Drilling a hole in a Cold Steel Spike Hawk?

Ranger1

Ranger1

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Oct 16, 1998
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Hello to you all,

I recently acquired one of the Cold Steel Spike Tomahawks. Overall, this is quite a beast and I can see a lot of mod’ing potential. This is the kind of hawk that really needs a longer handle to offset its weight, but that's another subject...

My question for all of you is this: has anyone tried to drill a hole through the cheek of the hawk? If so, did you need a special drill bit? I would really like to try some things, but I am afraid that if I choose the wrong drill bit, I may butcher up an otherwise pretty nice 'hawk head.

I ask this because I am envisioning some type of decorative cutout: a weeping heart design, or perhaps some other type of pattern, I am actually thinking a series of holes duplicating the Big Dipper with the North Star, similar to the state flag of Alaska.

Also, a weeping heart cut out not only removes a bit of weight, but it also gives a convenient hanging point if you choose to display it on the wall. There is a lot of "meat" in this hawk so I'm sure a fairly large cutout could be done without compromising any strength.

Thank you for your help.
 
Well I assume that the entire head is hard and would make a mess if you tried to drill it.

Do you have access to a torch? You can bring that small spot that you want to trill up to temp with a torch and let it slowly cool in a bucket of white ash. Even air cooling slowly would help. That will save some life on your drill bit.

If you dont care about trashing a drillbit then you may be able to get through without heat. Try carbide maybe.
 
Go to the hardware store and find a drill bit that's labelled for use on hardened steel, that will go through it. Just take it easy when drilling or you'll destroy the bit, and make sure you use some WD-40 on the spot you're trying to drill.
 
I have done some work on the old and new heads (Trailhawks). I think they are started to trim some length out of the bits, about 1/4 inch i noticed recently. And the temper line has gotten sloppy, it use to be a difinitive location approximately 1" behind the edge and then the hammer poll or spike was hardened further, but the steel was overall harder on the last one I got, and a PIA to work on with files, unlike the previous hawks.

It is just a guess that the same sloppiness has moved into all thier hafted axes made in the same place.
 
I too must have a longer handle on my tomahawks but oddly enough I have found the 22" handle CS put on my spike hawk to be just right.
 
What size hole? 1/8, 1/4. Bigger?

where i use to work the tool room guy would come ask for a carbide concrete bit if htey needed to drill a hole in hard steel, they showed me what they did and it works. Take a carbide drill and sharpen it up, may be chipped if use on concrete. put it in you drill press and turn up the speed, use VERY Light dwon pressure, let the tool do it works, KEEP the Bit COOL, lots of cutting fluid, oil, water mix, what ever you have. it can be messy but it works. if you use a hand drill you may need a helper to squirt fluid on the bit. cut through like butter.

secrets high speed, light pressure, keep the bit cool. enough cutting fluid.
 
1/8 to 1/4 would be appropriate. If I were doing a heart, I would drill a bunch of holes and connect them with a file or a Dremel tool.
 
Ranger1 said:
1/8 to 1/4 would be appropriate. If I were doing a heart, I would drill a bunch of holes and connect them with a file or a Dremel tool.
Click to expand...

If you have a dremel you can use a grinder to get through if the drill just doesnt cut it. A grinder doesnt care if its hard or not.
 
Matthew Stagmer said:
If you have a dremel you can use a grinder to get through if the drill just doesnt cut it. A grinder doesnt care if its hard or not.
Click to expand...

True...

I am just trying to find the fastest way to rough it out so that there is alot less filing to do.
 
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