carry for 18th c. hatchets/tomahawks. This one is copied from an original by a friend of mine. This one carries high in the small of my back and to the left a tad. Real comfy and safe.

 

[El Lobo]

Nice piece of work there, Cooner.

 

[John Tice]

That is a great outfit you got there Crooner :hatsoff: , thanks a lot for posting the pics. That is just the kind of work that I strive for.

 

[John Tice]

Just finished, the knife sheath and tomahawk sheath are from some brain-tan I had, I went with the adjustable strap too, thank you guys for all the excellent advice :thumbsup:

 

[Greenmtnboy]

very nice cooner and you John!!
:bow:

 

[BrownBear]

That looks real practical and sensible John. It would be high enough to held deal with the long haft, while allowing you to swing it around back out of the way. At the same time, it would be real easy to swing it around front for unsheathing and sheathing.

Having seen that, I've about convinced myself it's time to go back to carrying. They're sure a handy tool if you can figure out how to keep them out of the way!

 

[OregonDoc]

Well, after seeing the looks of that new sheath, I think that I might have to break out the leather myself this weekend!
Great work!
Jon