Forged hawk! Kentucky style

SpookyPistolero

SpookyPistolero

Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Messages
6,105
Got me some new steel! A fella by the name of Kentucky here at BF forges hawks, he's based in (you guessed it) Kentucky. Being a Bluegrass man, I felt I had to support another local gent. ;) It wasn't the awesome steel he makes or anything like that... :D

So it arrived today (like three days after I paid for it). Haft is probably ~16" long, some very handsome stained wood. The head is quite well made and surprisingly light. I very much enjoy that aspect! The haft fits about as well as any hawk I've played with, but this one doesn't have any play (that's one of those issues that's always turned me off in the past). This fella also came 'out of the box' with a great edge & grind. I've been out back hacking and chopping for a while, and am pretty darn pleased actually. I may bring it on my next outing. Definitely chops well and will 'side split' well, though obviously it doesn't have a great profile for traditional splitting. The back works great as a light hammer it seems (driving tent stakes, etc). All in all a super little belt chopper.

And no matter what, it just plain looks good. :D I've shown it here with a pretty 'mountain man' type of fixed blade to sell the theme, haha....

Kentuckyhawk004.jpg


Kentuckyhawk005.jpg


Kentuckyhawk008.jpg


Kentuckyhawk010.jpg


Kentuckyhawk012.jpg


Kentuckyhawk013.jpg


Kentuckyhawk014.jpg
 
That's an awesome looking hawk. Congrats and a salute to the maker.
 
Glad you like it spooky, that forge finish is what we leave on our "user" hawks. It resists rust very well and dosnt show dings and scratchs.
 
Thanks guys!

PayetteRucker said:
Nice little hawk-who makes the companion knife?
Click to expand...

Cool fella named Rayban. He's on BF from time to time. This knife was the winner of a bowie knife competition on another forum. I lusted after it for a looong time until eventually found it for sale again.
 
Sweet! I like it. But what is the notch for in the underside? I've never had one like that and couldn't figure it out from the pics. Its not a nail puller, or is it? Maybe bottle opener....? ;)
 
schmittie said:
Sweet! I like it. But what is the notch for in the underside? I've never had one like that and couldn't figure it out from the pics. Its not a nail puller, or is it? Maybe bottle opener....? ;)
Click to expand...

I use it in battle, to catch the blade of my foe. :thumbup:
 
schmittie said:
Sweet! I like it. But what is the notch for in the underside? I've never had one like that and couldn't figure it out from the pics. Its not a nail puller, or is it? Maybe bottle opener....? ;)
Click to expand...

i 'axed' the same question in the axe and 'hawk forum here and never got a definite answer.

some gueses were that it was for either lifting pots or pulling traps, but a 'hawk without the notch would still do those jobs. i also don't see how that notch would help pull a cork.

however i suspect the notch is to help the 'hawk carry better when tucked in your belt. i don't know what the notch is called, so it's kinda hard to hunt for any info tho,

back in the days when 'hawks were common tools, nails were square, so a round notch to pull them doesn't seem to make any sense. it's also not limited to the hammer polled 'hawk.

post-squarenails.jpg


Kentucky's work is nice... i wouldn't call it a forgery. :rolleyes:

someone needs to add some wilderness or survival content to this thread so it doesn''t get moved to 'hawks and axes.
 
Last edited:
That's a good-looking hawk but they sure can be addicting. I didn't have one a year or so back and now I have three. I will have to get one from Wolf Creek as soon as I get back to work. Thanks for sharing.
 
The "Notch" well to be honest Ive seen it in several historical representations but am not really sure what it was really intended for. I also look at it as the test of a good weld ;) When you forge that notch in you'll know real quick how good your weld is :D Only a real good solid weld can stand to have that notch fored in the bottom it like that. If the weld aint solid it'll bust apart in a second.
I can see it being used to pull something or to hang on something. Though like fixer said it will do that without the notch. The book "Firearms, tools and traps of the mountain men" shows several hictorical hawks that have forged notches in the bottom of the blade. Good book if anyones interested.
 
SpookyPistolero said:
Kentuckyhawk012.jpg
Click to expand...

I am by no means a hawk expert, but the fit of the haft in the eye doesn't seem all that great, you can even see light between the haft and head and the picture isn't even at an optimum angle. Am I missing something here?

Regards,

Rich
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top