Tyler Murch

mcraigl, The convex grind holds an edge longer. You do more cutting to get a job done with an axe than with a knife. The convex grind also is stronger. It protects from chipping. It also keeps the axe from being stuck in the wood. As you probably know because you were a competitive lumberjack- to keep the axe from being stuck in the wood it should have a convex grind, then a slight thickening of the blade behind the bit, and then a slimming of the blade behind that. This makes it so that only a small portion of the axe blade is touching the wood while it is lodged in- making it easier to get it unstuck. Understand?

Wow, that's a nice one. Looks like you did a good job of upsetting it. Theres plenty of material around the eye- you could have even brought down some eye lugs. Don't forget- it's best to have a convex grind on choppers.

I call mine "the shop", creatively.

By the way, didn't mean to be a snot nosed kid. I didn't think at the time I was being confrontational. Hindsights 20/20

JPH, Why do you prefer medium carbon steel for hawk/axe bits? I'm curious because of your high experience there must be a reason.

Alright JPH, thanks. I guess I'll just continue swinging the hammer a lot, and see what works and what doesn't.

JPH, My teacher, Buster Grubbs, one of the founders of the Ocmulgee Blacksmith Guild who has been smithing for, uhhh, 20 years or there 'bouts says mild steel wrapped hawks should be arc welded after forge welding because you can't trust a weld in mild steel. He said he had some sent back to him a long time ago, and now, just to make sure, he arc welds a spot in front of the eye.

Sandpile, what I'm saying is that many times a good weld can't be made with mild steel. Wrought iron, and supposedly 1095 will make a stronger weld. Many a tomahawk made with mild steel have seperated, and so must be arc welded right in front of the eye. I like that picture by the way.

Well you know everybody does it different ways and gets different results. They don't like doing it one way and another guy does it that way and gets good results. Who knows. If it works, then it's the right way.

Now if you use wrought iron for the body you can literally turn two pieces into one. With mild steel you can't trust a forge weld.

Woody, I'm in Macon, GA JPH, Ever seen any of Dan Winkler's work? I talked to him today at the Blade Show. I thought what he does for the hawks like you make was interesting. Instead of using mild steel for the body he uses 1095. It will make a stronger weld. Mild steel will seperate and needs to be arc welded after forge welding. Dan Winkler has never had a tomahawk with a 1095 body seperate. I thought that was cool.

Smith, Tell me mo'

Nick, they are around 5 or 5.5 inches long. Bits measure about 2.25 inches

Here's some of my tomahawks. Forged from 1" crow bar. Approx. 1060 steel. Edge quenched in canola oil tempered at about 460 F. I'm 16 years old, been smithing about a year. Axes are what inspired me to start blacksmithing. Been doing axes for 3 or 4 months.

There was one of those in iron in the hat a few months ago. Didn't win deadgummit. It was basically like a wheel with rings on the outside to hold hammers, and you could hang tongs on the spokes.

Their warranty (not to seperate at the waist) has held up pretty well wouldn't you say? I've only seen one that seperated, but it was probably abused.

I don't get it. Could you explain.

Sorry Ralph. Wasn't trying to be proud. How long have you been smithing, and what do you make? I'm curious.

You need to talk to a guy named Raymond Richard about bamboo. He can help you out. He's helped me some with some questions I had. Go to his website hawknknives.com

I'm Tyler Murch. 16 year old blacksmith from Macon, Georgia. I like all parts of blacksmithg from ornamental to blades and tools. I've built more forges than anybody. Right now I use charcoal, and I think I like it the best. I like to make tomahawks. That and cable damascus is the main thing I'm doing now.