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Spiked tomahawk build along

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Handforged:

--- Quote from: GlisGlis on March 19, 2020, 12:30:39 pm ---following your posts with interest
you clearly made your homeworks  :OK :OK :OK

--- End quote ---

Thanks! I prefer the looks of the hawks made during the French and Indian war. The Spanish influence in the choils on the head are really pronounced. To me that was the pinnacle of tomahawk use in combat, thus the most evolved forms. There are MANY and I mean hundreds of variations of tomahawks, so about any shape is technically correct when making a reproduction hawk. I think the flared blade style throws and sticks better than the flat top designs. Just a personal opinion. Since I am the one doing the work, it needs to appeal to my eye. In that time period they varied from rough forged pieces to very refined and heavily detailed hawks. I shoot for something in the middle. Something that any man could have afforded to purchase or found available for trade in that period.  A member here has sent some osage pieces for the haft on this one. The devil is in the details.

Handforged:
Slowly but surely working this down to 220 grit. I start with 120 to get all the heavy scratches and smooth edges. It helps a good bit to use a thick sanding stick or sometimes I wrap sandpaper around a half round file. This allows you to work a larger area while keeping the steel flat. If you use your fingers you'll rub ripples into the finished steel surface. When it is down to 220 grit all the way around I will lay out some lines for file work. Not sure how extensive the filework will be at this point. I want it to be reminiscent of a period piece. In those times file work was sought after in higher end hawks. It's a purely decorative touch.

Handforged:
I was reviewing some literature on early styles and decided that instead of the smooth curves along the sides of the body I would like to see some hard lines created. So to the files we go! Lines scribed, ideas flow and things change. I "Might" do some silver inlays on this one for you guys, just for funzies. The customer requested period and unique, everything else is up to me.

Handforged:
Here's where we are today. Took a little time to facet the cheeks on the tomahawk and create some of those hard lines I was talking about. All the sharp edges were smoothed down before starting on the file work. Just a simple rope pattern with a crown around the eye. Heat treated it this afternoon and contemplating finish. I have a plan together for a nice handle/haft design in osage with leather washers in a couple of places along the length for added traction. Then comes the job of balancing the hawk. To me the balance of a finished tomahawk is as important as the balance of a knife. More to come but here is where we are now.

Mr. Woolery:
Wow!  Normally I’m not into reshaping hammers (for the most part, a hammer is already in the highest state the steel can attain), but this actually looks like an improvement!

I can hardly wait to see how you do the haft!

Patrick

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