Brass Tack Embellishment

Triquetra

Triquetra

Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
759
I was recently drooling over a tomahawk that someone had modified with brass tacks. I recently took a shot at this and didn't have much luck. The tacks bent and I couldn't get them evenly spaced even when I measured because the wouldn't go in straight. How does everyone else do such a good job? Do you drill a tiny hole first and put a little glue in to make them stick?
 
Triquetra said:
I was recently drooling over a tomahawk that someone had modified with brass tacks. I recently took a shot at this and didn't have much luck. The tacks bent and I couldn't get them evenly spaced even when I measured because the wouldn't go in straight. How does everyone else do such a good job? Do you drill a tiny hole first and put a little glue in to make them stick?
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I always drill undersize holes and make the holes a tiny bit shallow. I don't use normal upholstery tacks but these tiny brass escutcheon tacks. If you are using the hawk for hard work watch that you don't put rows of deep tacks around the haft as it could cause it to break IMO.

Good luck
Best regards

Robin

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I tap in some "starter holes" using a modified ice pick. Been using this method since the 1980s and it works for me.

Also, try tapping the tack in slow and easy first until you get most of it sunk in THEN use a couple harder taps to finish.
 
I did try starting a hole and then tapping slowly but for me it didn't work. I didn't have it secured so that may be part of the problem. I think that I will try drilling the small holes if I can find a bit that small. I like the look but I've messed up a couple handles. I did do a khaki paracord wrap on one hawk to cover it up. Actually looks pretty good but wasn't what I was going for. On the little hawk that I did for my son the tack didn't look too bad but there weren't may on it to line up.
 
Well don't feel too bad about it. I fouled up some of my first tacking jobs too. You just need more experience doing it.

Those brass headed tacks aren't like nails with flat heads which make it easy. They're domed or coned and that makes it tricky, and sometimes the grain of the wood adds to the trickiness.
 
If the tacks are long they are much more likely to bend, remember brass is rather soft and hickory is rather hard, try shortening the tacks to about 1/4'' or less, and use a starter hole.
 
Pipeman said:
I always drill undersize holes and make the holes a tiny bit shallow. I don't use normal upholstery tacks but these tiny brass escutcheon tacks. If you are using the hawk for hard work watch that you don't put rows of deep tacks around the haft as it could cause it to break IMO.

Good luck
Best regards

Robin
Click to expand...

Where do you get those tacks from Robin?

Thanks!
 
atomicjoe23 said:
Where do you get those tacks from Robin?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Hi Joe
I get them from the local Home Hardware store, they come in two sizes, the ones on the war club are the smaller size. I imagine most big hardware stores handle them.

Regards

Robin
 
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