December 5, 200619 yr I've had it on my mind to forge myself a tomahawk drift. Those cast ones that you buy have a tear-drop shaped cross section. I have some 1.25" round that would work, but I'm having a hard time picturing how to forge a tapered tear-drop. Any ideas? :confused:
December 5, 200619 yr It doesn't have to be tear drop shaped, but it is important that it has 1/8" of taper per 1" of drift length. Average finished size of a tomahawk eye is 1-1/8" x 1-5/8". I really like the flattened octagon shape. Basicaly rectangular with the corners chamfered. A pieced together rectangular drift can be made by forging 4 pieces of flat stock on edge to the 1/8" per 1" taper, and welding them together.
December 6, 200619 yr A teardrop is an oval that has been "pulled" on one side. Visualize a round, tapered punch and flattened to an oval. This can be done by hand or in a very large swage, i.e., a 1" punch can be put between 3" round swage halves (if they meet) and forged oval. At this point, the tapered oval is forged on one side so the the narrow side of the teardrop forms. The punch can start curving away from the hammer blows during this operation and has to be kept straight. You have now forged a tapered, teardrop punch.
December 6, 200619 yr Author Thank you for thr information. I'm going to give that a try this Saturday.
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