Stock Removal Tomahawk?

colu41

colu41

Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Messages
1,598
A recurring customer messaged me today, asking if I could make him a tomahawk, and that he has multiple friends who would want one also. Before I go ahead and say "Yeah Sure!" I really need to know if this is even possible without forging?
It sounds like it could be a fun project but, I don't want just a "fun project" to have to a be a tool that needs to take a lot of abuse and have it fail. Can this be done? Any suggestions would be great.
 
Hawkes can be forged, cast, or machined .A good alloy such as 4140 CNC machined would work as well as any !!
 
I know that some of the most sought after tactical tomahawks are initially cut on either water jet or a cnc plasma table, and then machined. I have an acquaintance that worked for one of the most repected companies, and their tomahawks are top quality.
 
I dont know why not. Get some 1/4in thick stock and go to town. Go thicker if you like. Just get a design down and figure out how wide of stock you will need.
 
So id have to get stock as wide as i want the entire blade? Seems doable.
 
Lots of hawks are from one piece of steel. I think there is a thread running on one such build. Many knife catalogs and blade makers sell the cut out blanks.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Lots of hawks are from one piece of steel. I think there is a thread running on one such build. Many knife catalogs and blade makers sell the cut out blanks.
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As that would be easier, I think I want to stick to doing the work myself. All I need to do is figure out what steel I should use. Aldo is currently out of 1/4" 5160 so. Now Im stuck
 
If you're willing to grind distal taper into your haft you could use 3/8", and wind up with a hawk that handles in a more axelike way to boot. It's nice to be able to forge it in but not necessary (although if you hafta do a ton of 'em it might be worth looking into)
 
colu41 said:
As that would be easier, I think I want to stick to doing the work myself. All I need to do is figure out what steel I should use. Aldo is currently out of 1/4" 5160 so. Now Im stuck
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What are some recommendations if 5160 is unavailable? 1070? 3V?
 
rcetroy said:
What are some recommendations if 5160 is unavailable? 1070? 3V?
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I read up on 1070 as it use to be use very heavily in swords and axes but, I dont know. 5160 just seems like a better choice for its toughness.
 
Ooh 1084? My specialty. Lol. How would you go about heat treating a tomahawk? Like normal? Differential? Hotter temper?
 
colu41 said:
Ooh 1084? My specialty. Lol. How would you go about heat treating a tomahawk? Like normal? Differential? Hotter temper?
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I differential harden mine- I temper pretty hard and do a heavy convex (most of what I make are breaching/interpersonal crisis management 'hawks)-for a utility hawk I grind a higher convex and a slightly bouncier temper.
 
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