Ron Hicks Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 I want to make a Tomahawk from a ballpeen and wondering how I should work it at the forge? Also whats a good size for the eye - thinking about 16 oz. or 24 oz. ballpeen Im not worth a flip at forge welding Thanks Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 it works pretty good ive seen it done a few times ... just find a old ballpeen with a good sized eye forge the hammer head out at a yellow heat forge the ball end into a smalll hammer head, harden and temper.. good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 I just did this one the other day, and left the eye alone, working around it, just a little hammer control and it comes out pretty decent, even if you accidently whack it, and I did, it's fairly easy to fix with a drift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 I always drift out the eye larger to make handles last longer. I also use a hammer handle drift as it's easier/cheaper to buy hammer handles than hawk handles. I start by drifting with a bull pin as they are much tougher than my HH drift that was cast. A good size is one you can fit handles to easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawnee1 Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 Morning Ron, I've made a few and I start at the ball, forge it square and that gives you a good handle to forge the blade. I posted in the gallery (pawnee 1) some pics of ones I made, the first two, 32 oz head, were for reenactors the were doing the Lewis & Clark trip. The straight spike was a 16 oz head. Have fun with them. Pawnee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Hicks Posted December 10, 2008 Author Share Posted December 10, 2008 I was thinking about making the eye bigger in the ballpeen - wanting a bigger stronger handle. I have some big punches I could drive through or should I use a punch that fits and draw the sides??? Thanks Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 I have 3 sets of horseshoers tongs that have the round bits with a dimple inside them, usually one of them will fit the hammer peen for holding it and forging the other end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsilver4 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 (edited) Hi it's been quite a while since I posted on here,I have made many many of these,I drift the eyes out with a teardrop drift.Here,s one I did recently-16 oz.--Regards Butch Edited December 12, 2008 by rsilver4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle Brooks Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 nice. Heres mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrous Beuler Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Hi it's been quite a while since I posted on here,I have made many many of these,I drift the eyes out with a teardrop drift.Here,s one I did recently-16 oz.--Regards Butchrsilver4, that is an extremely beautiful hawk. What did you do to affect the notches along the top of it, could you describe that for us??? Filing while hot??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.Willis Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Here's one from a 24 oz ball peen. I drifted it with a larger oval drift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipeliner32 Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Great work S. Willis Pipeliner32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsilver4 Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 The notches are filework on the front edge,vine and thorns-I used needlefiles before I tempered the edge----Thanks Butch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsilver4 Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Here's one from a 24 oz ball peen. I drifted it with a larger oval drift. Beautiful as always Stu,youda hawkman fo sho:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Hicks Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 So get the drift in the eye and draw it on the anvil? Great Hawks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howie Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Whenever I look at peoples work on these kind of sites, it always amazes me to no end what can be done with so little materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.Willis Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 So get the drift in the eye and draw it on the anvil? Great Hawks Ron, I use to drift across my vise. I open the jaws enough to accept the round part of the hammer and the drift. Then start drifting rotating side every other heat until the last few heats and then drift from just one side. I now drift on a stand I made just for this. Here is a couple pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Hicks Posted December 14, 2008 Author Share Posted December 14, 2008 (edited) Thanks I forged one today from a 24oz and use my homemade drift. My drift I left one side straight and tappered the others. It worked but makes the eye angle off from the blade- I think I finally straightened it will know after it slow cools. That was enough of that I ordered a ductil iron drift. You have a pic. of the drift that you use? Should I drift the eye first ?? Thanks Edited December 14, 2008 by Ron Hicks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.Willis Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 I drift the eye first on ball peens and stock. Heres some pics of a few of my drifts The one on the left I made to open the eye a little before drifting with the store bought drift. The eyes on the ball peens are a little smaller. Heres another shot Here is how I line everything up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Hicks Posted December 14, 2008 Author Share Posted December 14, 2008 What do you think - kinda odd lookin I may flatten out the spike or cut it off I think I can work the eye with files and square the handle to the head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.Willis Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 looks good Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Hicks Posted December 15, 2008 Author Share Posted December 15, 2008 I think I have it now What kind of steel could it be S7? It was a Vaughan ballpeen. I had anealed it last night and able to file on it but slow goin. I got greedy and tried my angle grinder on the bottom of the spike. Im glad thats the only spot I ground on . Think I can get it with a new file. How should I harden and temper this thing?? I made a few knives from springs and races. Thanks Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 How did you anneal it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsilver4 Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 I drift the eye first on ball peens and stock. Heres some pics of a few of my drifts The one on the left I made to open the eye a little before drifting with the store bought drift. The eyes on the ball peens are a little smaller. Heres another shot Here is how I line everything up. Stu,I leave the drift in, put in the vise and use a piece of pipe to line the blade up.nanana my way is better--:DButch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.Willis Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 But Butch, Listen to me. If the blade is parallel with the eye as this one is. Note that the spike is leaning the left. When you heat it back up and hit it with your pipe it is going to marr the side of the head!!! duh huh:D Ron I have been told most ball peen hammers are L6 or 1045. Normalize a couple times before heat treating. I heat mine to non-magnetic,quench in trans fluid that is preheated to 140 degrees. Then draw back to a blue color. I only edge quench about 1/2 inch up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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