Tomahawks

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

Friend of mine sent me an early Christmas present. It's a Cold Steel Rifleman's Hawk, http://www.coldsteel.com/90rh.html . My mentor Dr Ferri told me to season the handle for another month, and to apply wedges. Strangely enough, the hawk's head has an "Allen Key" bolt screwed into the side to hold it onto the handle.

Any suggestions on drying and applying wedges? I've seasonned wood, but I've never put a handle on an axe. This is a bit out of my level of knowledge so any advice would be very helpful

 

[British Red]

OMN,

THey must have changed the design in the last few years - my CS Riflemans didn't have such an "Allen Key" grub screw. Good idea though.

Traditionally, hawk handles were designed to be friction fit only and both the eye and the handle are made slightly tapered to accomodate this. Drop the handle in from the top. couple of sharp taps on top of the handle to snug it right up and thats it. If you do that with a very dry handle and then oil it it swells the woodgrain and tightens right up. Trouble is if kept indoors in a heated house, it will dry out and loosen eventually. Altyernatives for wedging if thats where you want to go are using a traditional wooden and metal axe wedge arrangement or a ring wedge (similar to those used by Wetterlings)

Heres a thread I did on how to handle an axe (its called re-hanging)

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=11708

Heres a picture of a ring wedge in place

Personally, given the very narrow eye on a riflemans hawk, I would use a ring wedge (also known as a hammer wedge)

Hope thats some help

Red

 

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

Thanks Red, I'll let it dry out and use a metal wedge. Handle and head came in wrong I guess, the thickest area is wear the eye of the axe is.. maybe just to keep it all in place.

I have alot of linseed oil here, so after it seasons out (by mid-January to early February) I'll do the job. Thanks for the info :You_Rock_

 

[Tack]

DON'T DO IT!!!!!
The Riflemans Hawk is, as mentioned supposed to be a friction fit.
Mine is over fifteen years old and all I've had to do over the years is to shave down the head end of the shaft to keep it tight.
Treat it with linseed oil and the shaft is good for many years hard use.
The ability to remove the shaft from the head makes the hawk transportable.
Tack

 

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

You sure man? ...Makes sense... Alright I'll leave her alone for now.

 

[Tack]

Hi,
Yes I'm sure.
I even experimented by trying a much carved conventional hatchet helve on my hawk but it just didn't work right.
The handle supplied has withstood 15 years of hard use and apart from a much darker colour, courtesy of all the linseed oil it has soaked up over the years is still in remarkably good shape.
Tack

 

[pierre girard]

Hi,
Yes I'm sure.
I even experimented by trying a much carved conventional hatchet helve on my hawk but it just didn't work right.
The handle supplied has withstood 15 years of hard use and apart from a much darker colour, courtesy of all the linseed oil it has soaked up over the years is still in remarkably good shape.
Tack

I'll second Tack. Most hawks, made in original style, are set up like a pick. Thickest end of haft is above the hawk and meant to be friction fit. Linseed oil is a good thing to put on any haft.

 

[bambodoggy]

DON'T DO IT!!!!!
The Riflemans Hawk is, as mentioned supposed to be a friction fit.
Mine is over fifteen years old and all I've had to do over the years is to shave down the head end of the shaft to keep it tight.
Treat it with linseed oil and the shaft is good for many years hard use.
The ability to remove the shaft from the head makes the hawk transportable.
Tack

I agree entirely, while Red's correct in how he's saying to do it if you really had too....I'd stongly advise not to wedge it or rehandle it as it's meant to be like that.

I had a CS Riflemans hawk and liked it but found it too heavy so gave it to a friend of mine and got their Trailhawk instead, which is basically the same but lighter and a little smaller.

If you're just going to use the hawk as you would an axe then you can leave the allen bolt in but if you're going to be throwing these hawks (and they do throw very well for a factory produced hawk...although the rifleman needs a bit more umph to hurl it lol ) then remove the bolt, otherwise if you get your arces wrong and the handle hits the target first the weight of the head will drag it down the handle and the bolt will cut a groove right down (voice of experience...I did it with one of mine and had to use woodfiller to repair it ).
It really doesn't need the bolt anyway, if it comes loose then up end it and tap the top of the handle on something solid and it's secure again

Just a pity they don't come with a leather sheath....my mate Joe (squidders) made me a really nice one for my trail hawk

Cheers,

Bam.

 

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

Alright, where're my allen keys... Thought it was a tad strange to have a bolt on something I once was told could be taken apart with ease... How many people carry allen keys with them in the bush??? ...This is where I get 7 or 8 replies saying "hey, I carry allen keys in the bush you jerk!"

 

[bambodoggy]

How many people carry allen keys with them in the bush??? ...This is where I get 7 or 8 replies saying "hey, I carry allen keys in the bush you jerk!"

Lol....I considered carrying a key with my hawk when I first got it....but only for about 5 seconds until I realised that it takes me sooooooo long to find one in my workshop where I knew where things are that I'd stand no chance of finding it in a pocket while out in the woods! lol lol lol

 

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

Lol basically my same response

 

[OldJimbo]

Canadian Tire have their folding allen key sets on sale frequently. I had to buy a few in order to be able to find a proper allen key size when I needed one but such is life..
With the hawk, I'd give up on the allen key idea and count on friction fit. If you are going to throw it then use a wrap of rawhide behind the eye. Dog chews are rawhide, and you just soften them by soaking boiling, rip some off and wrap. When dry, varnish or oil with boiled linseed oil to prevent it getting wet again.

 

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

Canadian Tire have their folding allen key sets on sale frequently. I had to buy a few in order to be able to find a proper allen key size when I needed one but such is life..
With the hawk, I'd give up on the allen key idea and count on friction fit. If you are going to throw it then use a wrap of rawhide behind the eye. Dog chews are rawhide, and you just soften them by soaking boiling, rip some off and wrap. When dry, varnish or oil with boiled linseed oil to prevent it getting wet again.

Just needed the key to get the darned bolt out. Bolt's out, and so far she sticks nicely in the trees and stumps