Traditional hawk question?

C

ceptor781

Joined
Feb 4, 2012
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Is it normal practice to have a layer of leather in the eye? I recently received a hawk and it looks like the handle was wrapped with a thin layer of leather then the head was tapped on and the leather was trimmed. I only have one other traditional hawk and it is wood to steel.

 
Wrong. Handle too small or eye forged too large. If it won't accept a stock handle I'd send it back.
 
These are tapered fit much like an adze, pick axe or mattox and you have lots of handle still protruding due to the 'sleeving' of the leather wrap. Presumably the head is not pinned because the leather is going to shrink/dry out/compress. Can't really be detrimental nor cause slippage for intended use unless someone figured this hawk might double for use as a forest tool. The leather may well serve as a shock cushion against breakage while being thrown and is to be replaced frequently. Ought to be easy to remove the leather but the head will then sit much farther out and this will affect the heft. This whole soft wrap concept is a new one on me and I have no experience whatsoever with metal implements whose primary function is to be tossed around.
 
ceptor781 said:
Is it normal practice to have a layer of leather in the eye? I recently received a hawk and it looks like the handle was wrapped with a thin layer of leather then the head was tapped on and the leather was trimmed. I only have one other traditional hawk and it is wood to steel.

Click to expand...
Beaver bill does his that way, many of the old one were that
Way too.
Jake
 
Thanks for the replies fellas. I'm not sure how I feel about this method. To me it seems to be a band-aide for an oversized eye or undersized handle. When the leather dries, and we know it will, loose head. Unless, will the occasional addition of linseed oil keep the leather from shrinking? Still not sure.

Not the best pics(not my pics) of my other example below. Straight friction fit, no gap anywhere and very snug, even after some light chops and some stake hammering.

 
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