A blogger with the nickname Lawyer Egorov talks about how to make a tomahawk from a railway spike using improvised means. A tomahawk, like a small hatchet, is primarily intended for chopping wood, but in some cases it can replace a knife. If it is well sharpened, then it can do delicate work.
Externally, a hand-made ax looks very impressive. It was decided not to completely sand down the forging marks, as it would look more attractive. Its cutting edge is made from a Soviet file. The ax is pierced. I stitched the eyelet with a chisel, and then gave it a cylindrical shape with a crossbar, which I forged from a bolt. Oak handle made from a tree branch. The wood was killed by vapors of ammonia. For protection, I soaked it in Rescuer ointment. This ointment contains wax oil and antiseptics.
There is a bandage on the ax handle. On one side with the words “city of military glory”, and on the other “Vyborg”. The bandage is made from a coin with a face value of 10 rubles.
The blank that was used in the project was made from scrap material. For many years, crutches have not been used on the Oktyabrskaya Railway, and therefore we had to walk several kilometers along the railway track until a rusty crutch was found.
Forging workpiece processing
The crutch was heated from the cap side. To begin with, just straighten it and make two even edges. The cooking was held in place by a clamp. This is not very convenient, it is better to use pliers. Compared to Sh15, the material of the crutch is soft, the cap was flattened in a couple of blows. The eye area was heated. Pointing a chisel at this place, he made a hole. I managed to stitch the crutch the first time, but without marking the hole was not perfectly centered. I stitched the hole, increasing the notches on both sides. The deeper the cut, the easier it was to position the chisel and workpiece.
Hot metal behaves like plasticine heated in your hands. When there was a danger of the chisel hitting the anvil, I aligned the eye with the hole in the anvil and the chisel fell into the eye. The next step is to enlarge the hole. For this you need a crossbar. It was made from a bolt. The bolt obtained in this way is not very strong, but it is enough for a hundred tomahawks. It was shaped into a cone and the tool was polished on a machine. With the help of a large hammer, the head of the crutch was finally dispersed into the future blade of the tomahawk. The next day, blacksmith pliers with angled jaws were made from improvised materials. This device holds the crutch perfectly. The impact surface of the hammer is close to spherical, it allows you to leave the largest possible dents on the surface of parts.
The rim of the tomahawk could be shaped into a flat surface like a hammer or sharpened into a claw. It was decided to make a klevets, since they are more convenient for digging the ground, splitting trees, and can be used as a wedge. With the tomahawk tip pulled out, the forging portion of the project was completed and all that was left was the metalworking.
Carpentry part of the work
The ax handle was made on a wood lathe. A sawn-off oak branch was used as a blank. A sharpened tap was used as a cutter. The second one is from a file. The cutting edge was made from a file using electric arc welding. The weld seam was cleaned using a grinder.
The cutting edge must be hardened. The length of the cutting edge is so short that it is not necessary to take into account the risk that internal stresses during hardening will tear the cutting edge. The hardening was successful, the file slides along the edge, and the ax doesn’t need anything else. Next, the ax was polished. Polished metal is easier to keep clean and more pleasant to hold. A felt circle and GOI paste were used. All that remains is to make a bandage from a coin and the project will be completed. The bandage is ready, all that remains is to polish it and you can assemble all the parts together.
We couldn’t afford to just leave this topic, and decided to figure out in detail what it is - tactical tomahawk, where did it come from and where is it used? You will be surprised, but the tomahawk as a special tactical weapon has existed in the armies of the world almost since the mid-50s.
History of the tomahawk
The tomahawk is an extremely unusual weapon for its pale-faced counterparts. Having a huge history, this type of bladed weapon remains a highlight, supplied to the troops in small quantities. But this unusual weapon today is increasingly winning the hearts of the military as a convenient and practical weapon for close combat. Why? Let's go back to history...
Tomahawk(tomahawk in English), or in other words “battle ax,” is a bladed weapon used by the Indians of North America.
The real Indian tomahawk looked completely different from what we are used to seeing in films about Indians. However, he is not even “Indian”. In pre-Columbian America, the word “tomahawk” (tomahiken, tomehogan, tummahakan, tomahak, tumahguac, etc.) meant a club with a pointed stone tip, which often served at the same time as a smoking pipe. So, during war - a weapon, during peace - a peace pipe. And the very name of the hatchet “tomahawk” in general, in fact, is not Indian, but rather European. It comes from the English transliteration of the term in various Eastern Algonquian languages. Initially, this was the name for various war clubs and clubs, and later for small iron, bronze or brass hatchets with a straight handle. Used by Native Americans as a melee weapon and for throwing.
White man's gift
The Indians initially did not use tomahawks en masse in battle or hunting, as we are used to seeing in feature films. It was the Europeans who brought iron axes to the American continent, which made an indelible impression on the locals and became one of the hottest goods: the natives gladly exchanged them for furs. Tomahawks were produced right there or imported from Europe.
Those that came to the Indians from Europe were steel, slightly modernized b
British Marines' boarding axes.
The Indians turned iron tomahawk axes from working tools into formidable weapons. They were used in close combat, they learned to throw with amazing skill, while the Indians were taught to fight with a tomahawk by European settlers who mastered the technique of using an ax during a boarding battle. The natives of America turned out to be very diligent students, and soon the trained Indian warriors were throwing a tomahawk at a distance of up to 20 meters, while accurately hitting the target. At the same time, the Indians appreciated the white man’s new weapon, because in close combat the tomahawk was more convenient than a knife and a spear, since due to the lever handle, even a weak person could inflict a terrible wound, for example, cut off a limb. Plus, due to the ax handle, which is neither long nor short, it was possible to easily operate both in a dense crowd and in one-on-one fights.
Tomahawks were used not only in war, but also in hunting - to finish off wounded animals.
The preferences of certain forms of tomahawks among Indians of different tribes changed over time and were determined by the proposals of manufacturers. In the area of the Missouri River until the middle of the 19th century, very wide, but with a relatively short handle, “Missouri battle axes” were popular. Another type, in the form of a spear or pecker, often with decorative curled appendages at the base of the blade. This "espontonic (spontonic) tomahawk" comes from a polearm with a similar name that was carried by sergeants of European armies.
To expand the market and increase demand, European blacksmiths tried to please the tastes of the natives: the decoration of blades and handles became more and more sophisticated and luxurious, and more and more new original models were invented. For example, tomahawks were made for diplomatic purposes: with artistic engraving, inlaid with gold and silver. They were presented to Indian leaders as gifts emphasizing peaceful intentions. The blades were first made of simple iron, later - of iron or brass with a steel insert of the cutting edge, made of brass. A sharp spike and a hammer were made on the butt (the back side of the blade). The most popular were tomahawks with a hollow handle and a butt with a chibouk for smoking tobacco.
The Indians themselves began to master blacksmithing only at the beginning of the 19th century, but they preferred not to bother mining ore and smelting iron, and most often simply reforged the “iron scrap” of the Europeans. They polished the handles, inlaid them with various materials, cut and burned patterns, wrapped them with strips of leather or fabric, copper wire, and painted them. And, of course, they attached various (often symbolic) decorations: feathers, porcupine quills, pieces of fur, beads, hair, human scalps. Tomahawks became a symbol of power and status among the Indians by the middle of the 19th century. Dance-ceremonial tomahawks had various pendants at the end of the handle in the form of beaded leather triangles with fringe, bells, and stripes of cloth or fur. Round mirrors could be sewn onto the latter. Tomahawks became so integral to the spiritual culture of the North American Indians that even peace pipes, which were made from the sacred red stone of Minnesota, began to be made in the form of this battle hatchet. Gift and souvenir tomahawk pipes had handles trimmed with silver, where even the silver mouthpiece was closed with a cap on a chain.
Vietnamese Tomahawk by Peter LaGrana
The tomahawk was used by European settlers: hunters, pioneers and, until the mid-19th century, by the military, along with the “belt ax” (“half-axe”), which was similar in parameters. They were in service with American troops during the Revolutionary War, the War of North and South, and the “Indian” wars.
For a long time they did not remember about this weapon, considering it lagging behind and ineffective, however Peter LaGana (Peter LaGana ), a true descendant of the Mohawk Indians, convinced the world otherwise. A former Marine, he served in World War II. After the war ended, he taught hand-to-hand combat. However, in addition to unarmed fighting techniques, he also taught tomahawk work. Information about this reached higher authorities, as a result of which in the winter of 1965 he was called to the Pentagon to demonstrate the potential of these weapons.
« The tomahawks themselves, even after playing a huge historical role during hundreds of military clashes between Indians and colonists, were used by soldiers of the American army in significant quantities during the Vietnam War in the period from 1966-1975 and gained fame as an indispensable tool and weapon for a fighter».
Despite the successful performance, combat with a tomahawk was not included in the official training program for the US Army. But Peter LaGana was already passionate about the idea of an army tomahawk and did not want to back down. A few months later, he made his own tomahawk, which had a specially shaped head, which significantly increased the combat capabilities of the weapon.
The blade of the LaGan tomahawk on the butt had the most pointed shape and could pierce a Kevlar helmet or light body armor (which, alas, was inaccessible to the knife). And thanks to its high penetrating power coupled with its weight, the tomahawk caused serious damage, even if the blow was delivered from the elbow, without investing body weight in the blow. Consequently, it could be used in narrow passages and thickets, where the fighter simply did not have room to swing.
Interestingly, five of the seven edges of the sharp part of the LaGan tomahawk were sharpened, so a blow with a tomahawk along any trajectory caused a wound to the enemy. But the most amazing thing about this ax was its balancing. Peter himself calmly threw any sharp object so that it would stick, but what could an unprepared fighter do?
Peter LaGana suggested throwing his tomahawk to untrained people, mostly women and children. As a result, a total of 870 throws were made from a distance of 4.5 to 6 meters. Having processed the data and made calculations, we found those proportions and weights that ensured almost any person a successful hit at such a range, even without special training.
Demonstration of the capabilities of the LaGrana tomahawk
The ax turned out to be so successful that the demand for it was hundreds of times greater than the supply. Therefore, LaGana opened his own company, the American Tomahawk Company, which on April 16, 1966 produced the first production model of a battle ax. LaGana now offered the tomahawk to the Marines, and on October 3, 1966, at Quantico, Virginia, he conducted the most realistic demonstration of the new tomahawk's capabilities ever conducted in the U.S. military.
The first test consisted of confronting two Marines who were armed with rifles and bayonets. LaGana insisted that the protective scabbards be removed from the bayonets. A minute later, he disarmed both attackers, although he received a cut on his right hand, but still continued the demonstration. Next, LaGana disarmed fighters with a machete, and in the third test he easily defeated an attacker with a knife. The possibility of chopping properties of a tomahawk was demonstrated on mannequins.
At the end of the tests, he showed how easy and effective it is to throw a tomahawk, including at a moving enemy, for this his best friend Kon Novak attached a wooden shield to his chest. Upon completion of the tests, all eighteen Representatives of the Marine Corps who were part of the commission bought themselves tomahawks. But the response from the US Marine Corps command was as follows: “ In order for a tomahawk to be accepted for service, it is necessary that it replace one or more elements from the individual set of equipment of the Marine, therefore this weapon will not be accepted for service».
However, thanks to the efforts of the officers on the commission, the military was allowed to purchase tomahawks privately and carry them as weapons. Of the more than 4,000 tomahawks manufactured by the American Tomahawk Company before its closure in 1970, 3,820 were purchased by Marines serving in the Vietnam conflict. Thanks to this, the LaGan tomahawk received the nickname “Vietnamese tomahawk.”
Tomahawk in the modern army
It is interesting that the tomahawk was also considered by the Soviet command as a weapon, however when conducting tests sapper shovel almost as effective as a battle ax, so it was decided to leave everything as it is.
Tomahawks only surface again during the US Operation Just Cause in Panama. There, drug cartel bandits actively used not only machetes, but also battle axes in hand-to-hand clashes, from which more than forty fighters were injured or killed. A light and maneuverable ax in dense thickets was several times more effective than a bayonet.
During Desert Storm, fighters are faced with the difficulty of entering premises; doors have to be broken open with improvised means or blown up. Complaints from soldiers do not reach the command or the command does not pay attention to them. Therefore, it was not uncommon for soldiers to carry huge red fire axes.
Tomahawk VTAC
The tomahawk experienced a true revival only after 2000, this time as a full-fledged element of a fighter’s equipment. A year later, the American Tomahawk company began operating again, headed by Andy Prisco, who, with the support of the already elderly Peter LaGan, began mass production of the “Vietnamese tomahawk” - VTAC.
The popularity of this ax exceeds all imaginable standards and a true boom in this weapon begins. However, major changes have been made to the design of the modern tomahawk, and are produced in two versions:
- tomahawks that have handles made of polymer, which significantly reduces the weight of the axe, and the ax itself is made of tool steel;
- tomahawks that have a one-piece design, where the ax and ax handle are cut from a single sheet of metal.
The first version of the ax is more mobile, as it allows you to quickly and easily replace one blade with another, for example, with a different blade shape, and is also ideal in hand-to-hand combat as it is lightweight, while the second version provides high structural strength and is more suitable for heavy work for opening doors or breaking through barricades.
Since 2003 tomahawk VTAC Along with a sledgehammer, wire cutters and a crowbar, it is included in the so-called Modular Entry Tool Set, which is included in the equipment of each special forces unit of the US Army. In addition, VTAC tomahawks are included in the equipment of a number of infantry units and the 75th Ranger Regiment.
The VTAC Tomahawk is also assigned the state inventory number NSN 4210-01-518-7244, that is, it is included in the list of equipment approved for purchase by US government agencies. Tomahawks from other manufacturers also find their consumers among military personnel and employees of various law enforcement agencies.
Prospects for the tomahawk as a tactical weapon
Currently, countless modifications of these axes (including the “Vietnamese” one) are produced by Western companies. Many modern models of axes with this name are designed for military use. Military tomahawks made of excellent steel were widely used by the Americans in Afghanistan and Iraq.
But what did the military find in the tomahawk? Of course, first of all, its versatility. With an ax you can perform a wide range of jobs, and not just blow off the enemy’s heads. The pointed spike on the butt of the tomahawk easily opens both metal barrels and truck tires reinforced with steel belts. You can cut through the doors of houses, knock down locks, make holes in brick walls using a long spike, climb walls (rocks and trees) and simply use them for household needs and as a survival tool, along with the same tactical knives or “multi-tools”.
Well, as a melee weapon, the tomahawk is many times superior to a regular bayonet, especially when shooting from a rifle or pistol is impossible or undesirable (where ammunition or fuel is stored).
The most common modern tactical army tomahawks today weigh just under 500 g, the length of the handle is 14 cm, and on the butt there is a pointed spike about 8 cm long, which can be used as a chisel when opening doors.
Of course, a tomahawk is not a weapon suitable for everyone or for every occasion. But taking into account the need for high skill in working with such weapons, and the opportunities that it provides, we can definitely say that the tomahawk is the choice of exclusively professionals.
In this publication I will tell you how to make a real one from an ordinary tomahawk, which are sold in large quantities on Internet auctions, and which are not distinguished by their beauty and originality. ax tomahawk, with the blade of a real battle-worn axe.
Tomahawk modification
I once bought a mass-produced tomahawk overnight. I've always wanted to buy one and came across the site and discovered that they were actually affordable. About $30 with delivery. And several different styles to choose from. I chose the Cold Steel Trail Hawk.
It came in the mail and I was shocked at how boring it looked. So I decided to make a few changes. How beautiful everything turned out is for you to judge.
Step 1. Source materials
So this is what I received in the mail. Blade with a simple handle (I ordered a spare one too). The ax blade is painted black. Like I said...boring.
The first step is to remove the blade from the handle. My model had a small hex bolt on the side of the blade. I found the right hex wrench and unscrewed it. Using a mallet, I removed the blade from the handle.
Step 2: Remove paint from blade
So the first thing I did was remove the paint from the metal blade. I used paint remover that I got from the hardware store. I coated the metal with the compound and then wrapped it in plastic wrap. The paint was somewhat hard, but it came off completely in a few procedures.
Handle this composition with care - if it gets on your skin, it causes a chemical burn!
After all the paint was removed, I washed it with plain soap and water.
Step 3. Boil the ax blade in vinegar
Yes, you read that right. I wanted to finish the blade to make it look old. After searching the topic online, one of the easiest and least toxic methods I found was to simply boil it in white vinegar.
I don't have any photo of the ax before processing, but the ax was a plain metal color. I simmered it in plain white vinegar for 20 minutes and the blade developed a black, ashy coating.
WARNING: Boiling vinegar will fill your home with an overwhelming odor. I didn't mind it, but my wife did!
I used an old camping pot that was due for retirement anyway.
Once the blade was cool, I used a regular kitchen sharpener to sharpen the blade. This added brightness to the metal along the sharpening bevels.
Processing will also reveal marks and markings on the blade.
Some other finishing methods include using "blueing" or "phosphating". Heck, you can even just repaint the blade any color you want.
Step 4. Put the blade on the handle
At that moment I noticed how the ax fits to the handle. To be honest, it was done badly - the sharp edges around the hole where the handle passed through the blade left marks on the handle. I used a thin file and removed the excess metal around the hole.
I also used a sander with some fine sanding paper to reshape the leading edge. This not only improved the appearance of the wide bevel, but also made the ax sharper.
I also sanded off the old grip finish and re-sanded the grip to a high-gloss shine. But keep in mind not to remove too much wood from the handle and metal from the hole - otherwise the blade will simply slide off the handle.
Step 5. With the handle on
At this point, I have sanded the factory piece and intend to finish the handle. I used my stain to get the deeper color I wanted. Two layers.
I also used a wood carving kit to draw the four-way ray symbol. But you could draw or cut out any symbol that you like the design of.
I would also like to have a lanyard hole at the end of the handle to make the tomahawk more secure in the hand. I went to a hobby store and bought 1/4 inch OD brass tubing. I drilled a 1/4″ hole and cut a piece of pipe to fit the length. I used a fine file and then just sandpaper to shape the brass so it was flush with the handle.
Once I had all that done, I coated the handle with polyurethane varnish to give it a waterproof finish. Two layers. I used hangers as shown in the photo while I applied the coating.
You can use a wide range of paint materials for the handle. There are various dyeing techniques to add or change color. Ink, paints, etc. Instead of using varnishes, you can also coat the pen with various penetrating oils.
Step 6. Finally everything is together.
Once all the parts were well modified, it was time to fit the ax onto the handle. Slide the blade over the handle until it becomes tight. To get a tight fit, grab the handle directly under the axe. Now hit the base of the handle with a rubber or wooden mallet. This will seat the ax on the handle. Further use will take place in this position, so secure the blade with a screw and you're done!
Insert a lanyard or sling into the brass hole at the base of the handle, there are a great many of their options and varieties! Your tomahawk ready!
When you hear the word “tomahawk,” many people immediately think of Indians. Indeed, this type of ax was masterfully used by North American aborigines. Reading books about Indians, it is difficult to escape the impression that the small steel hatchet is an original Indian invention. In fact, the Indians only gave their name to this axe, and it itself arrived in America along with the colonists.
The first axes among the Indians of the pre-Columbian era were made of stone, mounted on a long handle, often flexible or made of willow twigs. This ax was a hybrid of an ax and a club and was used in war and in everyday life. Naturally, due to its unreliable design, such weapons were inferior to spears. Seeing the sharp steel axes of the settlers, and receiving several in exchange, the Indians were delighted and called them “what they cut with” (tamahaken). When Europeans heard this word, they pronounced it “tomahawk.”
Varieties of Indian tomahawk ax
Although the tomahawk for ordinary people is associated with the so-called “Missouri axe,” the type of tomahawk could be different, in particular:
- Celts. The very first iron tomahawks, which were driven into the handle with a butt. The same group includes celts with a point, more like klevets;
- Ear tomahawks. Exactly those that were advertised by cinema and books about Indians. They were otherwise called “Missouri axes” and were a traditional form of an ax with an eye. Used for combat operations, very rarely in everyday life (mainly for quickly cutting up carcasses);
- Pipe tomahawks. They could be of any type, but they had a special feature - a channel along the entire length of the handle. Often richly decorated, they were rarely used in battle due to the hollow handle. Their main purpose was in diplomatic ceremonies between tribes, often given as a sign of friendship;
- Esponton tomahawks. They were a mixture of esponton and axe. Most likely, they were remade from espontons taken in battles with settlers;
- Halberd tomahawks. They were brought from Spain and were either shortened halberds or hatchets made according to the same pattern. The rarest variety, the North American Indians had them mainly among the leaders, emphasizing their status.
Along with these models, there were homemade tomahawks. They were usually made from standard models.
The appearance of steel tomahawks among the Indians
The first metal axes were traded by settlers for furs. Having quickly learned to wield tomahawks, the natives surpassed their teachers in this art. The Indians learned the basics of using a tomahawk from British sailors who used axes in naval battles during boardings. Moreover, the Indians were able to master throwing techniques, forgotten in Europe since the times of the Franks, and even surpass the ancient Europeans. Throwing masters could throw several tomahawks in a couple of seconds. The Missouri type of ax was most suitable for throwing. The Spanish halberd-type ax was suitable only for close combat. The ax could be thrown at a distance of up to 20 meters.
A new surge in the popularity of tomahawks occurred in the 2000s, in connection with the military operations of the US Army in the east. It was perfect for opening doors. Nowadays, so-called “tactical” tomahawks are produced by many companies and everyone can choose an ax based on their needs.
Disadvantages of modern models
Modern industry produces many types of tomahawks for every taste. From the frankly predatory SOG m48, to the quite peaceful-looking Jenny Wren Spike, advertised as women's. In general, modern tomahawks can be divided into three groups:
- Identical. Such axes are produced only by Cold steel. They are a forged hatchet on a wooden handle, put on using the reverse insertion method;
- Tomahawks attached to a plastic handle. This is the notorious SOG m48 and similar models;
- Tomahawks, cut from a single piece of metal, with pads in the handle area.
Let's take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of each type.
The identical tomahawks are a classic ax design that has remained unchanged for hundreds of years. Usually they are made independently or ordered from blacksmiths. Despite their inconspicuous appearance, they are a formidable weapon, proven in many battles over the centuries. They are distinguished by a simple design, perfect balancing, the ability to adjust the handle specifically to your hand, and ease of repair. The ax itself is “indestructible”, and the handle is easy to make with your own hands.
Tomahawks on a plastic handle have a very menacing appearance. Thanks to their light weight, they can be used at high speed. The butt is often made in the form of a pecker, a hammer, or even a second blade. During operation, these axes revealed many shortcomings. The round handle often rotates in the hand when striking, which is why the blow turns out to be sliding. It is absolutely not suitable for throwing, despite the assurances of the sellers (the handle breaks after several hits against a tree). Practically unsuitable for household work. This type of tomahawk is better suited for intimidation than for serious work.
One-piece tomahawks can be called an ax with great stretch. Rather, these are blades shaped like an ax. Due to the design features and low weight of the working part, they are not capable of performing the role of a powerful piercing weapon. It rubs your hand a lot when using it. Their only advantage is their solid structure, which is very difficult to break.
If you want to purchase a truly real combat tomahawk, choose identical ones from Cold steel, or better yet, make it yourself or order it from a blacksmith.
Cold steel tomahawks
The Cold steel company has become famous for the production of knives, axes, swords and other weapons, which are a symbiosis of the best ancient models with the latest developments. Cold steel tomahawks are forged from 1055 steel and are capable of chopping and throwing. Despite its good reputation, like any serial product, it may need improvement. It is not uncommon for the ax to have play on the handle, and it happens that it does not fit well in the hand. When purchasing, you should carefully inspect the purchased product, and after purchase, carry out a test cut. If you need to mount the ax better, use leather and coat it with epoxy resin. If possible, try making a tomahawk yourself.
Drawing for making a tomahawk with your own hands
There are two ways to make your own tomahawk:
- Forging method;
- Using a donor axe, a grinder and an electric sharpener.
Let's take a closer look at these two methods, after which we'll figure out how to make a handle.
To forge an ax you will need a forge and an anvil. A forge can be made from an old saucepan by drilling holes in the bottom and partially cutting off the side walls. To blow air in, you can use an old vacuum cleaner or a computer fan. A piece of old rail is suitable as an anvil.
For the ax, 65g metal is suitable. An alternative source of steel is to reforge a car spring. First, a rectangle of suitable thickness is forged, and an eye hole is made in it using a chisel or punch. Then the workpiece is given the desired shape using a forge (or ordinary) hammer. The workpiece is hardened, after which metalworking is carried out.
The hardening of a forged tomahawk should be zone-hardening - the blade is hardened, but the butt is usually not hardened. After metalworking, the ax is mounted on a previously prepared ax handle.
To make a tomahawk you will need a donor - an ordinary ax. As a first prototype, you can take a cheap Chinese ax. It just won't make a quality instrument. Although if you are afraid of ruining a high-quality ax, you can try it in Chinese.
If you want a quality tomahawk, use old Soviet forged axes. Axes from army warehouses of the forties and fifties enjoy good fame.
First you need to make a drawing of a tomahawk. To do this, the donor is placed on a sheet of paper and traced along the contour. This drawing is then given the desired shape. The next operation will be to transfer the drawing from paper to an ax. Having drawn the desired shape on the axe, you should trim off the excess metal using a grinder. Be sure to wear safety glasses and gloves when cutting. Do not cut too quickly, otherwise the metal will overheat and lose its hardening. It is recommended to periodically cool the part with water. After trimming, the workpiece is sharpened on an electric sharpener and polished. If you have a Dremel, you can decorate the ax with a message or design. If the metal overheats during the work, the ax needs to be hardened again.
Making a handle for a tomahawk
Typically, ax handles are made of birch, but for a tomahawk it is better to choose a different wood. Cold Steel uses hickory wood for its tomahawk handles. In our latitudes, the best wood for an ax is ash. It is not inferior in strength to oak and at the same time has good flexibility. You can use dogwood, pear and cherry plum.
I am interested in martial arts with weapons and historical fencing. I write about weapons and military equipment because it is interesting and familiar to me. I often learn a lot of new things and want to share these facts with people who are interested in military issues.
How the American Indians and ancient blacksmiths made the fierce and fantastic tomahawk.
Joe Schilaski
From the moment I saw my first cowboys and Indians movie, tomahawks made a huge impression on me, as they did on a lot of guys in those days.
The first time I personally saw an Indian tomahawk was when the show “Indian West” came to our town.
The tomahawk that the author made as a working instruction for this chapter is based on a well-preserved photograph of the weapon taken in 1793. It belonged to Lieutenant Duke and had a multi-faceted butt with double chevrons. The eye (where the handle passes through the head of the tomahawk) was decorated with silver plates in the shape of a diamond. The blade had an engraving and a beautifully carved ash-colored handle.
Maybe you saw a similar tomahawk in the movie "The Patriot" starring Mel Gibson. The props used in this film were also based on a 1793 tomahawk, which was reproduced by the author. This is the author's version.
In the 60s, I mastered the profession of a blacksmith at a technical school in Hungary. I was among the lucky ones who could learn this profession from several masters of their craft. My first mentor taught me how to make knives, cutlasses and hatchets. By learning how to make these tools, I was able to fulfill my life's dream of making a tomahawk.
Tomahawks and their history still fascinate me. While most of the hatchets I make now are one-of-a-kind showpieces, they are all fully hardened, balanced, and, as tools, are fully functional weapons. In them I combined modern and traditional methods of tomahawk production.
These terms are generally used to describe the main parts of the tomahawk head. Using them, the author explains the process of creating a tomahawk.
The basic form of the tomahawk is the hatchet, one of the most advanced designs developed by mankind. Today we can fly to the moon, but we still use axes. In some parts of our country axes are still a part of daily life, and the tomahawk has its rightful place in modern warfare.
The tomahawk I have made for you is a replica of the weapon shown in the 1793 photograph. It belonged to Lieutenant Duke and had a multi-faceted butt with two chevrons. The eye (where the handle passes through the head of the tomahawk) was decorated with silver plates in the shape of a diamond. The blade had an engraving and a beautifully carved ash-colored handle. You may have seen a similar tomahawk in the movie The Patriot starring Mel Gibson. The props used in the film were also based on weapons from the period.
Over the years I have made several tomahawks similar to the 1793 model. The display piece for this article will be forged from Damascus steel with a free pattern and will eventually become a collector's item. I don't know of any tomahawks of that time that were made of Damascus steel, but that doesn't mean there weren't any.
Because the head of this tomahawk is forged from Damascus steel, some of the work steps are different from those used to make a traditional non-Damascus tomahawk. Instead of piercing the eye, I drill it and file it to the desired shape. Instead of using fuller tools to reduce the size of the neck and under-eye area of the blade, I sand and file them. Although rolling is easier and saves time, sanding and filing alters the original damask pattern, creating a beautiful and visually appealing contrast.
Making this tomahawk, no matter what steel it is made from, requires a lot of handwork. After welding the Damascus billet, the head is hand forged to the desired shape. Its parts are manually cut out on steel with a file, and the handle is manually cut and installed. Of course, I use some power tools that blacksmiths didn't have in 1793, but that doesn't exclude a few days of manual work.
Preparing the bill for forging
The first step to making a project tomahawk is preparing the bill. I prefer to forge Damascus steel from high carbon steels such as 1095 and 15N20 due to their significant carbon and other chemical content, which provides a beautiful contrast to the Damascus pattern.
Curling is one way of manipulating steel to create a specific type of design or damask pattern.
In addition to the beautiful contrast, these two types have become quite comparable, that is, they weld well together. The comparability of the two different types of steel you choose to make Damascus steel makes a huge difference. So far I have had good results using this combination of steels, but sometimes I use other types of steel to make Damascus. Each blacksmith has his own favorite types of steel. That's how it should be. What works for me may not necessarily work for others.
Before making a Damascus billet, the layers of steel must be cleaned either by sandblasting or grinding. After cleaning, the steel is cut to the required size. I forge two bills, each 1 1/4" tall, 1 1/4" wide and 8" long. First layers of 1095 steel are laid into the billet, then layers of 15N20 steel. I repeat this sequence until the number of layers reaches the number needed to start working. In this case, AND layers of steel are quite enough to prepare the material for forging a tubular-type tomahawk.
Each billet is tied with wire to hold the layers of steel together during the first weld. To fix the ends of the billet and hold the steel more firmly, some blacksmiths use electric welding. I prefer to tie the billet with wire, but that's my personal preference.
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