new tomahawk

[johnsonrgc]

Here is a tomahawk I forged a week or so ago. It christened my new homebuilt gas forge and homebuilt belt grinder. It started life as a piece of 1018 10x1x.25 and a piece of 01 steel (cause that's what I had). I welded the head up and then welded the 01 into the end.
That said, I made the mistake of welding the whole thing all the way out to the end. I didn't think it would be a problem since I NEVER am able to get a good weld on the ends of my stock and it was convenient to start at the end. Of course this would be the one time that I get a most excellent weld on the end and I spend the next hour trying to chisel that bad boy open enough to get the 01 in.

<img src="http://www.mdonline.net/users/jjohnson/images/tomahawk.jpg">

You can go here to see some pictures of the still-in-progress belt grinder.

http://www.mdonline.net/users/jjohnson/knifemaking.htm

Does anyone know of any web sites that show period handles that went on these types of weapons? I own books on medieval weaponry but none on indian or american weaponry.

 

[Charles Dean]

Thats a great looking tomahawk. This may be a dumb question but do how do you fold the steel and keep the eye shape? I hear that people wrap it around a shaft blank but if it were hot wouldnt that burn the blank? www.rmjforge.com has lots of pics of tomahawks and handles and Swords and Blades of the American Revolution is a good book to see lots of weapons in that period. Hope it helps.

 

[johnsonrgc]

Thanks for the compliment.

Surprisingly enough I didn't wrap it around anything. I figured that I would fold it over, weld it up, leaving the eye unwelded and then drift it to shape. What actually happened was that it came out exactly the shape I wanted. Rather be lucky than good. I think that when they talk about wrapping it around a shaft blank they mean a steel shaft. The 2 books that I have that talk about making axes talk about drifing it though so I think that's how most people do it.

Thanks for the site. It looks exactly like what I was looking for.

Rick

 

[Eric M Ericson]

I like it, I hope to see a picture when it's done
I want to make a goose wing ax, but I'm to far behind

forged 3 and ground one Sunday and I'mm still 4 behind
and I was asked for another today. I must not be charging enough.
I had fun yesterday Ian was running the blower, he got a kick out of it and I got to spend time with him

anyway, I'm rambling, have fun.EE

 

[C-Camerer]

Very cool looking hawk. Don't forget to post a pic of it when you handle it!