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- Dec 14, 2008
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I am going to force a patina in the notches if one doesn't develope naturally. Your probably thinking of the riflemans hawk that was posted in this thread.
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Mod'ing The CS Trail Hawk
- Thread starter CitizenQ
- Start date
I am going to force a patina in the notches if one doesn't develope naturally. Your probably thinking of the riflemans hawk that was posted in this thread.
Just finished modding a Trailhawk and a Rifleman.
Trailhawk before and after.
Used Klean Strip KS-3 Premium Stripper. Then washed in warm soapy water.
After only 10 minutes and it looks like it just come from the sandblasting booth.
Sanded using 150 followed by 220. Left some areas rough and some areas more polished. Deburred the inside of the eye.
Boiled in some vinegar for about 20 minutes.
Used a scotch brite pad very lightly.
Did the carvings using a pocket knife (worst part of this whole project). Rubbed some Danish Oil medium walnut on the haft. Let dry then lightly sand with 220. About 5 coats altogether.
I put several coats of Wipe On Poly on the Rifleman. On the Trailhawk I just rubbed some bees wax over the Danish Oil.
Both hawks have the same color stain.
Trailhawk before and after.
Used Klean Strip KS-3 Premium Stripper. Then washed in warm soapy water.
After only 10 minutes and it looks like it just come from the sandblasting booth.
Sanded using 150 followed by 220. Left some areas rough and some areas more polished. Deburred the inside of the eye.
Boiled in some vinegar for about 20 minutes.
Used a scotch brite pad very lightly.
Did the carvings using a pocket knife (worst part of this whole project). Rubbed some Danish Oil medium walnut on the haft. Let dry then lightly sand with 220. About 5 coats altogether.
I put several coats of Wipe On Poly on the Rifleman. On the Trailhawk I just rubbed some bees wax over the Danish Oil.
Both hawks have the same color stain.
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- Jan 6, 2005
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- 9,680
Great looking hawks, Bud!!!
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2008
- Messages
- 45
I put several coats of Wipe On Poly on the Rifleman. On the Trailhawk I just rubbed some bees wax over the Danish Oil.
Both hawks have the same color stain.
Thanks for the side by side pictures of the two hawks. I think I will need to get a riflemans hawk.
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2005
- Messages
- 6,105
Those look great! I do think I need a Rifleman's hawk, now that I have a Frontier hawk headed this way I think I need to collect the whole set, haha.
For someone who is new to the whole tomahawk thing, could you please explain in simple terms how the head fits to the haft, and what this whole screw business is all about. Im a little confused on the matter and what to know before I start fiddling with my new trail hawk. Im not normally this ignorant when it comes to these matters but I feel somewhat lost on this one, so I figured here was a good place to learn
Thanks in advance for any help you can give.
Andrew
Thanks in advance for any help you can give.
Andrew
Oh I should have posted, Im guessing that the head slides on from the bottom when hot as far up as possible and contracts when cooling to set, so maybe the screw is just a helping hand to keep it there im guessing. how do I go about removing the head from the factory in the first place then?
When I removed the head, I held onto the haft with my left hand and using a big mallet, smacked the end of the haft. And did the same thing on the opposite end when installing the head.
The Trailhawk was on there really tight but on the Rifleman it just come right off.
The Trailhawk was on there really tight but on the Rifleman it just come right off.
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2007
- Messages
- 21
OK, enough already! 
I have one coming in a day or two.
I've handled these Trail Hawks before and I agree that they have a good weight and fine style. The handles are a little thick an the edge isn't right either. That set screw bothers me to no end as well! Guess I'm just a grumpy old man too used to the neat stuff we all carried back in my 'buckskinning' days...
But now that I'm taking the plunge into mod-ing one of these things I have a couple of questions.
1. Has anyone come up with a good way of filling that set screw hole, or is everyone using the thing?
2. Is there anyone who can reshape the edge profile to a convex grind for me if I send it to you? Or is there a reasonable method of doing it without a belt sander? (The only power tool I own since my spine injury is my drill press.)
3. There have been many methods of adding a patina to the head mentioned. Has anyone tried the ol' bleach method that we used to use to 'age' gun barrel exteriors and other steel parts? It is a tad hazardous and MUST be done outdoors, but if timed properly really ages the metal, (and will eat it away if you leave it too long).
I guess this will keep me busy for a few days...
I have one coming in a day or two.I've handled these Trail Hawks before and I agree that they have a good weight and fine style. The handles are a little thick an the edge isn't right either. That set screw bothers me to no end as well! Guess I'm just a grumpy old man too used to the neat stuff we all carried back in my 'buckskinning' days...
But now that I'm taking the plunge into mod-ing one of these things I have a couple of questions.
1. Has anyone come up with a good way of filling that set screw hole, or is everyone using the thing?
2. Is there anyone who can reshape the edge profile to a convex grind for me if I send it to you? Or is there a reasonable method of doing it without a belt sander? (The only power tool I own since my spine injury is my drill press.)
3. There have been many methods of adding a patina to the head mentioned. Has anyone tried the ol' bleach method that we used to use to 'age' gun barrel exteriors and other steel parts? It is a tad hazardous and MUST be done outdoors, but if timed properly really ages the metal, (and will eat it away if you leave it too long).
I guess this will keep me busy for a few days...
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2002
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- 224
Ok, so I was never particularly happy with how the head on this one came out:
I mean it looked nice, but the bed liner paint I used didn't adhere well and started flaking off almost immediately and before ever even seeing any use. So last night I finally pulled it apart and stripped that off. Now I need to refinish the head. I like the all black look. Anyone have a suggestion?
I mean it looked nice, but the bed liner paint I used didn't adhere well and started flaking off almost immediately and before ever even seeing any use. So last night I finally pulled it apart and stripped that off. Now I need to refinish the head. I like the all black look. Anyone have a suggestion?
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- Feb 28, 2007
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kinda off topic, but I thought I'd share what is left of my edged collection from my buckskinning days...
The axe is a French fighting axe with an 8.5 inch cutting edge & an overall head length of 8.25 inches. The 22 inch hickory handle is the fifth on this head. Illegal for all sanctioned throwing contest, it still is wicked on the block and relatively handy about camp for splitting wood and dragging poles.
The axe was purchased from G.Gedney Godwin. It is a copy of one found at Fort Ligonier.
The knives are two of three I had made by a friend in northeast Georgia. All of the knives he made me are of O1 tool steel and two of them are daggers. I watched him make the dagger not shown here and until then never knew how the blade curves during forging. The trick is to make the blade come out straight when forging the second edge to match the first. What a pain! Great blades, though...
The axe is a French fighting axe with an 8.5 inch cutting edge & an overall head length of 8.25 inches. The 22 inch hickory handle is the fifth on this head. Illegal for all sanctioned throwing contest, it still is wicked on the block and relatively handy about camp for splitting wood and dragging poles.
The axe was purchased from G.Gedney Godwin. It is a copy of one found at Fort Ligonier.
The knives are two of three I had made by a friend in northeast Georgia. All of the knives he made me are of O1 tool steel and two of them are daggers. I watched him make the dagger not shown here and until then never knew how the blade curves during forging. The trick is to make the blade come out straight when forging the second edge to match the first. What a pain! Great blades, though...
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- Jan 28, 2006
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- 7,035
Get a set screw longer than the hole is deep. Screw it in to where the screw is inside the eye, and you've got a good portion hanging outside. Red Loktite in place. Use a Dremel to cut it off flush with the outside, then grind it down flush. When you grind the inside of the eye to smooth it out (which you need to do), just grind the set screw inside flush with the eye wall. All can be done with a Dremel.
I used a standard metal file to hand convex the edge, a Smith's diamond hone (available at Wal*Mart, among others) to put the edge on, then stropped it smooth.
No, but I use a little mustard (standard cheap yellow mustard) to put a nice design on (the areas that patina with mustard is where it's put on light), then either did an overnight vinegar dip or Birchwood Casey Cold blue. Gives a grayish blue overall tint, with darker lines where the mustard was. Some guys are good enough to make this look almost like a Damascus, I'm not.
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- Feb 28, 2007
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The CS Trail Hawk arrived... and was promptly disassembled! Mods began right away. who ever the guy was that turned the handle was either drunk or on his first day. Anyhoo, here is where we are this evening...
Still have much to do, but it is coming along nicely.
Still have much to do, but it is coming along nicely.
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- Feb 6, 2010
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- 28
You know, I think I'll get into the whole hawk thing too. Goddam these things look good!
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2007
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- 21
I modified the handle a bit. I've not cut it down from its 19 inch length yet as I'm awaiting delivery of some pewter grains for casting the end cap. Still debating casting a headpiece for the handle as well; it may be too much in weight & looks.
I've had the idea since first seeing the newer Last of the Mohicans movie which was filmed near my family's home grounds. One of the hawks shown had a stepped handle and a thin, light head. I believe it was made by Dan Winkler. I figured that with good straight-grained hickory a man could get away with doing that without weakening it too much. With this handle I did not make but three steps, equally spaced over the 19 inch handle. In the movie there were seven steps, if memory serves.
This photo does not do it justice.
After cutting in the steps I went through several rounds of whiskering the wood and sanding with ever finer grits. Effort was made to round off the edges of the steps equally. Then I scorched the steps & also burned in the Square & Compasses of my fraternity just below the head, (photo was taken before this was done). Finally I went with 000 steel wool and a good beeswax based wood polish.
The results are better than I expected. I took the axe out and worked over a few oak limbs I had recently cut. Then I split a few rather small (4in.) diameter lengths, mainly to see if the handle would crack or break. It did not, nor did I notice any hot spots on my hand following the workout even though I had gripped the hawk over one of the steps. The change in the edge that I made earlier worked well. It cut through the hard oak quickly and the edge held through out with no rolling to be found. (Thanks for the advice on that, guys!)
Once the pewter arrives I'll cut it down and make the pour. (I used to build flintlocks in my younger days and poured many a nosecap.) Once that is done I'll drill a thong hole.
I've had the idea since first seeing the newer Last of the Mohicans movie which was filmed near my family's home grounds. One of the hawks shown had a stepped handle and a thin, light head. I believe it was made by Dan Winkler. I figured that with good straight-grained hickory a man could get away with doing that without weakening it too much. With this handle I did not make but three steps, equally spaced over the 19 inch handle. In the movie there were seven steps, if memory serves.
This photo does not do it justice.
After cutting in the steps I went through several rounds of whiskering the wood and sanding with ever finer grits. Effort was made to round off the edges of the steps equally. Then I scorched the steps & also burned in the Square & Compasses of my fraternity just below the head, (photo was taken before this was done). Finally I went with 000 steel wool and a good beeswax based wood polish.
The results are better than I expected. I took the axe out and worked over a few oak limbs I had recently cut. Then I split a few rather small (4in.) diameter lengths, mainly to see if the handle would crack or break. It did not, nor did I notice any hot spots on my hand following the workout even though I had gripped the hawk over one of the steps. The change in the edge that I made earlier worked well. It cut through the hard oak quickly and the edge held through out with no rolling to be found. (Thanks for the advice on that, guys!)
Once the pewter arrives I'll cut it down and make the pour. (I used to build flintlocks in my younger days and poured many a nosecap.) Once that is done I'll drill a thong hole.
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- Jan 8, 2001
- Messages
- 1,242
Question on oiling the haft.....
Should I stain the wood first and then oil, or vice versa....?
Also I have plenty of beeswax as Im a bee-keeper, if I were to use bees wax instead of linseed oil, do I just rub the wax into the wood and thats it?
Forgive my ignorance in these matters....
Andrew
Should I stain the wood first and then oil, or vice versa....?
Also I have plenty of beeswax as Im a bee-keeper, if I were to use bees wax instead of linseed oil, do I just rub the wax into the wood and thats it?
Forgive my ignorance in these matters....
Andrew
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2007
- Messages
- 21
Stain first. You'll like the beeswax finish!
OK, first of all I want to extend my thanks to each and every one of you for your contributions to this thread, I have drawn a great amount of inspiration and technical expertise from it... If you have and criticisms or creative input Id be more than happy to hear it. I used many of the techniques listed here already but some I improvised and used my own to achieve the results. If there is a desire, Id be happy to post a step by step guide...
When not in use I intended this to be a wall mounted piece of decoration, hence the feathers, but these can of course be removed when needed.
So here it is!! Thanks for all your help guys, I was nervous attempting this, as I’m not that creative or knowledgeable about these sorts of techniques, but I was really happy with how it came out.
When not in use I intended this to be a wall mounted piece of decoration, hence the feathers, but these can of course be removed when needed.
So here it is!! Thanks for all your help guys, I was nervous attempting this, as I’m not that creative or knowledgeable about these sorts of techniques, but I was really happy with how it came out.
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