WIP: eyeless tomahawk

H

Hesparus

Joined
Oct 31, 2004
Messages
1,442
I've been really into tomahawks lately (which is bad, given the limited amount of time I have to make blades versus the number of types of blades I love). I don't have the equipment to do a tomahawk with an eye, and I like the idea of primitive construction, so I decided to do an eyeless tomahawk (which is also called a 'celt' right?). I forged the head out of a 1"x1/4"x6.25" piece of 1075/1080. The handle is a 16" piece of a hickory sledge hammer handle that I carved down (I would have liked to make it a little longer, but I'm a cheap b****** and I wanted to get two handles out of the piece I bought). The blade is heat treated (and more cleaned up than it is in the picture), and I'm in the middle of doing a tung oil finish on the handle.
I was skeptical about using such a small piece of steel for the head, but I am very pleased with how the weight turned out. It is light, to be sure, but it has a real good feel when swinging it.
I haven't decided yet whether I want to fix the head with a pin or with friction and JB weld. Although I only did an edge quench, the rest of the head may still be a little hard to drill with my crappy drill bits, so the decision may have been made for me already.

2uppenm.jpg


- Chris
 
I would suggest a pin if possible, and a rawhide thong wrapping in the style used for lashing.
 
I made one like this before, a great design when done properly and there is no need for pins or glue.
 
Don't pin it or the pin will split the handle if the hawk is used to chop or throw ( don't ask how I know this).
A rawhide lashing will really look god and make things tight. Epoxy is OK if you want tom but isn't really needed if the fit is right. Cut a two foot long rawhide strip ( or buy some) . Soak the rawhide and stretch it tight as you wrap it. Start and end with a copper tack. When it dries it will lock everything tight.

I made one like your using an elk antler for the haft. It was really nice looking and brought top dollar.

This style is under-appreciated and deserves more folks making one.

Battle axes and similar weapons can be made using similar construction.
 
When I needed rawhide for a similar project, I bought a few dog chew toys at the dollar store and soaked them until I could unravel them. Worked great.
 
Sam Salvati said:
I made one like this before, a great design when done properly and there is no need for pins or glue.
Click to expand...

I will second that, the Africans make Similar ones the only time it will come out is when you miss the target and connect with the handle .

Richard
 
I made one as well but sans the spike and had two tangs so to speak to wrap the rawhide around...and as said, i used a dog chew toy and soaked it, it actually worked real good. Shame I never got pics of it, gave it to my uncle who at the time was still in the military.
 
I remember talking to "TwoHawks", not long before he left us. He called it natures shock absorber. It does not have to be thick to work well, I found that several layers of thin are much better and dry tighter than only one layer.
 
Ranger1 said:
When I needed rawhide for a similar project, I bought a few dog chew toys at the dollar store and soaked them until I could unravel them. Worked great.
Click to expand...

I tried that, but don't seem to get any stretch like that.

and

Are there any tips anyone can share about dying that back to "natural" from the bleached white appearance.
 
what's the best way to carve out the hole in the handle for this type of axe?....how do u guys do it?.....ryan
 
I drilled some pilot holes a little bit smaller than the 'tang,' then heated it to red and burned it through.
 
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