my trail hawk just arrived, now what?

M

Magnum22

Joined
Jul 6, 2006
Messages
1,562
make it awesome? the handle's a bit rough and the head's not very sharp, but i think can figure those out myself.

you guys leave the head loose? i know it's supposed to be like that, is thightening it up a no no?

cord wrap...oh i cord wrap. think i'll stain it green or red.

considering some woodburn, another hobbie of mine.

this is my first and only hawk. gimme some suggestions.

also came with a carrbon opinel and photon micro-x.
 
Just whatever you want, I'm still stripping and smoothing the head. The handle took me about an hour to get it just right.

Cord, feathers, burning, just whatever you wanna do!!

For me, I wouldn't dare use it if the head weren't squarely on. I would fix that.
 
Whatever else you do, take some time to fit the handle better. There should be contact all the way around between metal and wood. If it is only touching on a couple of high spots scattered around the circumference, all the stress will be concentrated on them and they will not withstand it. Once they compress a little the handle will loosen. Knock the handle out and look for rub lines on the wood: those are the high spots. Sand them lightly, test fit and sand again. Gradually work them down they until the handle shape matches the eye as much as possible. Sometimes it helps to file down any ridges or raised areas inside the eye of hawk, it should be smooth. It takes a little time but it's worth it. I have a frontier hawk that gets pounded on and the handle stays very tight.
 
Sand the inside of the head to get it smooth. Then get the handle very smooth. Heat the head to 200 degrees for 20 minutes. I used gorilla glue its an expanding bonding glue. Put the glue on the top of the head when the head is hot pund the hell out of it on. Once its set cool and dry, screw the screw it comes with into the hole. From their I have beaten the hell out of it and the thing hasnt moved.

Tim
 
i hadn't read that. i took the screw out, pounded it further up the head till it didn't move anymore, then kept pounding it till i couldn't see the old hole at all, thn pounded it a little furter so i new i had some distance. drilled a new, slightly small hole, and replaced the allen screw. also put a new edge on.

we'll see how it holds up.
 
okay, i think i'm done. good day project, maybe down the road i'll recoat the head but for now it stays black.

pics are coming.
 
First things first. you need to throw it. I like leaving the head loose for this. Saves the handles on the bad throws.

I actually usually leave the screw out, and simply leave the head as a slip fit.

I did take a round file and break the edges of the eye. It was sharp enough to gouge and cut the wood. Once I broke the edges the fit was better.
 
EdgeTim said:
Sand the inside of the head to get it smooth. Then get the handle very smooth. Heat the head to 200 degrees for 20 minutes. I used gorilla glue its an expanding bonding glue. Put the glue on the top of the head when the head is hot pund the hell out of it on. Once its set cool and dry, screw the screw it comes with into the hole. From their I have beaten the hell out of it and the thing hasnt moved.

Tim
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I did the same thing with a tube of clear liquid slicone. First I wrapped some cloth tape around the shaft were the head sits. Then I slammed the hawk on a hard surface multiple times to get a firm final seating. I trimmed off the excess tape so that it can't be seen. Then I torqued in the little set screw. Finnaly I poured clear liquid silicone from a tube into the space between the hawk head and shaft. I set it aside for 2-3 days to let the silicone cure. I have chopped a lot of 6-8 inch trees down many times with it since and it is still rock solid, with no handle play. I did this on a Rifleman b.t.w., a hawk with a heavier head. Whether glue or silicone, this works.
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upnorth, is that a piece of bike inner tube around the becker handle? That becker is an awesome knife, I have one back home that has split more wood than any axe i ever had, the tomahawk looks nice.
 
madborderman07 said:
upnorth, is that a piece of bike inner tube around the becker handle? That becker is an awesome knife, I have one back home that has split more wood than any axe i ever had, the tomahawk looks nice.
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Nope buddy, just some hockey tape so that the grip was less slippery. I love the Brute as much or more than the hawk.:D My hawk isn't really fancied up because it's more of a "user" than anything to show. I did stain the shaft/drill and pound in decorative tacks (more to stop it from slipping through the hand). Istripped and cold blued the head twice. Now I just sharpen and oil the head now and then. I thought about grinding the hammer head down to a spike to look more original, but, as I said, it's more for work than show. Who knows what the future may bring though eh?;).......Funny, but I just finnished resharpening the Brute and hawk about an hour ago.:)
 
great action pics of the hawk and knives Upnorth.

These aren't action pics, but all I have of mine right now.
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IMG_0107.jpg

one with the bigger brother
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