- Joined
- Feb 12, 2001
- Messages
- 4,501
I've been thinking about getting a tomahawk for a while now, but I don't have the money for one of the fine offerings from ATC, Two Hawks, etc. I finally broke down and got an M&W Canada Black Hawk at the local surplus store for $21.95. The head was loose on the handle, which made it easy to finish the handle. I sanded it with several grits of sandpaper, ending with 220-- probably could have gone to 400 or 600, but it was pretty nice after the 220, so that's where I stopped. I then applied three or four coats of linseed oil, rubbing it in by hand until dry each time.
The head came with no edge whatsoever-- just a rough hint of where the edge should be. However, twenty or thirty minutes with a file established the start of a decent edge. After I had the edge roughed in, I coated the contact area on the handle with extra linseed oil, and then set the head by holding the hawk upside down and tapping it on the edge of a 4x4 block-- just didn't have the extra $ for an arbor press as suggested by Two Hawks. I didn't file down the eye, as it didn't seem worth the effort on a cheap hawk. Nonetheless, the fit was pretty tight. I don't think it will be coming off any time soon.
After I put the head on the hawk, I did a paracord bumper about three inches long just beneath the head, and then coated it with some epoxy for durability. I sharpened the edge a bit more with my sharpmaker, both with the rods in the base and using them freehand. I also finished the handle with a couple coats of turtle wax-- really brought out the shine in the wood.
Overall, I was really happy with the project. The hawk, paracord, file, sandpaper, and linseed oil came to just over thirty dollars, and I had a lot of fun putting it together. My efforts obviously didn't turn a $20 hawk into a $100 hawk, but I had fun, and I am very satisfied with the results. The edge need more work, and I definitely need to remove some more metal behind the edge for better cutting. It will be primarily a throwing hawk, though, so I will probably leave the metal a bit thick for durability. I am going out on some of the local logging roads later on this week to find a large end round for a target. I will post later on the throwability of my new hawk, but right now it is too pretty. I need to look at it for at least another day before I smash it
.
--Josh
The head came with no edge whatsoever-- just a rough hint of where the edge should be. However, twenty or thirty minutes with a file established the start of a decent edge. After I had the edge roughed in, I coated the contact area on the handle with extra linseed oil, and then set the head by holding the hawk upside down and tapping it on the edge of a 4x4 block-- just didn't have the extra $ for an arbor press as suggested by Two Hawks. I didn't file down the eye, as it didn't seem worth the effort on a cheap hawk. Nonetheless, the fit was pretty tight. I don't think it will be coming off any time soon.
After I put the head on the hawk, I did a paracord bumper about three inches long just beneath the head, and then coated it with some epoxy for durability. I sharpened the edge a bit more with my sharpmaker, both with the rods in the base and using them freehand. I also finished the handle with a couple coats of turtle wax-- really brought out the shine in the wood.
Overall, I was really happy with the project. The hawk, paracord, file, sandpaper, and linseed oil came to just over thirty dollars, and I had a lot of fun putting it together. My efforts obviously didn't turn a $20 hawk into a $100 hawk, but I had fun, and I am very satisfied with the results. The edge need more work, and I definitely need to remove some more metal behind the edge for better cutting. It will be primarily a throwing hawk, though, so I will probably leave the metal a bit thick for durability. I am going out on some of the local logging roads later on this week to find a large end round for a target. I will post later on the throwability of my new hawk, but right now it is too pretty. I need to look at it for at least another day before I smash it
.--Josh