Tomahawks For Beginners

Hatchettjack - When you wrap your handles with paracord, do you leave it whole, or remove the inner strands?
 
I must thank hatchetjack for his advice in the past. I bought a CS Trailhawk. While I was disappointed in the tomahawk upon receipt, I had seen hj's hawks and stripped the paint, blued the head and shellaced the handle. I wrapped the neck of the handle in leather to hold the head and but a good edge on the blade. So far I have used it to split 6"x6" discs of hickory and pecan for my smoker and firepit and misc branch trimming.

I used Formby's from Lowes to strip the black paint - very easy. I used BC cold blue as HJ described. I sanded the handle. Tried staining, etc, ended up shellacing with amber shellac from a Mosin Nagant project.

I notice HJ shortened his handle. I have thought about doing that to allow the hawk to fit better in my hunting bag, but am worried about giving up cutting power.

I appreciate the higher end hawks, but for value the CS is hard to beat. A fun project in itself and I have paired mine with a Green River Hunter, a knife I built from a kit.

tjg
 
Thanks for the kind words. I own haks from other makers now but my project hawks are still my favorites. After hearing all the fun you had, I think it's time for a new one. Pictures please?
 
I also did up two CS Trailhawks and had fun doing so, one long and one shortened. I'd post pics if I Knew how. The long one I left w/ the paint job from the factory, but the shortened one I stripped and used Birchwood Casey's Brass Black, worked well. Note-- I did this as a result of seeing Hatchetjacks.......
 
What did you use pinetree, Formby's Wood Formula Paint & Poly Remover? How's that whole process work. I used a mouse sander with a heavy grit after paint thinner failed to work and it got the finish off but I'm sure it would be better done with a stripper.
I used BLO on a trailhawk handle the other day and was very surprised to take it out chopping and not have it come loose once, works a whole lot better than gorilla glue.
 
I'd love to post a picture but haven't figured out how. I used Formby's Paint and Poly remover. I just followed the intructions, smear it on, wait and scrap with a plastic scrapper. I had a harder time with the handle and am still not satisfied. I will probably redo it it with BLO or Tung Oil. I am also going to shorten it.
 
this is my first attempt at posting a pic. This is my CS Hawk - still needs a lot of work. I used the Birchwood Casey blueing from Wally world. I need a propane torch to added tiger stripes. I'll probably by another to make a compact version.

The Frost is another knife I blued as is the Green River Hunter kit. I'm working on a new sheath. The blade cover for the hawk is hidden but works great.

tjg
 

Attachments

  • DSC01835.jpg
    DSC01835.jpg
    65.7 KB · Views: 172
Your blueing looks really nice and even. I have the exact same mora but mine is
stainless. Is yours stainless as well? I did not know you could blue stainless if it is. The wood on the hawk looks good as well.
 
No, it is carbon. I bought it for $10 from Sprotman's Guide. They call it a Swedish Army Knife, which I now know is incorrect. It is a Clipper. The blueing isn't as even as I would like, the picture doesn't show the detail. I need to hit it again with the 0000 steel wool, acetone and reblue.

These knives are a heck of a bargin. I used mine tonight to collect tinder and carve fuzz sticks for the fire pit. My wife thinks I'm a nut. I agree - collecting tender and using a firestick to start all my fire pit fires...

tjg
 
Ordered 2 hawks from Dana at Fort Turner. Really happy with both hawks and his sheaths are top quality as well. Excellent workmanship and quick service.

First one I ordered was his Pup Tomahawk. I wanted a light weight tool that I could attach to my back quiver. I plan on using it to aid in field dressing as well as setting up blinds, trimming shooting lanes, ect.

Tomah002.jpg


The next one was a custom Iroquois Tomahawk with a hardened hammer pole. Great all around tool for when I am out back packing, four wheeling and just keeping in my vehicle for those "I wish I had an axe / hammer with me" times.

Tomah003.jpg
 
minipyro - No. I am not that talented!

I bought the quiver off ebay about 4 years ago from a guy out in OR. It is equiped with a flapped storage pocket that I carry an extra finger tab, string, licence, screw in hooks to hang bow / quiver from tree, ect. The quiver also has a built in sheaths for the WT deer antlered handled broadhead file and Elk antler handled Olsen knife he re-worked. I added a tube type sheath to hold the Elk antlered handled ceramic rod sharpener and I just added the hawk with the beautiful sheath hand crafted from Dana @ Fort Turner Hawks.

quive001.jpg


quive003.jpg


One more pic while out on "filed trial" after I added the hawk. I like the set up, it works good.

pond004.jpg


Hope you enjoy and good luck hunting. Blutck.
 
pinetree said:
this is my first attempt at posting a pic. This is my CS Hawk - still needs a lot of work. I used the Birchwood Casey blueing from Wally world. I need a propane torch to added tiger stripes. I'll probably by another to make a compact version.

tjg
Click to expand...

Nice work pinetree....I recently picked up a blade that had an interesting pattern using netting. I have tried it on a few things but it may look good on a hawk handle and then varnished? Just a thought.

Plan on doing any more?

hatchet-
 
Hatchet,
I am not one of the lucky people that can just go buy a hawk, I have had to make do with old roofing hammers and pieces of firewood for heads and handles. I like some of the ones I have made, but I think I will do something like what you did with the CS hawks on one I have woked on lately. those look really nice!!! keep up the good work! (and I might just save some money and buy one of those trail hawks, I like working on stuff like that, and it would be nice to have a real hawk).
Later.
 
I bought a C.S. Rifleman because the Trailhawk felt like a toy in my hand. I can crush Caribou leg bones with the hammer head, so my dog can get at the marrow. The Rifleman also has enough heft for wood chopping and I can bury it in a black bears skull if need be. I like it and will mod as time goes on. Many sharp looking hawk pics here!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top