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Posted

I am considering making a tomahawk or hatchet. I don't have a mandrel for the handle hole. does anyone have any helpful hints on how to build a mandrel or tomahawk? What kind of steel do I need?

Posted

They're only different shaped if you want them to be different shaped. Joe Szliaski, ABS Master Smith, recommended that you actually dont want a "hawk shaped hole" for user hawks anyways because if you're in the woods and your handle breaks, it's far easier to use a square or round hole to secure the head on a makeshift handle than it is to try to carve a piece of wood to fit the typical "tear drop" shape you see on many hawks.

Posted

Gentlemen, thank you for the insights. I'm not sure if I will use a block of common steel and punch it or get a ball peen hammer. When I figure out what I will do there will be pictures.

Posted

There was a fellow in OH making/selling both hawk and hammer drifts. You might contact one of the local smithing groups there for details.

Even if you use a ballpeen hammer head you probably want to drift out the eye to make it larger.

Posted

Look at BP0163, Handled Punch, and see what the eye drifts i make look like. They fit the Cherokee brand handles the local hardware store sells pretty good. I make them from mild steel, and case harden with Kasenit if I feel like taking the time. There's different ways to make the initial hole. I was taught to slot punch, and drift to size. Figure out the circumference of the eye drift, and use a slot punch that's the same or a bit smaller. I usually use a 1/8inch by 1 inch slot punch, or a 1/8 x 7/8 for smaller holes and I get by fine. I don't know what traditional eyes are supposed to look like, I buy a case of handles and make all my hammers and set tools fit them, so everything I pick up feels natural to my hands.

Posted

You can use just about anything if the size is right.....coil spring, axle shaft, any rod off a vehicle, old pry bars. They are drifts to push out the metal to form the hole, not tempered cutting tools. I happened to have drops of 1045 that I used.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
They're only different shaped if you want them to be different shaped. Joe Szliaski, ABS Master Smith, recommended that you actually dont want a "hawk shaped hole" for user hawks anyways because if you're in the woods and your handle breaks, it's far easier to use a square or round hole to secure the head on a makeshift handle than it is to try to carve a piece of wood to fit the typical "tear drop" shape you see on many hawks.


I must respectfully disagree with Joe having dedicated most of my life to wilderness living and primitive skills. Trying to remove a broken handle from an axehead in the woods is a daunting task to say the least. Then you have to fit the head and drive a wedge in! tough stuff in my experience. I stopped carrying Gransfors Bruks axes for exactly that reason. It takes a lot less effort to taper a limb to fit a hawk and the teardrop is only needed for the last six inches or so. Historicaly, very few "Mountainmen", "Longhunters" and "Voyageurs" carried a axe when compared to a hawk. Especially when on the move. In permanent camps the axe was preferred for heavier work.

That is from my own experience... to each his own, bro. :D

Rick

I agree with drifting the eye rather than using a mandrel

***EDIT***
After reviewing the post... I could be wrong in thinking Joe meant the typical straight axe head eye... if he meant to simply use a round or square shaped "tapered" hawk eye... then I agree to some extent but the round hole could allow the head to spin during use which is dagerous.
  • 11 months later...
Posted
Here they are. They are crude and rough but I know what needs done on the next ones.


You call it crude, but I say its cool, I like the shapes/designs. :D
Posted

Pretty nice Tom.

A fighting axe isn't necessarily supposed to be pretty. Especially just a fast look seen edge on. :o

Frosty

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