And now for something completely different

[messerist]

Well it is a change for me. While reading on the Muzzleoader Forum I came across some very nice photos of tomahawks made from ballpeen hammer heads. I decided to give it a whirl. I normally just make knives but this project was completely different. Man that is alot of metal to move by hand. The smith who posted the thread uses a power hammer. I do not have alot of tongs in my forge and those I do have are for holding nice flat knives. It was fun trying to keep from dropping a red hot hammer head!. I used a drift to reshape the hole so that I could use a tomahawk handle. The ballpeen hammer only cost $13 and is 4140 steel. It hardened up nice. Enjoy

 

[bikerdoc]

Outstanding, and very cool!

Man that is a lot of metal to move by hand.

Sure was!

 

[7X57chilmau]

OH, COOL! Now I've gotta try that too!

My previous attempts at hawks have failed due to my inability to accomplish a decent forge weld, but your hawk neetly avoids that!

Very nice work, and good eye on the form!
J

 

[hso]

Nice job!

 

[NobleSniper]

Very nice work

 

[blacksan]

Very cool!

 

[hso]

What did you use to grind the material outside your marker marks?

 

[Kingcreek]

darn, I thought it was going to be a Monty Python thread...
anyway, I like the looks of that hawk better than the old handle-less ballpeen hammer heads under my workbench.

 

[SDC]

That is very slick Good job.

 

[gga357]

Wow. Very nice.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Nice piece of work!

lpl

 

[messerist]

Thank you for your generous comments. HSO I do the shaping with files and a hacksaw. No one believes me when I tell them but with good sharp files it really is not difficult. Over the years I have probably spent more on files than I would have for a decent grinder but it has become second nature now so I continue. Thanks again guys and if you have any questions on making the hawks please ask!

 

[wheelgunslinger]

Very nice work sir.

 

[66912]

NICE!

 

[Gordon]

Make me one for $200 ?

 

[j-easy]

that did turn out really nice

 

[CWL]

Have to add my compliments!

Fine work there!

 

[7X57chilmau]

messerist,

What shape did you drift the eye out to? I don't ever see real hawks, so don't know what a traditional hawk handle shape is....

What did you do to HT the 4140?

I'm really itchin' to try this out this fall!

J

 

[Fergy35]

Wow, that is very nice indeed.

 

[Fred Fuller]

don't know what a traditional hawk handle shape is....

Usually teardrop shaped, to fit the mass produced handles. The usual tool for shaping the eye is a tomahawk drift.

See http://www.dancingfrogforge.com/HammerHawkDriftsc.JPG for drifts... hawk drift is in the middle.

lpl

 

[messerist]

I was thinking the same thing as Lee. Dancing Frog forge has excellent drifts. Another source is http://hawkinsknifemakingsupplies.com. Chilmau I HT the hawk by heating it to the critical temp(non-magnetic) and just quench the first inch of the blade. I did not ht the spike because I think it will do the job no matter how hard it is! I tempered the hawk to purple with a simple propane torch by applying the heat to the eye and watching the colors move to the edge. When it turned purple I just stopped the temper by a quench in water. I did this three times just like my knives. Now I have been told that straw is a more appropriate color for an ax so further research is necessary. I don't think I will have a problem with that because I sent a photo of the hawk to my brother in Iraq, he showed some buddies...now I need to get some more hammer heads. p.s. I used a 20 oz. head for this hawk so hopefully you can gauge the size you will need to make the size hawk you want. The drift I used enables you to select the size eye you need to fit most commercial or handmade handles. I happened to have a spare lying around for my throwing hawk that I bought from Track Of the Wolf.

 

[7X57chilmau]

So, much like a hatchet drift, but not as elongated. I'll just bang one up outta some scrap steel before I start the hawk...

I assumed you used a 20 or 28oz hammer to start.... Looked "meatier" than the average little 16oz.

I like your HT plan. That I can do in the open forge, no trouble. I'll likely harden the entire head, and then differentially temper (heat at the eye, hope for blue eye and straw/brown edge/point)....

I REALLY like that hawk!

J