Hawk Design Advice?

[David Mary]

Thank you both for the great direction.

 

[000Robert]

And yes, I can probably do fullers as well, since they'll be hidden. I'm just not good at nice looking fullers. The truth comes out.

It will probably be just fine the way you have it drawn up.

 

[12345678910]

.140 seems thin

I'd leave out the handle holes and after you try it out,

Taper the handle if you need it.

 

[Seedy Lot]

I would agree that 0.140 is thin. When JT ran the big batch of full tang hawks they were closer to 0.250 thick and I still felt head was to light for actual chopping chores.

Also Magnacut does not seem to be the best choice in steel for such a tool, I feel for swinging tool performance if you wanted stainless AEB-L would be a better choice. There is a reason that axe are made from low alloy steels.

 

[Scott Hanson]

Most single bit axes and hatchets have curve to the handles opposite to your customers design, this is to reduce vibration when in use. The curve in the handle helps it rock or pivot a little in your palms with the momentum of your swing when you hit something.

 

[fitzo]

Regardless the final considerations, I would make a mock-up out of wood or some stiff plastic and see how it swings in the hand. Just a suggestion.

And, after seeing the video of Matt Gregory's Magnacut whacker beating the snot out of wood, I feel pretty confident about it.

 

[Fixall]

I'd probably post this in the Axe, Tomahawk, Hatchet forum too if I were you David. Some of those guys are ridiculously knowledgeable when it comes to axe ergonomics, history, profiles, and performance... Sometimes rabidly so, lol.

 

[Cliff Carter Knives]

What Scott Hanson said is spot on. The curve in the handle of the design you posted will not make for a comfortable tool to use. It also offsets the head which could be problematic if any breaching or chopping is necessary.

In my experience using and making hawks, .14 is just too thin. I’d suggest 3/16 and it should still be light and fast.

If the customer is only going to use the hawk on potential “soft targets” the holes shouldn’t be an issue. If he has any intentions of flexing it into chopping or emergency breaching, I’d run some fullers under the handle scales instead.

Looks like a cool design though, can’t wait to see what the final version looks like!

 

[Tyson A Wright]

To combine the comments about the handle shape with the suggestions for testing: it's not enough testing to just swing it around - you have to hit something with it and see how it feels (because that is what drives the design of hatchet handles).

 

[Crag the Brewer]

Agree what everyone says about thickness, handle curves, and better steels. For it. 8670 maybe?

Is there enough room for a hand when chocking up on it, I worry about the pointy part going into the palm of the hand.

I DO think you should do hatchets!!!!
But I'm not sure about This one?

 

[Joshua Fisher]

I’ll second the thought of 8670, pre grind your geometry in either 3/16” or 1/4” before hardening and you should be able to put a convex edge after Ht and leave majority of the Ht scale which will act as a patina and help with rust, the added benefit is if it does rust a wire brush will clean it up or a cleaning in vinegar. If it’s meant for throwing a straighter handle with a taper that creates natural release would be better, if chopping and breaching I’ll also chime in and say the current handle doesn’t look comfortable. I made a couple full tang hatchets out of 8670 and proper handle shape almost entirely eliminates hand shock.

 

[Seedy Lot]

If you want a tough steel with a little more cool factor than 8670 I would look to S7. I talked to a long time maker know for indestructible very hard used tools and he says S7 is truly impressive for how it performs for impact tools.