Forged my first hawk today

[Hawken Dan]

Looks really nice :thumbsup:

 

[Rickey Brown]

Very good start I like it. Wick, you said something I have been mulling over. I can not remember seeing a period forged hawk or knife with hammer marks. It seems to be some kind of badge of honor now. I get my head forged then do all the grinding and polishing to shape, no hammer marks.

 

[Rickey Brown]

the man that forges my heads wraps the iron around a mandrel instead of drifting the eye. Then he forge welds a piece of high carbon in for three layers. It works very well. The mandrel makes for near identical handle holes

 

[crockett]

You show too much talent to waste your time with a railroad spike. I could never do that good a job. Keep going.
On the forge welded edge? I know axes were made that way, was the same technique used for a hawk? Never thought about it before.
What about an old shingling hatchet or similar tools? It seems they might be re-worked as well.
I make knives using the stock removal method which is okay but I admire anyone that can do good forging work.

 

[rifleshooter2]

I have a few more spikes I'm going to pratice on then on to better steel. I may try forge welding in some higer carbon steel on some of them.

 

[crockett]

The eye of the hawk, I'd research that as well. I think the eye might be round, oval, or sort of triangular. I don't really know that much about it but something to check out if you are going to do your own forging.

 

[rifleshooter2]

I have looked at alot of eyes. they seem to be many different shapes. Mine are slight ovals.