How do I attach the Tomahawk head?

[Michael76]

Hello All ,
I just received a new Iroquois Tomahawk from Track of the Wolf , however to my surprise the head was not attached to the handle . can anybody help me out.
Thanks

 

[necchi]

It slides/drops in from the top. It's a friction fit only.
It is typical to rasp/file/sand the top section of the handles tear drop shape to get a nice fit.

Some guys will whittle down on the handle to get custom fit then cut the excess off flush with the top of the hawk head, in my opinion this is a mistake, the wood compresses after some use of the hawk either in camp or throwing and the handle will get loose,
I always leave 3/8-1/2" of the handle above the hawk head.

 

[Claude Mathis]

Doing as Necchi suggested, it may look something like this...

I usually pound the handle in tight, then trim, leaving a little sticking out.

 

[omarick1948]

That handle friction fitted without pinning, also is a safety point when throwing that hawk, as the handle will pop off instead of splitting or bounding back and hitting someone.

Rick

 

[Rifleman1776]

Stick in hole.

 

[LaneC]

Hold the head in your left hand by the blade end.
Take the handle and put the smallest end of the handle in the hole of the head. (the handle is tapered and only one end of the handle will go in the hole correctly).If it goes in a little and stops, take it back out, turn the handle 1/2 way around and then it should go down to where there is 1/2 to 1 inch sticking above the head. Hope this helps. If it came with a set screw you will have to loosen the set screw before doing anything or remove it.

 

[LaneC]

Let us know if you get it. If not we can try some different instructions or something else.

 

[Michael76]

Thanks , it looks like I may have to sand it down alittle , I'll let you know how it works.
Mike

 

[Billnpatti]

The handle simply slips in from the top. It has a taper to the top of it. After you get the handle in, turn the hawk upside down and tap it firmly on a hard surface such as a sidewalk to seat the head on the handle. Your tomahawk is now properly and completely assembled and ready for use. Do nothing else. No wedges, nails, etc. Nothing. You will have an inch or so left sticking out of the top of the hawk head. Do nothing with this. Do not saw it off. With time, the head will work loose as the wood dries. It is now nice and dry but it can dry even more with time. As it does so, and with throwing, the head will work loose and need to be re-tightened by again turning upside down and rapping on a hard surface. If you cut the seemingly excess handle off in the beginning, there may not be enough left when you need to re-tighten it. This would mean having to buy another handle. When properly set up, it should look like the one in the picture that Claude sent.

 

Just a bit of info that I've found while doing this for years is depending on your climate do the fitting of the handle in the winter. No moisture will be in the wood so when you get it fit tight then come warmer months, when that moisture is back in the wood it will swell slightly for an even tighter fit. Doing it in the summer with a tight fit will in winter, when the moisture is gone, make the handle looser. For a throwing axe where you want the handle to pop out without breaking on a bad throw then it maybe isn't very critical but with a pipe hawk I personally don't want the handle and the head rattling. Hope this helps.

 

[Claude Mathis]

Just a bit of info that I've found while doing this for years is depending on your climate do the fitting of the handle in the winter. No moisture will be in the wood so when you get it fit tight then come warmer months, when that moisture is back in the wood it will swell slightly for an even tighter fit. Doing it in the summer with a tight fit will in winter, when the moisture is gone, make the handle looser. For a throwing axe where you want the handle to pop out without breaking on a bad throw then it maybe isn't very critical but with a pipe hawk I personally don't want the handle and the head rattling. Hope this helps.

If you leave a little of the head sticking out, all you have to do to tighten it is tap it on the ground every now and then - regardless of changing seasons. :wink:

 

Well there IS that option too!! :grin: