Set screw in back of tomahawk head?

[messer454]

Just recently dicovered you guys here. Wow, I am learning a lot about stuff I have not seen, Thanks!

Has anyone ever drilled and tapped the back of a hawk head in order to put in a set screw? I seem to remember an odd shaped small hatchet that was expensive with this feature to stop head from coming off. I would only do this for the small chopped down hawk to carry in the woods for light chopping, not for my throwers. I think the idea has merit so long as the back is not a hammer. What do you think?

 

[ptn]

Welcome.

My only experience with the set screw idea was the one in the side of the CS trailhawk head. You are correct not to consider this idea for throwers. I bought trailhawks to learn throwing. The set screw did not keep the head on. Rather, it gouged a big groove in the handle as it flew off so I took it out and threw it away. I can't comment on a set screw in a chopping situation. My most common choppers are a Fort Turner and a Bear Mountain Ranier and I don't have problems with heads and handles separating while chopping. Are you having such experiences? Just wondering....

 

[messer454]

I guess I have not had the problem while actually chopping now that I think about it. I have taken them out of my belt though and the heads were loose. I felt like I had to tighten it before I used it. More of an idea to fix a pet peave I guess. Just curious if it had been done.

 

[Coldwood]

I have a heavy antique hatchet (don't know the maker) that I plan to re-handle, it has two holes drilled through the eye on both sides to pin the head to the handle. I thought that was interesting. It seems kind of redundant because the eye is just like any other hatchet or axe head and shouldn't need to be pinned.

 

[ptn]

One of the reasons I've come to love tomahawk style head to handle fitting is it's forgiveness to poorly aimed impact. It's actually not easy to break a handle during normal use. If the angle of attack is off center, the head is more likely to come loose rather than the handle breaking. When that happens, it's a simple matter of tapping the head back on the handle. The key is good fitting of eye to handle, maintaining the taper, repetitive sanding and checking for fit and more sanding make field re-installation of the handle simple. If I do my job and hit the target properly the head stays on and may actually become more firmly attached to the handle.