Materials for making tomahawk, hatchet

[Kerby]

Ok, major newbie here. Had read about Harbor Freight Ball Pein hammers being good to make tomahawks out of. I bought several of the ones that were carbon steel, but didnt purchase some of the cheapest ones made of "steel alloy". First question,  would the "steel alloy" products also work for Hawks, would they harden?

I also notice they had drilling hammers, 2 and 3 pounds made out of carbon steel for like 6 bucks. Could these be uses to make tomahawks as well?

Thanks for the help, enjoying getting started.

 

[ThomasPowers]

Without knowing WHAT "steel alloy" was used you can't tell until you try it or test it.

All steel is "carbon steel" including mild steel.  Now Medium carbon steel or High carbon steel actually tells you something...

I do not suggest working an overly large piece down unless you have access to experienced strikers or a powerhammer.  If you are starting out you may end up burning the piece or decarburizing because of the large number of heats needed to forge it down.  Personally I use fleamarket/garage sale ballpeens and have had good luck with them only 1 in 37 years has actually been an old time cheapie made from cast iron.

[Latticino]

Hawks were traditionally made from brass, wrought iron, low carbon steel, and medium carbon steel.  Sometimes they had high carbon bits welded in, or were even made completely of high carbon steel (for example, rasp hawks).  It all depends on what your eventual use will be. 

Then there is size.  In my opinion 2# is about the upper edge for a hawk, much larger and you have an axe.  Some might say that even 2# is too much.  Not sure where you read that HF ball peens are a good choice for stock.  In my experience their products vary quite a bit and you could just as easily get a mild steel hammer with a case hardened face as anything useful.  If you plan on ending up with a cutting tool, you would most likely be better served with garage/yard sale or flea market finds of an older hammer.

If used for throwing you don't necessarily need a hardened bit.  If you are going to be chopping wood or separating out a kill you might need something that will hold a better edge.

Then it is all about what process you are going to be using to modify the hammers to a hawk. I feel that when modifying hammers into hawks the eye should be drifted open to a proper larger taper so the haft can be friction fit from "above" rather than put in with a wedge (like a hammer or many axes).  If you are going to forge out the hawk from a hammer, you should certainly heat treat it (which includes all aspects of heat treatment, not just quenching to harden).  You will likely want to end up with a hawk with a hardened bit/poll and soft eye with overall fairly small grain structure.  This is not always easy to achieve with mystery metal as a beginner.

[Kerby]

Thanks guys, great information.