A battle axe/tomahawk/hatchet of my own design...

S

sopmodm4

Joined
May 12, 2000
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107
The main thing that bothers me about all of my tomahawks is that they have terrible geometry for chopping wood and forced entry applications with the most expensive models being the worst of the bunch.They stick and won't back out easily and don't seperate the medium being cut worth a darn.The hatchets though better at chopping and entry/demo work lack any kind of handling properties and are almost strictly rudimentary tools.

I have copied the blade geometry from my best 70 year old felling axe to get a cross section that will chop wood and split doors and wood framing with great ease while remaining light enough for use as a one handed weapon.The design of the spike and the sharpened under edge are consessions to my years of Kobudo where the Kama (sickle) was one of my favorite weapons due to it's ability to trap,parry and cut all at the same time.


The potential of this design as a boarding axe,survival tool and formidable weapon are obvious.

Please give me any opinions you might have on how I can improve this design before I begin this project in the spring..

Thanks


Handle Length: 18 inches
Head Length: 9 1/8 inches
Primary Cutting Edge: 3 3/4 inches

235664-big.jpg

PS If you are a maker or manufacturer planning to copy my design I will not require compensation for my intellectual property but I would at least like honorable mention for being the inspiration of the design and maybe a freebie with a low serial number if you have a decent streak in ya ;)
 
Very cool hawk! I do have questions though before i say anything else:
It looks like it is intended to be hollow ground (just judging by your cutting edge 'lines'...upon examination of your cross section, i stand corrected; it appears to be a convex grind)). What type of geometry are you looking at for the edge? I've always been of the understanding that a convex grind works the best for chopping because it tends to not stick in the wood (hey, I could be wrong...that's why I'm haveing Justin from RK make the design he and I came up with). Also, what is the purpose of the grroves at the blade/eye and spike/eye junction for? They definitely add to it aesthetically, but wouldn't they weaken the head at those points (once again, what do I know)? Finally, what are you looking at for handle material? While working on our design, I had a tough time deciding if it should be integral or wood. With wood, you can replace the handle if it breaks, but with integral you have a very slim chance of it ever breaking (especially if 3V o S7 is used). Either way, the design is super cool. The only thing I don't like is the underside edge coming back so far. RMJ Forge and Ranger knives offer the bottome edges sharpened a couple inches (which would probably be enough for your kama techniques, although I'll try to get my friend to jump in here if possible regarding this, as he is well trained in different fighting techniques). ;)
 
it's a double convex "New Brunswick" axe grind with a 60/40 transition.I don't know the angles but I have a piece identical to it that is a wicked performer that I can copy.

The handle will probably be some kind of resin impregnated hardwood or maybe even a machined fiber/resin handle(I personally prefer wood).

the file work near the socket in not functional and should not weaken the hawk head too much since thee will be waay more steel in that area than most conventional thin bladed hawks.I just like the way it looks.

The underside edge has a bevel transitioning on a wedge shape and is actually just for asthetics/lightening except the last 3 inches toward the point juncture of the primary edge.I like to choke up on a tomahawk to use it for finer work myself.

The socket is a large flat eye like a forestry axe/hatchet and the handle is actually carved to fill this space to keep the axe head from turning and to absorb shock.It will make the handles more complicated to make but will offer the option of just buying a hatchet handle if I don't have access to the original type.


I haven't decided on the steel to use yet but I have been playing around with zone heat treatment using clay and having some pretty excellent results.


Thanks for the compliments and questions..
 
Sopmodm4
J davey asked me to give my .02 regarding your hawk design & kama/ combatives aplications. my only opinion is if the design is ment for utility also, that the un-sharpened area with the ridges on the blade side, and on the spike side be extended a little bit for close utility work (the psition I am describing is with the grip choked up all the way with the middle and or index finger wraped around the top and the thumb around the other side, fully engaging the blade) I have seen & used this position extensivly for finer chopping, skinning game, and de-barking of wood. as far as combatives go if it works for you, great, (although in my opinion I think having a close facsimile in wood for training would be prudent.
 
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