French Hawk?

[pa woods roamer]

Anybody have any experience in throwing a French Hawk? Really like the looks af them !!

 

[spudnut]

With practice you can through a clawhammer

 

[Claude Mathis]

With practice you can through a clawhammer

Too funny. I often throw garden tools at my tomahawk target. As long as the distance is correct for one full rotation, they will stick. :thumbsup:

 

[pegesus59]

:v We have a few people in our camp that use the french hawk. My 13 year old Daughter prefers the French Hawk to the Traditional hawk. She is really quite good with it. Splitting cards is becoming quite common-place for her. She really gives me a run for my money! :redface:

 

[blacksmithman64]

I used to throw one, not too much different than a regular one.

 

[Okwaho]

Anybody have any experience in throwing a French Hawk? Really like the looks af them !!

Is this the French axe that track sells on P.70 as a "French tomahawk"? I didn't see one in DGW"s latest catalogue.
Tom Patton

 

[flintlockmdj]

She really gives me a run for my money! :redface: [/quote]
Admit it she beats you everytime doesn't she? :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[Birdman]

if memory serves I believe the French style hawk is actually a much earlier style then anything used in North America. I could be wrong but I think it actually is a design hold over from the Middle Ages period and became popular at rondezvous etc until it was accepted by most folks.

 

[Okwaho]

I guessed that was the same one to which reference has just been made. That particular axe is Frankish from about 900 A.D.Some folks will believe anything a vendor tells them.

Caveat Emptor
Tom Patton

 

[wetpowder]

I think I might have a french one too
It says "LeHatchet on it :rotf:

 

[Itegorm]

Yeap, Okwaho is right on with the assesment that it is a frankish axe from the 10th century. They were called "Francisca". They throw very well and a really cool axe but unless you are trying to reenact the Late Iron Age-Early Dark Ages, they just aren't right. If you want to see what frecnh axes really looked like in the colonial period check out this site.[url] http://www.lanouvelle-france.com/[/url]

But like I said they do throw great, I like the couple I have but you won't see me with them while doing any period after the Dark Ages.

 

[2Tip]

Thanks for the link to the fantastic website with so much primary source information on French trade goods.

You are right about what many refer to as the French hawk -- it's documented as being fairly commonly used by the Normans when they invaded England. Some theorize that it was designed to be thrown at the legs of the enemy below their shields, and that it's shape causes it to rebound and bounce of the ground up into the legs of soldiers behind the first target if it's missed. Interesting theory that the Frankish/Norman/Viking throwing hawk was more intended to distract the enemy, get them to look down and lower their shields than anything else.

We need to differentiate between the French hawk and the French axe for which the link provided gives so much useful information. It appears that the French axe head design eventually evolved into what we now call the Hudson Bay xxe.

There's no other part of early American history upon which so much light can be shed by experimental archeology than the design and use of axes. Just get a bunch of different designs and go to the woods and start chopping. But don't stop at chopping -- next make replacement handles with period tools carried on the frontier.

It's a profound clarifying education.