Mod'ing The CS Trail Hawk

[CitizenQ]

K. I just received my two new CS Trail Hawks and I'm ready for ModoMania so I can be jus' like hatchetjack. I'll post progress here. I hope to start tonight!

Here is what I'm starting with....

Question: If these are "Cold Steel Trail Hawks" then why do they have an American Tomahawk Company sticker on them?

 

[CitizenQ]

One more question for youse experts: Why is there so much wood above the hawk head? Is there a good reason for this extra wood? Do I need said extra woodage?

 

[crossada]

the atc sticker is on the head because cs owns the name, but there is no affiliation to the prisco atc.

 

[CitizenQ]

I spent most of tonight handle sanding. Urg.

 

[hatchetjack]

The head will work it's way up as the hawk gets used. Don't cut any off the top.

Sand just enough to remove the original finish if you want to stain the handles.

You can also file the inside of the eye so it makes a good snug fit to the handle.

 

[CitizenQ]

The head will work it's way up as the hawk gets used. Don't cut any off the top.

Sand just enough to remove the original finish if you want to stain the handles.

You can also file the inside of the eye so it makes a good snug fit to the handle.

Thanks HJ...I was thinking of taking my chainsaw saw to that handle , but now I won't. Why would I file the inside of the steel hawk head eye to better fit the handle? If I do that...and the current handle breaks...the replacement handle may not fit the filed/modified eye. On the face of it, a much better solution would be to sand the handle to fit the eye. No?

 

[CitizenQ]

Next time I do this, I will not...

Drop the set screw on the dirty basement floor and spend 15 minutes looking for it or handle the paint remover mucked up head with my bare hands.

I'm such a clueless dope sometimes.

 

[CitizenQ]

I should be done with my first Trail Hawk Mod tomorrow evening. Below are some pictures to tide you over. Here's what's happened so far...

1) Stripped the factory paint off the head...it took two applications of the paint mover.

2) Sanded the heck outa the haft so that the head fit much better. The head sits higher on the haft now.

3) Applied two (2) coats of boiled linseed oil to the haft.

4) Decided I really liked the look of the unpinted head.

5) Assembled the hawk.

6) Decided I didn't like the look of the linseed oiled haft. Decided to stain the haft, so I resanded, wiped it down with mineral sprits, and applied two (2) coats of minwax "Ebony" (it's supposed to be black).

7) Found a small rust spot forming on the head. "Uh oh...I'd better paint the head after all!"

8) Applied two (2) coats of Rustoleum mil (like) green satin spray paint to the head.

I'm waiting for the head and handle to dry now. Tomorrow morning I'll apply one (1) coat of exterior satin polyuretheane to the haft. Then I'll wrap the handle with green 550 cord.

 

[hatchetjack]

Blue the head cold gun blue to revent it from rusting.

 

[CitizenQ]

Only thing left to do is the handle wrap. But I made a few mistakes.

1) I taped the hammer poll end of the head before painting , but I couldn't tape the blade end, so I sanded the paint off the blade end. That didn't work out so well.

2) The head color is not right. I wanted Army green, but this is as close as I could find.

3) I should have let allowed the polyutrethane dry for a few days before I put the head on, but I was in a rush and when I put the head on it marred the polyutrethane.

4) Forget adding a lanyard to hole I drilled at the end of haft. I've realized that I often grip my hawks at the very bottom. As a result, the 550 cord wrap is gonna havta be as low on the haft as is possible.

 

[hatchetjack]

Looking good. Krylon makes a flat green camo that is OD.

 

[CitizenQ]

Yes I remember you saying that...I went to Ace but they didn't have it. Niether did Lowes or Home Depot.

 

[CitizenQ]

OK, here she is. I call her T-Hawk. Serial number Q00000001.

Like I wrote before, I made some mistakes which I won't make next time. In addition, I think I'll try gun blue (instead of paint) for the head of my next T-Hawk. :thumbup:

The paracord is drying so the cord will lighten up in a day or so.

 

[d_vman]

Nice Work CitizenQ!

I also picked up several trail hawks recently. I have a couple of ideas for some modifications that I want to do, but so far have just been practicing throwing them. I really look forward to posts like this, it really makes my day to see a project go from stock to modified and look this good at the end.

I look forward to seeing your future hawks!

Regards
D

 

[CitizenQ]

Thanks. I don't think the paint I used will hold up to hard use. I'm gonna try gun blue next.

 

[hatchetjack]

nice. that's a lot of cord! 30 or 40 ft?

 

[Lindey]

What did you soak the cord in if you dont mind my inquiry?

-Chris

 

[CitizenQ]

nice. that's a lot of cord! 30 or 40 ft?

Good guess, approximately 35 feet brother.

What did you soak the cord in if you dont mind my inquiry?

I soaked it in water Chris.

 

[ishiyumisan]

I really enjoyed this thread CitizenQ:thumbup:

 

[CitizenQ]

Well I'm glad someone's happy bro, 'cause I'm none too happy about the paint which I'm reasonably sure will not stand up to hard use. So I started thinkin'...and that's always a dangerous thing. I started thinking about cold bluing my next Thawk. Then I started reading up on cold bluing and my studies indicated that cold bluing suQs . Seriously bummed out, I turned my thoughts to my beloved Remington 870 Police Model which always makes me feel better. Then it hit me! PARKERZIE!! JUST LIKE MY 870P!!! Yes!!! I must PARKERIZE my next Trail Hawk speriment!!! But -- alas -- 'ol Q is lazy...very lazy...very very lazy...so instead of buying a Parkerizization kit and doing a l l t h a t w o r k, I'm trying to find a local guy who can Parkerize hawk heads for me.

Or...perhaps...there is some BF member who would like me to make him a mod'ed CS Trail Hawk in exchange for Parkerization services?