How to forge the haft hole in a hawk head?

M

mike_758905

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May 13, 2009
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Can someone explain to me how to forge the hole for the haft in the head of a tomahawk? Futhermore how do you guys get them to look so precise? I understand the hole is tapered? What is done to finish the inside of the hole, is it all filed? I understand most basic forge work and I assume a punch is used to start the hole. Is it just pounded out on the horn of the anvil after that? I have been seeing some pretty awsome hawks being made from rail spikes and recently a crowbar. Made me think of giving it a go I have always wanted a hawk. Whats a good hardness for a hawk? Thanks for the help!
 
you will need to either buy a drift like this onehttp://www.blacksmithsdepot.com/Templates/cart_templates/cart-detail.php?theLocation=/Resources/Products/Forging_Tools_misc/Tomahawk_Drift. or make one, i hear a car axle is a good thing to start with. once you have the hole punched large enough to fit the end of the drift in, drive it home. you may have to work the hole on the horn of your anvil a bit to get it big enough for the drift. i see a lot of hawks being treated to around 57-59 RC.
 
First i square up the bar so it won't roll around. If it's less than 1" thick, i upset the end for more material at the cutting edge, or you can try upsetting just the edge area of the rough formed blade later in a vise. I try to use a bar long enough to hold between my legs when i slit and drift. I slit a hole into the steel with a modified chisel. About a 1 1/8" width blade, that i've ground the corners off of so they won't burn as easily and the sides are tapered so it won't get stuck.A few smacks on the chisel and dip it in water or it burns. Pound through on both sides evenly until all the way through. once it starts to go all the way through i get off the face of the anvil and pound the chisel over a homemade fixture with a hole in it so the chisel won't hurt my anvil. Then i use a boughten tapered drift to form the hole, but don't drive it all the way in yet. Finish the forging, then re-drift all the way.
 
Care must be taken to ensure that you drift straight through the blank or you will wind up with a cattywampus hawk. Keep your drift straight in both vertical planes(side to side and front to back) and line the drift up with the cutting edge so that your handle will orient itself right.
Trying to drift the hole when your blank is too cool will more than likely cause you fits also, especially if you are working a forge welded billet, or the walls of your drift hole are too thin.

Chuck
 
Awsome info. thanks for your help guys! I may have to get out this weekend and do some pounding I bought a CS hawk so when i build my drift I can check it for fit before I make my own. Thanks again!
 
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