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I Forge Iron

Tommahawk steel


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I see alot of Hawks being made of tool steel, i plan on using mild steel and adding a tool steel bit.... Is this ok, i like spike hawks! What are the pros and cons to solid tool steel vs mild with a tool steel bit? And for slit and drift method for spike hawks what size blank do you guys use? I was planning on 1x4inch square bar. Thanks guys

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Rat, I've forged  dozens of throwing hawks with A-36 mild steel. You're not forging a straight razor. It hardens more than one might think. I have never had on break or bend. The socket needs to be 1 1/4 " wide minimum to mount securely on the haft. A 1x 1 x 4 " blank will work fine. Drill a row of holes for the socket before slitting to get it straight. Spike hawks are evil and dangerous, avoid them.

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Even as late as the American Civil War steel could cost 6 times what wrought iron did and so was often used sparingly.  I have a factory made  adz where they forged it from WI and then welded a thin pad of steel on the back of the working end so that the "edge" would always be steel---pad looks to be about 1/8" thick!

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Rat, I've forged  dozens of throwing hawks with A-36 mild steel. You're not forging a straight razor. It hardens more than one might think. I have never had on break or bend. The socket needs to be 1 1/4 " wide minimum to mount securely on the haft. A 1x 1 x 4 " blank will work fine. Drill a row of holes for the socket before slitting to get it straight. Spike hawks are evil and dangerous, avoid them.

i`ve had good success with RR spikes as well as mild steel. quenched in super quench, holds an edge just fine for throwing. just remember, you are not splitting bricks. spike hawks sell better. non spike hawks throw better. IMHO.

i use digging bars, crow bars, pry bars, etc for camping hawks. usually HC steel. whatever is cheap or free.

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