Tomahawk

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lwrhea

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May 24, 2005
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I'm getting ready to heat treat this hawk head and thought I would show it as is and then later take a picture when it's finished. The cutting edge is 3-5/8 and is a welded in 5160 bit inside the mild steel wrap.

 
So if my understanding of old axes is correct, there was a time they were made with wrought iron and had a welded steel bit. Is this still a viable method of making hawks and axes? Is mild steel the same as saying wrought iron and I'm just totally ignorant on the subject? Is steel cheap enough that we just don't bother doing it like that? Does your heat treatment have a specific effect on the mild steel as well as the bit? How about a couple hundred more questions? Anyway, that looks great, really awesome shape.
 
At some point in time high carbon steel became much more available and the way things were done changed. I made this one much like they would have in the early 19th century. I am doing it not so much because it is viable (which it is), but because I want to use the old methods. I work at a historic museum and they expect me to make things that way. It just so happens that I like it too. It's the craft and the old methods that I am trying to preserve.

The heat treatment applies to the high carbon bit, for the most part. The mild steel is just holding it all together. Yes, wrought iron was the more plentiful material of the day and HC steel was precious and thus was used sparingly or reserved for the cutting edge or for guns springs and things like that.
 
lwrhea said:
At some point in time high carbon steel became much more available and the way things were done changed. I made this one much like they would have in the early 19th century. I am doing it not so much because it is viable (which it is), but because I want to use the old methods. I work at a historic museum and they expect me to make things that way. It just so happens that I like it too. It's the craft and the old methods that I am trying to preserve.

The heat treatment applies to the high carbon bit, for the most part. The mild steel is just holding it all together. Yes, wrought iron was the more plentiful material of the day and HC steel was precious and thus was used sparingly or reserved for the cutting edge or for guns springs and things like that.
Click to expand...

The back story for my questions is that a friend of mine is gathering all his blacksmith stuff and building a shop, etc. I was just thinking that if wrought iron is less money, and available, then I would also like to try my hand at making axes in a historic way. But then I thought, maybe there is some reason it's not really done like that anymore (and this is me saying "anymore" - it could very well be that lots of people are) and since you were welding in the bit and that piece of work looks solid, I figured you'd be the one to talk to. Anyway, sounds like a great job you've got and I like the idea of preserving old methods and craft. Thanks for taking the time to fill me in. I appreciate it.
 
My weld looks pretty good on this one. The weld line is within that shiny area along the edge. It's very solid. While it can be pretty troublesome to make a weld like this it can be done. They did it back then. The thing to do is to practice and if the weld has some open places, just flux and weld again. Usually you can get it to close up if you just move fast and hit it with a light blow with a heavy-ish hammer.

How you go about forging the axe or hawk can depend on several things. History might be one. It could be that you only have flat stock and that is sometimes why you might fold and weld it. I have some L6 that is big enough to forge the whole head from it and I sometimes do that.

I know that I have to practice to stand in front of people and make something and be sure that it will turn out right. So that's why I do it. Plus I just like being able to do like the old timers did.

Let me know if I can help.
 
Nicely done Lin. I have yet to try using wrought iron for the body and am thinking about trying it on a camp ax I have to make soon. Can't wait to see this one after you get a handle in it.

That's a great looking hammer too. How much does it weigh?

Chris
 
This thread has me anxious to see where it's leading. Fascinating subject to be honest...to the outsider it might appear like ehh, he slapped 2 pieces of metal together and lit a fire. We all know full well it's 1000% more complicated and I'm enjoying the show of skills.

Btw, I read like a 3rd grader...all pics are encouraged :thumbup:
 
Here is the "makings" of two hawks. The flat bar is drawn down in the middle to be close to the eye wall thickness while it is flat. The circumference of the hawk handle is around 4-1/4 inch so that is the area's length. I step it down right in the middle so that when it folds, it will all line up. Just before the fold, I flair the ends to form the scarfs and widen them so it will start looking like it's supposed to when it swings around to meet.
 
Visited your website Lin, just really beautiful work to be seen there. Compared to the image above this post, would you leave a poll axe thicker in the middle instead? Or do you really just need to start with a larger block to begin with?
 
Good questin.

I would either leave it thicker or add a small block of high carbon right where the poll will be. I do this while still flat and weld it in and then fold. I can also start with thicker stock as you mentioned.
 
The next three pictures show the poll of an axe getting upset or squished into it's thickness. This step requires that the piece be hot in that thick area for it to move right. Before and after.



A hawk is done essentially the same way without the poll.
 
Very cool pictures right there. In my mind this is what I pictured and no doubt I could watch you make axes for days without getting tired of it. Thank you!
 
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