Tomahawk target???

[wahkahchimaol.com]

I have a sheet of plywood screwed onto a shed wall as a target to rediscover our tomahawk skills. What easily-purchased, somewhat-weatherproof substance may I bolt over that so that the tomahawk will stick? Advice welcome. Thanks in advance.

 

[Claude Mathis]

A section of tree truck. :wink:

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Yup, that works great.

Bummer is, I left mine behind in Virginia when I moved to Washington state. Mine was made from tree limbs (about 3" in diameter) and an iron bar to hold the folding middle leg. Middle leg was also a tree limb with an angled cut in it for the tree stump to rest against.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan

 

[Rifleman1776]

Yep. IMHO, the best way to go and cheap. Although back in my throwing days, I bought a large one man cross cut saw to make my own. Poplar was an excellent wood for the purpose.

 

[Nic16]

2nd on the tree. I use a big ol pine round

 

[Twisted_1in66]

2nd on the tree. I use a big ol pine round

Yup, just about any 2½ to 3-ft. round will do, although somewhat softer woods like pine are easier to stick a hawk into. I liked the 3-ft size because you don't miss and have to chase your tomahawk as often. The more you use it the easier your tomahawk will stick in it.

If you are attaching the back legs directly to the round with lag bolts, be sure your round is thick enough that even after a lot of wear you won't have a chance of striking the bolts. Only use a thin round if it is resting on a support and is not bolted to it.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan

 

[Rifleman1776]

2nd on the tree. I use a big ol pine round

Around here pine rots very quickly. Not my choice for that reason.

 

[omarick1948]

Here in the real Midwest, we like Cottonwood sections. Takes a lick'n and keeps on [strike]tick'n[/strike]..stick'n!

What ever you use, be sure to cover it up from rain and snow with plastic sheet or a chunk of canvas when not in use, and it will last for a very long time!

Rick

 

[B.Habermehl]

My block is probably maple or who the heck knows? The big thing is that you don't have any knots in the face. Regardless your hawk must be sharp. I don't think the species of wood matters. Sure the block may last a bit longer, but if it's being used who cares? I use whatever I can scrounge. BJH

PS if you set up two blocks face to face a handy distance apart you save a bunch of walking.

 

[trent/OH]

Dittos on two blocks, to save a mile of fetching. If you notice on the photo above, the block is fairly thick. My first block was maybe 4 inches thick, and after a couple of years of casual use, it broke, having been chopped in half.

But I disagree on using any ole wood. Maple and ash are renowned for being tough. That's why they are used for butcher blocks and tool handles. When I was a food inspector, maple was the ONLY wood allowed for use in butcher blocks because of it's resilience.

 

[Nativearizonan]

Cottonwood is extremely hard to split. Sycamore too, Ash or hickory comes in pretty close. Hackberry is probably as hard to split as Cottonwood, but it is hard to find a log big enough around to make a target out of a cross section.

Sometimes pine is just the easiest to get, even though it splits easy, so get another one when it does.

 

[spottedhorse]

24 3ft (Or whatever length and width you want) 2x4s stacked vertical drilled through at each end, 5/16 allthread fender washers and nuts....set on the tripod and done...
That is if you don't have a round big enough!

 

[jferguson]

Is it not true that the best hawk target provides END GRAIN for the blade to stick into? I'm pretty sure side grain is about worthless as a hawk or knife target. The stacked 2x4 idea would therefore be a hard way to go? That is why a cross section of a log is the standard plan---it is nothing BUT endgrain exposed to the weapon ....

 

[Claude Mathis]

Is it not true that the best hawk target provides END GRAIN for the blade to stick into?

I have found that to be true. Others may differ.

The target I posted above was pine. After a time, the hawk dug out a section right in the center - so I turned the target around. After a time, the other side was worn away until you could see through the target. At that point I had to aim for the perimeter, around the hole. That worked for a while, until it finally split and was retired.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Is it not true that the best hawk target provides END GRAIN for the blade to stick into?

Far and away my preference.
Side grain and hardwoods can be very difficult to stick. And even though a hawk does not go 'bang' there can be dangers in the throwing sport. A non-stick (stuck?) hawk can bounce and fly in unpredictable directions. And/or get lost in the leaves somewhere.

 

[Ron LaClair]

http://www.shrewbows.com/Ron-throwing-Hatchet.WMV

 

[tenngun]

I was called 'pixy sticker' as I threw lightly. The bounce mantioned above is a danger. Just as you don't load for best to kill paper you don't have to throw to bury the hawk. You just need to throw strong enough to stick it in the target. Playing a game of handles is one thing, but not a lot of people play that. Most games are accuracy related, throw to hit not to kill. The log is already dead.

 

[CrackStock]

I only know of one way to make a hawk block. But then, I never make just one - always at least 2.

CS

 

[Rick Boylan]

I would love to have one of those.

 

[CrackStock]

Go find somebody cutting firewood and get two cross sections of the log. Try to go a bit thicker than the one shown in my photos. My woodcutter was a bit stingy on the wood for these. I like oak which is readily available here, but as stated by others, almost anything works. I found pine to split too easily and left sticky residue from the sap on my hawks and knives. YMMV.

Then stop off at your local wood supplier and buy some treated 2X4s. Just make some effort to think through the angles and lengths.

Here is a rough view of the materials used to make the latest one:

Here is close view of it after assembled:

None of it is expensive or complicated.

CS