Another 'Hawk

Church & Son

Well-Known Member
I have an old photo of a tomahawk where the haft was wrapped with metal. Maybe a repair or like me a terrible thrower and it saved a lot of haft changes. I took it as the latter and also added wrought iron chunks to the bottom and top with iron nails made from some mild steel to save the ends from those less than perfect throws.
The head is wrap and weld, the iron was a brace from a horse drawn wheat cutter.(My secret scrap yard) Forged and welded in charcoal then hot filed and the edge quenched in brine water.

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The head is 6″ with a 2″ edge
The haft is 19″ long, Sweetgum from the woodpile. Drawknifed, toasted and scraped.
The metal wrap is from old roof flashing that I beat a pattern in from the back, scalloped the edges and nailed it on with some homemade square head tacks.
The rawhide wrap and thongs are some of my deer hides.

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These 'Hawks are addictive......Randy
 
Tin Man meets Ten Bears. Very nice. A unique piece, but yours always are!

Have we seen that Bowie before? Do tell....
 
What a chopper! Jumping out from the pages of history. One gets chills thinking of hundreds of warriors emerging from the shadows armed with such hawks. Outstanding style!
 
Have we seen that Bowie before? Do tell.
Not yet Brother, maybe soon. Thanks Grafton

Thanks Troy, after this last trip I feel like the pages of history run over me. Snowing there yet?...Randy
 
Me and that Bowie already have history, I drove a truck to Texas to do a show and of course I had a bag of knife stuff to piddle with at night in the hotel, never once crossed my mind I was flying back (VooDoo calls it oldheimers) until I got to the airport with this Bowie, a couple of 'Hawks, needles, beads, leather shears, razor knife, ect. and the TSA agent did not think kindly of it. SO I had to walk over to UPS and mail the bag home. The pat down was fun, I wanted to go back threw the line......
And to all of our friends in Texas I have a new saying " It does not matter where you start, when you get to the Texas state line, you are half way there"........Randy
 
Hey Randy,
I have been waiting for a post from you and gotta say I am not disappointed. Very creative and love your reasoning for some of the fixtures. I honestly believe your work gets better with each post. Not that any of the former post were lacking. I share the same feeling when it comes to making the hawks, can't wait to start another. Looking forward to seeing that bowie again. Wade
 
SNOW! Soon enough I fear. Wade doesn't know it yet but the tribe and I are gonna camp on his front lawn all winter.:lol:
 
Just throw your tipi and air conditioner on your horse and head down. Wade
Party at Wades house. Follow the blue haired snowbirds!
Thanks for the kind words Wade. Henry Ford said it took 10,000 hours to get good at anything, so maybe we are approaching at least fair.I know when I gave up trying to please the world and started doing what I wanted to do this "hobby" became a lot more enjoyable.....Randy
 
"I know when I gave up trying to please the world and started doing what I wanted to do this "hobby" became a lot more enjoyable"
Randy,
Well said. I couldn't agree more. Wade
 
Thanks Terry, I study these old pictures and think about how many didn't make the reservation studios. The ones made by a blacksmith from scrap iron, handled from the firewood pile and used and abused until there was nothing left. Or repaired for another season with whatever was available. That's the ones I'd like to see in the museums......Randy
 
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