From design to finish.
Here's a post that I made awhile back:
Robert
396vette,
I like the bowtie also.
Here's a cut and paste from another forum. I might have posted it before so if I have forgive my forgetfulness.
Will,
I am in the process of redesigning them. I will also probably only make them from L-6 tool bainite steel also along with a modern styled tanto that emulates this
http://www.moderntosho.com/sale/TatsuyoshiOsaraku.htm also in L-6 bainite/martensite .
The Achilles heel of all tomahawks is where the hafts are fastened (or forged) to the head. There are makers out there that have one piece forged head/ handles but they stopped short of a full-length tang.
This is one of the areas that I plan to address along with some other issues that I plan to tackle. As a side note making implements likes these one by one gives them a uniqueness unto themselves which I personally like; none of them are the same.
Also when you look at this type of weapon it is similar to our modern day hammers and how the technology has progressed with this implement it should give some insight on what works for this type of “tool” and what doesn’t. What doesn’t work is no longer made.
So to answer your question I am still interested in this subject and have been thoroughly researching, evaluating, and designing.
When I finally have one I’ll post it.
Thanks for the interest and looking.
Robert
Now, having said all the above I feel that if you are swinging a tomahawk and to over or under compensate or are using the haft to block say a rifle barrel trying to hook it or sustaining what could possilbly be catastrophic failure for where the head is connected to the haft and the area below where the head is connected to the haft (five or six inches) the 'hawk should be able to take this abuse and smile.
There are implements out there that are capable of absorbing this kind of energy without failure..... They are called hammers. I am not trying to be a smart ass.. just saying.
Probably the thing that resembles a modern day hammer most in the tomahawk world is the RMJ Shrike. But look at it it looks like a hammer with a hawk head.
What I am in the process of doing is creating a tomhawk that if you under or over compensated your swing and struck in the area right below where the haft meets the head you would still maintain the head and the haft material would remain unblemished along with the integrity of the weapon as a whole.
I have looked and used synthetics (Noryl, Zytel) and thought about using polycarbonate as haft materials. But the weakness of the hawk head is where it is fastened to the haft. Also the cost. Noryl is $44.00/ ft and regular Zytel (I feel) isn't stiff enough. So I will essentially be using the modern hammer model and tweak it for my tactical purposes.
Have you been to Lowes or Farm and Fleet and picked up a titanium claw hammer? Wow! That would ruin someones day.
I am making a tomahawk that I will test by purposely striking the haft in this area and try to create catastrophic failure in this and all other areas and it will also be a full tang.
The head and haft material will fully bainitic L-6 tool steel
Don't get me wrong RMJ's stuff is cool and looks very practical.
But for somene (anyone) to go into a full scale production of this type of heat treat would be to time consuming and costly.
Custom weapons are just that; they ride on the edge of failure and success. In manufacturing that isn't acceptable; you stay in the middle. Businesses (whatever they may be) aren't in the habit creating scrap.
Look at some of the big name japanese sword makers and their success/failure rate. You don't get the best cutting edge technology (no pun intended) without pushing the limits.
I would like to make a tomhawk that parallels the reputation of the L-6 katanas that Mr. Howard Clark makes.
That is what I am in the process of doing.
When I have it done I'll post.
As always,
Respectfully,
Robert
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Last edited by rbranan; 02-08-2009 at 06:49 PM.
