Best steel for use in a tomahawk?

P

PatrickKnight

Joined
Jan 24, 2012
Messages
1,949
Wondering what you guys think to be the best steel for a tomahawk. I am torn between a high carbon cutting bit with a softer steel wrapped around it or a solid steel in the middle such as 6150 or 4140.

So lets have it guys what would be your top steel choice for a custom made hawk.
 
First you're going to need to tell us exactly what you'd be using your tomahawk for? What's your ideal range of use for it? What do you intend to be cutting/chopping/puncturing with it? Do you plan on throwing it or using it as a hand tool?
 
My favorite tomahawks are made by H&B Forge and Fort Turner. H&B uses 1095. FT uses 1095 inserted between sides of 1020. Both are plenty tough enough. Heat treatment is more important and both makers do very well in that regard.
 
I grew up cutting blackjack oak that shoot sparks off a chainsaw and chopping out mesquite root balls in flint rock-infested clay. I tend to like the tougher steels. 4140 is my choice. I can work all day with that. Works well for axes, hammer heads, power hammer dies, etc. Simple heat treatment, good results.

If I was going to build a carpenter's ax, I'd probably go with something higher carbon to hold a fine edge, but that's outside the realm of my ax usage.
 
S7 and 4140 are great choices for hard use hawks, with 4140 there's a limit as to how hard it can get. Like these guys are saying, if you prefer a finer edge that can cut for a longer time, there are better choices.
I like 5160, it holds an edge very well and can take the stress of chopping, I have hawks, axes, and a 12" chopper/knife in 5160. Dan Winkler and Council Tools make nice hawks and axes from 5160, respectively.
I've heard great things about some hawks with L6 used for the bit, for the purpose of chopping or carving wood.
 
The hawk will be my primary chopping tool when out and about. I don't plan on chopping down any 50 foot tall trees but it will be my primary wood processing tool. I also don't plan on throwing the hawk I just like the fact a hawk can have the handle replaced if need be that's why I am going this route instead of a hatchet.
 
5160 is a good choice. I've heard that it is relatively easy to work and it is common enough that a lot of custom makers can give it a really good heat treatment. The more exotic steels are harder to work, require a more complex heat treatment, and cost more to start with, which drives up the price.
 
Well I just heard back from H&B Forge and they use a 1095 bit wrapped in 1018 steel. Would this be a good type for a cutting hawk?
 
Absolutely. Ask them how hard they temper the bit. The 1018 gives support/shock resistance while the high carbon bit will give a fine cutting edge. Laminated steel has been used for years/decades/centuries for just this purpose. Even so a more expensive steel will give both attributes. The laminated blade it historically correct.
 
I like the fact that it is historically correct but will it perform as well as one made from say a solid piece of 4140 or 5160?
 
PatrickKnight said:
I like the fact that it is historically correct but will it perform as well as one made from say a solid piece of 4140 or 5160?
Click to expand...

For your stated purpose, yes. Probably a bit better for fine work, feather sticks, etc. A large part depends on the heat treat.

I'd stick to 5160 and this laminated steel for comparisons. 4140 isn't as good a steel for what you want to do as the other 2.
 
PatrickKnight said:
What about the diff heat treated 8620 that Steve over at Coal Creek Forge uses?
Click to expand...

I have never heard of anyone making a cutting tool out of 8620. I'd think it would rate down there with the HC railroad spike tomahawk. Functional but not a good steel to use.
 
PatrickKnight said:
What about the diff heat treated 8620 that Steve over at Coal Creek Forge uses?
Click to expand...

The last 2 digits in a steel designation is it's carbon content in decimal fraction. So 5160 for example has .60% carbon, a medium high carbon steel. Typically you need ~45 points of carbon for a steel to be suitable as a cutting tool. Not that you can't achieve mid-50's RC with 40 points of carbon. You can with the right heat treat. But you'd be giving up some toughness.
 
Oh wow I never knew that. So going by that it would seem the 1095 bit wrapped in 1018 would likely give the best balance of cutting performance and toughness.
 
PatrickKnight said:
Oh wow I never knew that. So going by that it would seem the 1095 bit wrapped in 1018 would likely give the best balance of cutting performance and toughness.
Click to expand...

It is a good way to accomplish that goal but it gets a lot more complex than that. A differentially tempered 5160 hawk could end up with as good a cutting edge and be a little tougher also.
 
You sure it's 8620 and not 8260? Both steels exist, but 8260 would make a *lot* more sense based on carbon content.
 
Storm Crow said:
You sure it's 8620 and not 8260? Both steels exist, but 8260 would make a *lot* more sense based on carbon content.
Click to expand...

I am not sure but the email he sent me said diff heat treated 8620 but I know its made from jack hammer bits as I was asking about one of his jack hawks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top