Author Topic: Pole axe or hawk??  (Read 1441 times)

Offline scottmc

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Pole axe or hawk??
« on: January 28, 2020, 01:00:38 AM »
A member of our club sadly passed away recently and this hawk was in his collection and his wife knows nothing about it.  He did collect indian artifacts in his rendezvousing days so were not sure if it's original or something made in the modern era.  If anyone can shed some light on it, I would appreciate it immensely.  The only mark is a stamped H that you see.  Thanks in advance!

Scott





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Offline Elnathan

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Re: Pole axe or hawk??
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2020, 01:20:10 AM »
I vote for modern made - the eye is perfectly round, without a little gap where the eye would normally be welded up, which suggests that it was made by slotting a piece of steel and then opening it up, despite what looks like a weld line near the eye.  A really skilled blacksmith might be able to weld up an eye without that gap, but the rest of the workmanship is pretty rough and it seem pretty unlikely that someone would go through all that trouble to get a perfectly round eye and then leave the rest of the piece so unfinished. The first (and so far only) hawk I ever made was formed by slotting a piece of O-1 bar with a chisel and then opening up the eye with a wedge, and IIRC it looks very much like the one you have here. It is in storage right now so I can't go double check, sadly.

(If that IS a weld line near the eye, that is an unusual way of making an eye for an old piece, I think.)

I don't think that is a steel bit welded on (though it is likely deferentially hardened), and the overall proportions and the rough finish straight from the forge also suggest a modern piece as well.
A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition -  Rudyard Kipling

Offline scottmc

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Re: Pole axe or hawk??
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2020, 01:58:18 AM »
Elnathan, thanks for your reply!  Knowing nothing about hawks or axes myself, the edge looked a little different to me as did the seam that u mention by the eye.  If anyone else has anything to share, please do.

Scott
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Offline BOB HILL

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Re: Pole axe or hawk??
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2020, 05:23:24 PM »
A friend of mine who is not a blacksmith made one once that was made by arc welding a blade onto a piece of pipe he carefully ground out his weld and it looked much like the second photo when enlarged
Bob
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Offline JLBSparks

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Re: Pole axe or hawk??
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2020, 07:02:52 PM »
I made a similar looking one years ago. Round 4140 ferrule and 1/4" A2 blade. Heat treated without the stainless wrap and it came out all rough and scaly.
I never did grind out the weld marks, though. That was a dead giveaway that it wasn't really old.

    -Joe

Smokey Plainsman

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Re: Pole axe or hawk??
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2020, 09:38:54 PM »
Mmmm mini wheats!

Online Tim Crosby

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Re: Pole axe or hawk??
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2020, 01:51:39 AM »
 Looks familiar, made this one in Shop Class about '63 or '64, Arc welded. Dang that was a Fun time!
 It has been through many hafts, the Nylon tape has kept it going through 7 Grandkids :)

   Tim C. 
 

« Last Edit: February 02, 2020, 01:55:33 AM by Tim Crosby »