Hawks at Lewisburg?

[GANGGREEN]

I'm not into reenacting and have never done any throwing contests, so I've never had a reason to own a tomahawk, until now. I have a forest full of soft and hard maple and I'd really like to spend some time this spring cutting small spots out of the bark to search for a curly maple or two (I absolutely insist that I must have a curly maple or two on the property and I want to find them).

The one hardware store hand axe that I have isn't sharp enough to get the job done, so I was going to hit it with a file and use it, but decided, what the heck, this is an opportunity for a new toy. As it happens, I also have some really nice curly maple scraps that would probably make really nice hawk handles, so ideally I'd like to find some nice (not terribly expensive) forged heads that I can add my own handles too.

I'll likely be down at Lewisburg next month and was curious if anyone would have such an animal for sale at the show or if anyone has other recommendations.

 

[B.Habermehl]

Perhaps a call to Greg Dixon, from Dixon's muzzleloading would help. Ask him to bring a couple of the hawks he normally sell in his shop up to Lewisburg. Most of the other vendors that may have hawks, might be a bit high end for you. But since I'm not exactly sure what you want this covers the bases nicely.BJH

Perhaps we will see each other at the show.

 

[GANGGREEN]

Perhaps a call to Greg Dixon, from Dixon's muzzleloading would help. Ask him to bring a couple of the hawks he normally sell in his shop up to Lewisburg. Most of the other vendors that may have hawks, might be a bit high end for you. But since I'm not exactly sure what you want this covers the bases nicely.BJH

Perhaps we will see each other at the show.

Thanks. You read me correctly, I'm not looking for anything high end at this point, just a very utilitarian hawk that I'll likely actually use around the farm, notably for searching out curly maple. Thanks again for the response and the idea.

 

[Claude Mathis]

I'm not looking for anything high end at this point, just a very utilitarian hawk that I'll likely actually use around the farm, notably for searching out curly maple.

Crazy Crow... Cheap, will last your lifetime.
http://www.crazycrow.com/mm5/merch...t_Code=4934-122-043&Category_Code=842-100-000

 

[GANGGREEN]

I'm not looking for anything high end at this point, just a very utilitarian hawk that I'll likely actually use around the farm, notably for searching out curly maple.

Crazy Crow... Cheap, will last your lifetime.
http://www.crazycrow.com/mm5/merch...934-122-043&Category_Code=842-100-000[/quote]

Thanks, that's rather what I'm considering. Never having "made" a hawk before, what would be the appropriate way to anchor the head on the handle, assuming I chose to remove this plain handle and add a piece of curly maple. Just get it reasonably tight and pound that sucker on to the handle, hoping it doesn't go anywhere? Can you pin it somehow?

 

[Claude Mathis]

Thanks, that's rather what I'm considering. Never having "made" a hawk before, what would be the appropriate way to anchor the head on the handle, assuming I chose to remove this plain handle and add a piece of curly maple. Just get it reasonably tight and pound that sucker on to the handle, hoping it doesn't go anywhere? Can you pin it somehow?

Since the handle is tapered, there's no need to pin it, if it is sized correctly.

 

[GANGGREEN]

Thanks, that's rather what I'm considering. Never having "made" a hawk before, what would be the appropriate way to anchor the head on the handle, assuming I chose to remove this plain handle and add a piece of curly maple. Just get it reasonably tight and pound that sucker on to the handle, hoping it doesn't go anywhere? Can you pin it somehow?

Since the handle is tapered, there's no need to pin it, if it is sized correctly.

OK, thanks. I've looked at a lot of photos and couldn't tell if the taper itself was substantial enough to hold the head in place even under pressure.

 

[Claude Mathis]

Thanks, that's rather what I'm considering. Never having "made" a hawk before, what would be the appropriate way to anchor the head on the handle, assuming I chose to remove this plain handle and add a piece of curly maple. Just get it reasonably tight and pound that sucker on to the handle, hoping it doesn't go anywhere? Can you pin it somehow?

Since the handle is tapered, there's no need to pin it, if it is sized correctly.

OK, thanks. I've looked at a lot of photos and couldn't tell if the taper itself was substantial enough to hold the head in place even under pressure.

Sometimes I'll hang the head in a vise (loosely) and pound the handle into the head until it's really tight, then trim the top of the handle.

 

[GANGGREEN]

Nice, good visual, thanks Claude.