Tomahawk Head

[Lin Rhea]

I'm getting ready to heat treat this hawk head and thought I would show it as is for now. I will try to get a picture of it after the handle is in too. The cutting edge is 3-5/8 and the head is about 6 inches from end to end. The main body is mild steel folded and welded with a 5160 bit welded in between.
   

[Ray Hammond]

really nice, Lin, as always!

[tomsm44]

That's going to be sweet.  One of these days I'm going to save up and get you to build me one of these.

[Track]

I like it! Going to make a nice hawk when finished.

[gudspelr]

Cool looking hawk, Lin. If you get more photos later on, would you mind getting one from the top of the eye? I've had issues in the past of getting the welded bit looking "good" as it gets to the eye. How big of a piece of hardenable steel do you use? Just enough for the bit or do you take it back to the beginning of the eye weld?

Jeremy

[Lin Rhea]

Jeremy,
        I would venture to say that most folded and welded axes show the weld near the eye. The possibility of burning the eye means you have to soak the piece and allow the thick area that is to be welded to come up to welding heat slowly. Never the less, it will leave some lines showing most of the time. Just make sure that it is welded good. I do this by bringing it up to welding heat several times and bumping it but not reducing the thickness much until I'm satisfied that it is truly welded. Then on the last welding heat, hammer it to thickness.

Here is the top and bottom of that hawk.
   
   

This is what I do on some. I will make the forge weld and while it is red hot I will slap it in the vise and arc weld the inside of the eye with one bead being careful to stay in the boundaries of the top and bottom rim. While I believe it will hold for the drifting without the arc weld, I don't want to chance that at this point. It is just insurance that what I have gained I can keep. I really don't care if the forge weld lines show some. Most historic pieces showed after all.  If I see the need to make one that is really dressed up, I may take more pains to close everything even if I have to fill a small gap with an arc weld. I usually can close it all up by hammering it but sometimes it just wont cooperate. That's the reality of it and I wont let that stop the project because of my pride.

Making these hatchets and hawks will take practice. Don't think you can just start making them super clean at first. I have learned a couple things as I have spent so much time making them and some of those things are hard to convey. One thing I can tell you. When you are stepping the bar down and back up for the eye walls, don't make the step 90 degrees. Make it about a 45 degree angle. When the two 45 degree angles meet in the front of the eye, that will guide the drift to the center getting things in line right at the start. That is important.

[Lin Rhea]

This is the step I was referring to. Mine is on the left and my student's is on the right. Pretty nice. But notice the ramp up and down instead of a sharp step. Again, when they meet and weld, all the material will flow forward with not much tendency to pooch back into the eye. That will leave a "V" that will guide the drift instead of a wide flat, or worse yet, two "V's where the drift is going to follow one or the other, neither one really in line with the blade. Between me and you, this is why that hawk drift is designed with the sharp front edge.
 

[gudspelr]

Aha! It's amazing what a few pics and a good explanation can get for a guy... Those steps make all kinds of sense, now. I wasn't doing that all and hadn't even thought of it. I just had whatever dimension steel and went to wrapping it. The bit came all the way back to the eye and my forge lines showed, too. But, that wasn't my biggest issue. Mine was the fact that the sharp edge at the front of the drift that you mentioned had nothing to follow. Thus, I fought it all the way since it would want to skip off one side or the other of the bit that was welded in. Then I'd end up with a crooked eye...

I don't have a press or power hammer, but I do have a couple ideas that come to mind so I can get that ramp you showed. And I'm assuming you bring the welded in bit back to just in front of that ramp? Tapering to a bit of a finer edge?

Soooo glad you put up that explanation and pics, Lin. I have a feeling the next ones are going to have a lot more potential for success now...  


Jeremy

[Lin Rhea]

I just bring the high carbon back about 1-1/2 inches. It tapers as you say.

One reason to plan to bring it only part of the way is so you can get some welding done before you add the bit. You can achieve higher heats for the thick area welds without damaging the high carbon. Then you can add the bit and move forward to work on the thinner areas where the heats can be less fierce.  Remember you are working at the high carbon's maximum heat tolerance and the mild steel or wrought's lower tolerances for welding. Make multiple welds overlapping the hammer blows to push out the flux and to stick it together. Control your heat closely and watch the flux to know when it's ready. Ignore the back half of the hawk head when you are welding the bit. It's only necessary to get to welding heat in the area you are welding. But you have only mere seconds (2-3) to tap it to make it stick.

Also scarf well or allow material to forge out and trim. If you don't, you will get shear lines.

These things will get to be done by habit if you talk yourself through as you go.

[Ray Hammond]

Lin,
It is just impressive to me that you are willing to take so much time helping others out like this.

Jeremy and the rest of us just got a master class in axes from you and didn't have to come to Arkansas to do it!

Thank you,sir.

[Lin Rhea]

Thanks Ray.

Jeremy, while I do often use a power hammer, the prep work above was by hand. I step it over a dull edge of the anvil. Then draw the rest.

[benny]

Yeah what Ray said!!!
I also enjoy reading what you wright and looking at pics of your work!

Benny

[Steve Nuckels]

Fantastic work and information!  I'll bet you made the hammer too!

Great photo's!

Steve
---------
Potomac Forge
Member, W.F. Moran Foundation

[Lin Rhea]

Thanks guys.

Yes, Steve, I made it such as it is. It kind of looks short on the front but it works well and has never offered to loosen from the handle.

[imskippy]

Thank you for the very thorough explaination Lin. It's always a blessing to wander back to Tradgang after being gone for so long and see you guys are still hammering away and lending your wealth of knowledge.

[2treks]

Amazing. Work and generosity.

I have not been to this page for a while, I am getting a show this morning while catching up.
All of you makers are fantastic. Thanks