Tomahawk

[50cal.cliff]

Thinking of building my own tomahawk. I want one that can be used with out fear of breaking it. Also needs to be carrayable, in other words don't want it to weigh a ton. I don't even know where to begin with the head. I guess I could buy that, but that wouldn't be making it, "just buying it". Anyone out their know any thing about this subject. I have been looking online, and can't find out any info in making one! Any suggestions on decorating the handle, that would be considered PC? :hmm: :hmm:

 

[RickD]

I`ve had the same thought as you as making my own hawk..I`ll watch this post with interest

 

[blacksmithman64]

I've made them out of old ball pein hammers,railroad spikes,and old gun barrels.Ball peins seem to be the best,good steel.I have two hawks, one for throwing and camp work, the other is fancy curly maple with tacks and such and is my "Saturday Night Dress Up Hawk.I'm sure some more experienced 'smiths on here can give you better info on making one than I can,mine are pretty ugly! (but they work!)

 

[ameling]

You didn't mention your skill level. Will you be forging this hawk head? Can you forge weld or punch/drift the eye?

First, any hawk made can break - from custom hand forged all the way down to cheap imports from the Pak and Stan brothers. There's no such thing as an indestructable hawk head. And handles break a whole lot easier - not just when throwing them, but also in normal use.

The Book of Buckskinning IV shows Joe deLaronde forging up both styles of hawks - welded eye and punched/drifted eye. They also have drawings of the process. Welding in a steel cutting edge is far less necessary these days when using modern steel. It's a hold-over from the old days when the hawk was made from wrought iron, and they had to weld in a steel cutting edge.

Making that "eye" in your hawk is the big problem area. You either have to wrap and weld it up, or punch/drift it in. Starting with a ballpeen hammer head really helps - because you already have that "eye" for the handle. And ballpeen hammer heads are made from very good steel. It is pretty tough to forge, but you can end up with a very good hawk head. The peen end can be squared up for pounding, or forged out into a spike - even clipped off if you want a rounded back on your hawk. Just be prepared for some heavy pounding when you start out.

I hope this helps.

Mike Ameling

 

[JiminTexas]

Look this link over and then tell us again that you want to start from scratch to make just one tomahawk. It's a lot more involved than you may think. I figure that the one tomahawk that you make will cost you pretty near $1,000.00 for hammers forge, anvil, drifts, chisels, etc. I just bought a high carbon stel hawk made from a railroad spike and I think that at $95.00 delivered, I got a bargain. It's light, tough and has a hammer head for driveing in tent pegs.
[url] http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/tutor/spikeaxe/top_index.htm[/url]

 

[blacksmithman64]

Yep it does help to have a shop at yer disposal!

 

[50cal.cliff]

Well I have taken my first look back at this post since I made it and the link provided . It does seem like alot more to this than I may have orginally thought. However I do have some ideas now. As far as my experience level, well I can weld and I have done some metal work in the past. However as far as building a tomahawk this will be a first attempt at such a thing. I stll haven't given up on the idea though. Now as far as going out and investing a $1000.00 to build a tomahawk I don't see that happening. :grin:
Afterall, I still like living with my wife! :rotf: :rotf:

 

[blacksmithman64]

Probably a wrapped eye would be yer best bet.You oughta be able to get a hawk drift from Poor Boy Blacksmith Tools on ebay, or just use a solid bar to wrap your steel around to make the eye, but then yer stuck with whittlin' yer handles to fit!Tricky part would be welding the "ears" together.

 

[BillinOregon]

I'm listening closely to Mike on this one. Using a ball-pein hammer head makes a lot of sense, thanks to have the eye already present and the steel being of reasonable quality. Guess I better go down to the junk shop, find a beater and fire up the charcoal washtub forge ...

 

[blacksmithman64]

My sentiments exactly, but I don't think .50cal has the luxury of a forge!

 

[50cal.cliff]

No I don't a forge as of yet! But do have a great furnace burner laying around. I already used one to make an awsome fish cooker. I also have an old gas BBQ grill with no insides. I think I have a small blower motor. Now all I need is a few fire brick. Do you all see where I am headed on this!
I have been doing my research on this subject this morning. I am going to use the old grill and line inside with fire brick to form a rectangular shaped box inside. I plan on leaving an opening in both end of the rectangle to pass in metal, and out the other end if length requires. I can always put a brick in the one end if don't need the length.
Now here is where I could use a little advice on this! I think the burner in the center with a guard built around it, and hole drilled every so far. should give a good hot fire in the middle of the charcoal pit. Does tht sound right?
Also what about the air, would it be better if it comes up from around the burner, or should the air come from a sideways source to blow across, and thru the charcoal? The air source is something I don't have figured out. :hmm: :hmm:

 

[ameling]

A very servicable round eye hawk can be made with an electric welder and a torch. Take a 2 to 2 1/2 wide bar of steel 1/4 inch thick. Heat one end and wrap it around to form the size eye you want. Then electric weld it. Make sure you get very good penetration, and add a litte extra welding to blend it all together. Then grind/sand it smooth. Cut it off to the length blade you want. Now heat up the end, and forge/flare it out to the shape blade you want. Grind/sand/smooth it all up. For occasional use, you don't even need to heat-treat it. You will have to sharpen it a little more often. If you blend that electric welded eye area well, it will be very hard to tell the difference from forge welding. Some people even heat it up and then hammer forge that electric welded area to blend it in and hide the modern weld.

A forge and all the blacksmithing tools are nice, but things can also be done with more modern tools.

Another option is taking an old single-bit axe or hatchet head, cutting off some of it, and then grinding to final shape. If you heat up the eye portion, you can then round it out into that "teardrop" shape. I've done a number of 3/4 sized axes like this - but I also cut off most of the poll and really rounded out the eye. They make a great camp axe to carry - more useful than a hawk for firewood, but easier to pack than a full-sized axe. Just another possibility.

More humble thoughts to share.

Mike Ameling

 

[paulvallandigham]

Have the air come up with the gas mixture for the best heat. You will find that charcoal burns up pretty fast, and you will want to get a quantity of Anthracite coal for this kind of work. Better to use a gas burner, or furnace. Its much easier these days to find refills for Propane tanks, than to find a retail sales place that has coal. Talk to the local farriers, and any blacksmith you find, or see at some of the weekend antique shows about where to buy coal in your area. They can also help you find equipment, or show you how to modify your equipment to get the most work out of it.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Hey 50cal.cliff,

Check out this link to a charcoal grill portable forge. Uses charcoal (not gas) and a shop vac for air blower. Haven't tried it yet, but sure looks good and is inexpensive.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup: