Robert Mayo Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 I don't get over here much but i thought i would show this hawk.This one i made for learning purposes and forging practice. It is a wrap around made from cable and wrought iron. The head is 5" with a 1 1/2" cutting edge. The haft is 17 1/2" of an old lacrosse stick with cast in place pewter bands ,thanks to Alan L. for explaining how to do the pewter. Let me know what you think and if it needs anything else. Oh I tried to stain the haft dark but it would not take on hardly any stain. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julian Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 looks like a nice quick hawk for throwing. I really like the pewter bands on the haft, a BP on how to do that would be great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Mayo Posted July 2, 2007 Author Share Posted July 2, 2007 looks like a nice quick hawk for throwing. I really like the pewter bands on the haft, a BP on how to do that would be great! Julian this is the first time i have worked with pewter, actually it is lead free solder basically the same as lead free pewter. Alan Longmire gave me the instructions for doing the cast in place.By the way he says to say hello! With Alan's permission here are his exact words. This should be put as a tutorial someplace because i could find nothing on how to do this. Bob The way I do it, not that it's the only way, is to carve the grooves about 1/4" deep. 3/16" can work, but you risk not getting a full pour if it freezes too soon. I use a coping saw to cut the outlines of the grooves, then a narrow chisel to cut out the waste, then I clean up the edges with either a chisel or a file. Then I may drill a 13/32 hole or two through the handle inside the groove just for insurance. I've been told that the pewter will flow better if you color in the groove with a pencil, the theory being that the graphite helps the flow. I haven't noticed much difference though. The damming is done with plain boxboard, cut to have about half an inch overhang on either side of the groove. I leave the ends so they're just touching, with a little "V" cut out to leave a small hole for the funnel, which is also made of boxboard. Before I make the funnel I run several thicknesses of masking tape around the handle and boxboard to make a good seal. Don't do it too tightly, or the groove can be not filled enough. I like to have a little pewter run over between the boxboard and the wood, that way I know it's full. The funnel is just a rolled tube of the same cardboard about 1/2" in diameter. I make it narrow at the handle end, and cut two "V" notches in it. I spread the notches out to make a kind of swallowmouth shape that fits over the V-hole left in the dam, then tape the xxxx out of the junction with lots of narrow strips of masking tape, taking care that the funnel body itself has at least two thicknesses of tape on it the whole way up. It also helps if the edges of the funnel overlap a little, because masking tape burns out pretty quick! I melt the pewter in a steel ladle I made for the job over a propane torch. You want it pretty hot, but not so hot it gets that gold-sheened layer of crap on the molten surface. Sometimes I flux it with a little beeswax melted onto the ladle before I add the pewter. Skim it if you need to right before you pour, and pour as fast as you can while keeping it smooth. Fill it to the top of the funnel. It'll bubble and hiss and smoke and may even spit at you, and the tape will turn brown and sizzle. At this point, LEAVE IT ALONE! Hopefully you have it clamped in a vise, so just walk away and leave it until you can hold it over the pewtered bit with your bare hand, about 15-20 minutes. Unwrap the tape, remove the boxboard, and you'll have an ugly mess with a pewter peg where the funnel was. I saw off the peg with a coping saw, then use a fairly coarse file to remove the excess pewter and level the groove. When you're done, hopefully you'll have a nice band. If it has a few pinholes or didn't go all the way around, you might be able to save it with a big soldering iron. Repairs like that will show up, but are pretty normal on the originals so I don't worry about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Bob, if you have them, or Julian if you use the process, send me the photos and I will turn it into a Blueprint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Mayo Posted July 3, 2007 Author Share Posted July 3, 2007 Glen i did not take any photos. heck i was just glad it worked. It was a first time thing for me but the next one i will document well for a blueprint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyboy Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 hey man that is a beautiful hawk. buzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 Very cool work Robert! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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