sorry about the confusion about the temps. I'm not sure if my forge can get to welding temps, and I'm not really sure about heat treating, it is hit or miss. I was a bit tired while i typed that. So I need to go to a few meetings somewhere and I need to read a few more books.
I have made a pretty good, but ugly tomahawk from a ballpeen hammer, and it seems to be pretty hard, my file wouldn't cut into it, it skated off the surface with out as much as a scratch. I used a propane torch to temper it (i think).I got the cutting edge to a straw brown color by heating the body of the blade section neat the handle eye. I put the torch flame on the middle of the blade section right up next to the eye, when the cutting edge turned straw colored I quenched it in water. If i can get a camera working I'll post some pictures of it.
Now if I can get some good steel instead of just the "plain" steel bar offered at the homedepot. I'm going to try my hand at makeing a few blades.