Pipe Tomahawk?

[AZbpBurner]

I was looking at the Carlos Gove pattern steel Pipe Tomahawk at TOTW. Maple handle, since I don't plan on throwing it & just wanted to build one to say that I did - Who knows, it may lead to another level of BP shooting addiction :thumbsup:

Anyway, anyone have pictures of one they've finished?

Are they usually finished hi-polish, or left rough cast, then browned or rust finished?

Also, how is the head end of the handle secured & finished - tight taper, flush fit, pinned or wedges?

 

[AWsaddles]

They are a tapered fit. Most of the heads I've seen are polished, or polished and then browned as the castings can be a bit rough. I don't have pics but I finished one of mine with an alcohol stain finished with true oil gunstock finish. I then cut down the gloss with steel wool. Another place to look is the R.E. Davis website. They have a large selection and you can pick different styled heads and such.

Good luck
Allen

 

[AZbpBurner]

Thanks for the RE Davis link - more patterns to decide from.

I've been refinishing wood for a buncha decades & agree that an alcohol stain will work great for the handle.

Any hints for a pattern for the cleanout plug for hollow handle / pipe?

 

[flattail]

Guitar pins!! They're shorter than violin pin/pegs and you can get them in bone if you look around some. :v
Ed

 

[Mongo40]

I did the same one about three years ago,
violin peg on top pored pewter rings an a poured pewter mouth piece with some inlays added.





A little file work on top of the blade.

 

[MSW]

wow! tremendous looking work!

:thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[gus13]

Mongo that is some beautiful work! :hatsoff:

 

[cutshurt]

First one I forged from a ball peen hammer 2nd one is forged from a muzzle loader barrel.

 

[Rick Son]

I want one :applause:

 

[AZbpBurner]

I found some how-to about pouring pewter by Alan Longmire. Never considered doing until I read his info & it sounds fascinating:
http://forums.dfoggknives.com/index.php?showtopic=9559

It's been many years since I've done any inlay, but I still have my jeweler's saw out in the shop.

The pipehawk head and handle are on order & I should have delivery in a week or so.

For striped maple handle finish, what does everyone use to accentuate the stripe? I've used Ferric Nitrate crystals dissolved in water + alcohol & it works great, but I've also read of dissolving fine degreased steel wool in acetic acid / vinegar.

Is there a quick way to smooth steel castings to shiney surface - I've spent a lot of time in the past tediously working to remove tool & abrasive marks & there's got to be a more expedient way.

I'm also considering a rust brown finish.

 

nice lookin hawks :thumbsup:
what would be the best looking way to stain a curley maple handle with pewter inlays dark brown?. I need some advise. would birchwood casey walnut stain be appropriate

 

[Rasch Chronicles]

AZBP,

I'm not sure it's any faster, but the last one I made, (I've only made two, neither ready for prime time!) I worked flat and clean with a piece of 220 grit waterstone.

http://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Water-Stones-P25C4.aspx?gclid=CMCtveSDlbkCFYKS3godDkEALQ

I had accidentally broken one and used a small squarish piece to work the metal down. It seemed much better than anything else i had tried previously, so I went to the shop, took an 800 stone, and cut the end off. Then I cut that piece into two squares. Worked very well.

I do believe that you could conceivably do that with any grit for projects like knives and hawks, where the relative surface areas are small, wide, and flat. I do know for a fact that Japanese sword polishers cut their stones into very thin slivers and back them with bamboo paper.

For inquiring minds, a tile carbide handsaw will slice any stone into any angular shape you want. There is even a carbide impregnated round wire sawblade for a hacksaw.

Albert

 

[AZbpBurner]

I'm not worried about putting an edge on the hawk blade, I'm just looking for a quick and easy way to finish the rough casting down to a smooth surface.

My arthritis says that hand abrasives are out of the picture now for heavy sanding and lengthy hand finishing.

 

[LaBonte]

I'm not worried about putting an edge on the hawk blade, I'm just looking for a quick and easy way to finish the rough casting down to a smooth surface.

My arthritis says that hand abrasives are out of the picture now for heavy sanding and lengthy hand finishing.

Use an orbital sander with a hard backing and paper designed for metal - auto parts stores will carry it for one...start with about 80 grit and go up as polished as you want. I use one for my metal finishing and also have arthritis so I know it works good with a lot less time and pain......

 

[AZbpBurner]

I'm not worried about putting an edge on the hawk blade, I'm just looking for a quick and easy way to finish the rough casting down to a smooth surface.

My arthritis says that hand abrasives are out of the picture now for heavy sanding and lengthy hand finishing.

Use an orbital sander with a hard backing and paper designed for metal - auto parts stores will carry it for one...start with about 80 grit and go up as polished as you want. I use one for my metal finishing and also have arthritis so I know it works good with a lot less time and pain......

Aaaaahhh, better living through power tools. I've got an orbital sander ideally suited for the task, and will get some appropriate metal finishing paper this weekend.

That cast steel is pretty hard stuff - went a couple of rounds with a file on one of the sprue cutoffs, and a month later, its' still sitting in the back vise in the shop. It needs to cool down a little more, before I spend further quality time cutting, filing and grinding.

Pewter casting is also in my plans.

As for wood finish, I want to do a dark finish, and got some Laurel Mountain Forge Dark Walnut Stain I wanted to test on some other maple first. I also have a little Ferric Nitrate to work with.