fitting a handle to a hawk question

BarryC

Well-Known Member
I have made my first hawk and am trying to get a good fit on the handle. I can slide it to within about 3 inches of the end of the handle and it stops there. I know I will have to remove material from either the eye of the handle. Is it better to one or the other or a combination of both? I'm thinking a confirmation of both but wanted to make sure before I get too crazy on the files. One other question is about the head wanting to wiggle a little once I get it pushed as far up on the handle as I can get it. By wiggle I mean I can hold the handle still and rock the head up and down. How is a good way to keep it from wiggling? Wet a piece of leather and wedge it in?

Here is a pic of the hawk head so you know it happened....

attachment.php
 
Did you use a drift that matches the angles/tapers of the handle, or did you just do a fold-over/weld of the steel? If the walls of the eye are parallel to each other, you won't be able to get a tight fit on the tapering handle without adding shims....and that isn't a good solution.

Is the wood contacting the eye on the sides or front and rear? Where is the pivot point when you have the handle installed?
 
I did use a drift it after I folded and welded it. But this being my first one I sure my process wasn't exactly right. The pivot point is near the middle of the eye. I have contact in several places mostly on the sides and back of the eye. I heated it up this weekend and worked on the eye a little and got the wiggle out so it sits on and just need to remover either from the eye or the handle or both.
 
Back
Top