junker Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 would it be possible to make a tactical tomahawk (1 piece head/handle) by making a normal hawk with a narrow eye and inserting a bar of steel and forge welding the eye shut to/around the bar? the reason i would liike to know is because i would like to make 1 and donate it to a soldier in iraq, also i am seriously debating joining up myself and would like to have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 There are tactical tomahawks being made and they are fairly popular items. Some smiths are making them in pretty fair quantities. The particular design you have in mind probably depends on whether you have the skill level to pull it off. The "Eagle Talon" here:My link is pretty popular, but google tactical tomahawk and you'll get about 383,000 hits. Personally I would be wary of using forge welds for an item that someones life may depend upon. I would tend to favor an integral design or one with at least a monosteel head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Smith Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 I have tried to make a tactical hawk from a framing hammer but it did not turn out very well. hey bigfootnampa, I think I have heard of your shop before, like a couple of years ago. My computer would not bring up your site. Do you by any chance make a tomahawk called a Shriker or Striker or something like that? I have seen those around on different websites occasionally. -Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 It had a wooden haft, but the military had hawks that were used in Vietnam. I see one every now and again at a gun show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 Not my shop Andrew. Sorry I didn't mean to mislead anyone... the "My Link" was default and I didn't realize and change it. RMJ does make one called the "Shrike" which might be what you're thinking of. I have no connection with this shop... but I like what they do... all integral forged work. Clay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 BTW Joe DeLaRonde does some really nice traditional work, wellll quite a bit better than any antique ones I ever saw! His website used to have a lot more pics up but you can still get the idea:DeLaRonde Forge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tompdw Posted April 18, 2010 Share Posted April 18, 2010 would it be possible to make a tactical tomahawk (1 piece head/handle) by making a normal hawk with a narrow eye and inserting a bar of steel and forge welding the eye shut to/around the bar? the reason i would liike to know is because i would like to make 1 and donate it to a soldier in iraq, also i am seriously debating joining up myself and would like to have one. Check out the RMJ tomahawks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
781 Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 I watched Ryan Johnson demonstrate at SOFA 2009. Excellent smith He explained how his tactical hawks were made with a drop forge out of one piece. They were then sent off to heat treat and the owner of the heat treat company did each one to make sure they were done right. I agree I would hate to have someone depending their life on something I made especially a freind. There is heat treat issues ect. But with that said if it came down to haveing none or one I made I would rather have the one that might fail compared to none. Make a sample then try to destroy it and see how it holds up. Be sure to were safety equipment just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kube60 Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 Just a note, word is that soldiers aren't allowed to bring any weapons back. Even personal ones they brought themselves. If you make it for your friend, don't expect him to come back with it. A smith I know on another board had two knives commissioned but the buyer had to order two more and asked that they just be serviceable and left rough as they would be disposable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southernforge Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 I would suggest looking at: http://www.rmjforge.com/eagle_talon.htm . He has a very well made tactical tomahawk and includes specifications and a measured drawing: http://www.rmjforge.com/talon_specifications.htm I would humbly also suggest carefully reading his description of his thoughts and concepts behind the design and engineering issues. Note: The below image is displayed directly from its location on the eagle_talon web site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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