My hand forged tomahawk

[sticks65]

Heres a project ive been thinking about making for some time so got to it the other day.

Ive tried to keep it as primitive and natural as possible.

It took some hammering to get the head flat on thisbut was fun to make.

I differentially quenched the edge and the hammer which left the middle hot,i then placed it on my anvil to cool so the heat ran into the edge and hammer and self tempered which worked out well.

I hand forged it and only used a grinder to take off a couple of bumps and i used the belt sander to finish the bevel and hammer.

I carved the shaft out of Ash by hand,fire hardened the wood and treated it with linseed oil.

I wrapped the handle with wet jute and then let it dry which tightens it up,I waxed the jute with pure bees wax,i then sealed both ends of the jute using pine pitch.

I hand drilled a lanyard hole and inserted the brass tube without using any glue,i added a plaited lanyard of Jute.

The cutting edge is 2" and the length of the hawk is 15" with the shaft.

Before.

Got the forge set up and fired up.

The hawk is starting to take shape now.

Quenched and tempered.

And finished.

little hammer instead of a spike.

Handle wrapped with jute,waxed and finished off with pine pitch,trying to keep it real.

i couldn't help myself.

 

[sticks65]

Well i had to give it a little test run so here's what i did.

Split some willow using the hawk and a baton,this is the reason i didn't want a spike because i wouldn't be able to baton, the wedge shape works very well for splitting wood.

Made a feather stick.

Some of the wood i split.

for only having a cutting edge of 2" this hawk split this log down like a champion.

Used the back of the hawk to strike flint.

I did get a lot more sparks from the flint but after about ten tries of my Wife trying to catch a good picture i gave up as id have no flint left.

Striking a ferro rod.

Got some crazy sparks and if i couldn't light a fire with this then there has to be something wrong somewhere.

I am sold on Hawks and am thinking that there isn't much you can do with a knife that you cannot do with a hawk,in fact i think a hawk is much more versatile from what ive seen so far.

I also think i could gut fish and game no problem with this hawk, Add a folding saw and your good to go.

The blade is hair popping sharp as i gave it a strop last night.

 

[sticks65]

This is the first time ive made a sheath for an axe or hawk.

I went in search of an old weight lifting belt i was given so i could make my sheath.

So i stripped the belt down and made a sheath for my hawk.

The leather for the main sheath is 6mm thickwhich would have been hard going to cut but my whittling knife seen it off no problem.

I used the holes that where already in the leather but widened them out on my drill press.

I also ordered some imitation sinew which dropped through the letter box as i was making the sheath which was cool.

I tried to keep the sheath as natural as possible but had to use leather glue and a rivet i found im my Wife sewing basket

So what i used was leather,imitation sinew,glue,a rivet and antler.

Heres a pic of the rivet.

And the sheath.

I sandwiched a piece of L shaped leather in between to hold the hawk in place and stop the edge cutting the sinew.

 

[Asa Samuel]

Wonderful!

Really great looking tool you made there

 

[HillBill]

Nice one mate, that looks alright.

How does the edge hold up?

 

[sticks65]

Nice one mate, that looks alright.

How does the edge hold up?

Well i gave it a good workout chopping and splinting wood,i cut a few cardboard boxes up with it and cut through some leather and it was still popping hairs,so not bad so far but i think it could do with a little more testing.

 

[HillBill]

Well i gave it a good workout chopping and splinting wood,i cut a few cardboard boxes up with it and cut through some leather and it was still popping hairs,so not bad so far but i think it could do with a little more testing.

Aye, use and experience are the best ways to find if something works well or not. Hope it pulls through for you.

 

[helixpteron]

That's great!

I've become more interested in hawks after seeing Vec's work on BF and DT and yours is excellent, versatile and traditional.

Love the mask too, very well done.

 

[Big Geordie]

Hi Sticks,
That's a great hawk. Can I ask: how much does it weigh? I have a couple and often the weight determines whether I take them out far.
Atb
G

 

[sticks65]

Hi Sticks,
That's a great hawk. Can I ask: how much does it weigh? I have a couple and often the weight determines whether I take them out far.
Atb
G

Thanks.

14oz with sheath 16oz

 

[sticks65]

That's great!

I've become more interested in hawks after seeing Vec's work on BF and DT and yours is excellent, versatile and traditional.

Love the mask too, very well done.

Thank you.

Ive not seen Vec's work,have you got a link?

 

[Dave Budd]

nice work Certainly carries the 'frontiersman' theme well are you going to make a knife to complete teh set?

I'm not the only one to have got the axe/hawk bug recently then I'll take a pick of the two i finished today and put them up soon. I keep meaning to make a nice light hawk, but I've just got this fixation with hatchet-weight heads for some reason

 

[launditch1]

That is spot on!Im really liking that, and the fact its recycling at its best..Good one.
I may attempt one soon and this thread has inspired me.

 

[sticks65]

nice work Certainly carries the 'frontiersman' theme well are you going to make a knife to complete teh set?

I'm not the only one to have got the axe/hawk bug recently then I'll take a pick of the two i finished today and put them up soon. I keep meaning to make a nice light hawk, but I've just got this fixation with hatchet-weight heads for some reason

Funny you should ask that Dave,a friend is going to send me some antler and i think i am going to make a antler handled knife to go with the hawk.

Ive wanted a Hawk all my life and have been making knives for a few years now,both forged and stock removel but i enjoy making forged knives more,anyway i thought it was about time to get on and make a hawk.

 

[sticks65]

That is spot on!Im really liking that, and the fact its recycling at its best..Good one.
I may attempt one soon and this thread has inspired me.

I really like re cycling old carbon steel and the original hammer used for this hawk was well over 80 years old.

Glad your inspired because that makes this thread worth while.

 

[maddave]

Excellent work !!!

 

[gsfgaz]

Amazing work mate ...