Author Topic: Hawk Handle  (Read 3118 times)

robert gene

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Hawk Handle
« on: August 11, 2008, 05:44:00 AM »
Does anyone have any pointers on the right way to go about makin' a hawk handle. I'd rather try to make one from some persimmon I have than buy one. Thanks.

Offline Longshot

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Re: Hawk Handle
« Reply #1 on: August 11, 2008, 03:33:39 PM »
My way:
Split out, or bandsaw, a straight grained blank roughly appropriate in thickness and about 6" longer than finished size.  Set it aside to dry  -over time, or use the oven, carefully.  Have your hawk available; check the eye for possible taper and profile , to determine whether it will be slip mounted or wedged.  Visualize the finished handle. Orient the growth rings [radials] to run in line with the blade and pole, and mark off any contours needed or desired. Mount the blank in a vise if you don't have access to a shaving horse and shape it with drawknife and/or spokeshave, reversing as needed.  If the head is to be wedged, you might find it helpful to final fit using a rasp or coarse file.  Allow the haft to pertrude thru the head a bit when fitted, leaving about a half inch if you're slip- fitting the head.  I prefer using a full width softwood wedge inserted and glued in a saw kerf cut parallel with the growth rings.  Cut off the excess lenght at the butt end -and at the head, if wedged, smooth the full lenght with a scraper or knife edge and rub in a generous coat of boiled linseed oil.
Might as well make a spare if its a throwing hawk.
~Longshot

Offline Habu

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Re: Hawk Handle
« Reply #2 on: August 11, 2008, 09:51:41 PM »
All my throwing tomahawks have tapered round eyes; a new handle is just a matter of turning a blank to size.  Takes about 5 minutes.