muskiedaze Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 I've made a bunch of hawks over the last 6 months, both drifted, and wrapped and welded. My one attempt to add a bit failed. For most of my welded hawks I've used 1 1/4 X 1/4 inch 10/84 steel. One of the problems I'm having is trying to draw down a decent beard. If I bend the end down I lost too much metal from the uper end of the blade. Is welding in a bit piece my best option or is there a hammering technique I could use to achieve this? Thanks for your help. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Can you build the beard into your preform before wrapping and welding? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Yes... you could upset your 1 1/4" X 1/4" on one or both ends (for a wrap style) to get more material where you need it. IMO it would be easier to use thicker or wider steel and draw down the center for the wrap though. You could also upset one end for a slit and drift hawk. Or draw down the slit and drift blank from heavier stock leaving extra at the blade zone. Lotsa ways really! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muskiedaze Posted April 17, 2012 Author Share Posted April 17, 2012 Mr. Bigfoot and Mr. Powers, Do I understand correctly that what you are saying is to is to upset each end of my stock and draw it down in to a beard, then wrap and weld ? Or for a drifted hawk to upset the blade side to give me more metal at the end of the blade, and then slit and drift? Sounds good. I did forge one hawk from 5/16 stock but the walls of the socket were very thick and required alot of grinding. I didn't attempt to draw a beard on that one. Perhaps if I thin out, or draw down (like you suggest) the center portion of 5/16 stock prior to wrapping...... might just work. Thanks for your time and expertice. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 That's a way to do it you can also do something like take a longer piece and bend the end down and then forge it to form the beard if your skills can handle that. The basic idea is to get more mass on the end and shove it where you want it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 I forge most bearded axes from solid stock . but the idea is the same up set back into smaller stock or use larger stock and draw down the eye. I tend to use a bit of both. modelling clay (we call it plasticine in the uk) is a great tool for this as it behaves in a very similar way to steel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muskiedaze Posted April 18, 2012 Author Share Posted April 18, 2012 Thanks, Guys, I gave it a try. I took an 8" piece of 1 1/2 X 5/16 10/84 and upset both ends and increased the thickness about 1/8 ", and then reduced the center section for the socket to 1 1/4 X 1/4 X 4". Looks good. Tomorrow i'll wrap and weld it and see if I can draw down a decent beard. Mr. Basher, If I got a piece of that clay and got it cold could I actually hammer it to see how it moves? That would be a great help for me. Thanks, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 You are getting the idea... do not be discouraged if this one isn't quite what you'd like. You are on the right track and will get the metal to behave but it will take some practice to refine the process. Your task is not an easy one... this type forging is skilled work. Owen is among the best that I know of at this. Look at his posts here for inspiration! Some smiths will want to make a thicker area where the poll will be also to get more metal there to work with. Slitting and drifting that is easy... just leave a bit more length there... but for a wrap and weld it's a bit trickier... well there's the fun of it... the challenges seem endless! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muskiedaze Posted April 18, 2012 Author Share Posted April 18, 2012 Thank you all very much. Your advice has been very helpful. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian.pierson Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 muskiedaze, If you can handle looking at videos on your computer, take a look at this one. it might give you some ideas, while not a hawk but a bearded axe. brian pierson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 you can forge plasticine on the anvil and the similarity is freaky . I just bought a 25lb tub (my kids were missing their modelling clay...oops) I use it as a teaching tool. 30 seconds and you can go through a whole hours worth of forging process. very lightly oil your anvil and hammer you don't need a 2lb+ hammer with plasticine! All the best Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muskiedaze Posted April 18, 2012 Author Share Posted April 18, 2012 Brian, Austin.s work is very impressive, but is skill level is higher than mine will ever be. I will try an extended bit though. Thanks, the video was awesome. Owen, I'm definately gonna get some clay and try that out. I just got one of those G2 guillotines today and used the fullering tools to draw down the beard. It worked pretty good and I think with a little more practice it will hep alot. . I appreciate all the help you guys have given me. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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