Was doing some cleaning up the other day, and took a tomahawk inventory. Admittedly, they are not all "tomahawks" in the strictest sense of the word. But I am posting them here for your visual (hopefully) enjoyment.
This is a hand forged axe with a hand carved handle. It was a gift from a close friend. He did not know the maker, but it does have a maker's mark on the face of the blade. It has a great feel and look. Handles well.
This is the maker's mark. Does anyone recognize it?
This is a small belt 'hawk that I re-ground from an old H&B. Got rid of the "beard," which I personally don't care for. I made the handle from a piece of curly maple; stained with leather dye, waxed and oiled it, then promptly cut the handle too short. I solved the problem by casting a pewter end cap onto it. I like the look, and it actually balances better with the pewter cap.
Number 4 is a cast "Fort Meigs" belt axe head, hafted by Mike Beathe. I traded for it at Fort Bridger a few years back. Made a little "button-hole" sheath for it.
Five is another 'traded for' item acquired from Tail Gunner at Fort Caspar, WY about 20 years ago. We were attending the World Atlatl Championship there, and TG had it on his blanket. I couldn't resist. Looks like the hatchet owned by Sgt Gass of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery.
A Joe De La Ronde "Trapper's Axe" purchased from Lietzau about 37 years ago. A great little "user."
Cast brass head with steel insert bit. A gift from my son. He bought it for me when he was eight or thereabouts (probably with Mom's help). I painted the handle with red and yellow earth stains.
Another Joe De La Ronde tomahawk. His "Colonial" tomahawk, purchased about the same time as the Trapper's axe.
Brass headed pipe hawk. I got the head as a gift from a guy in Germany who was getting rid of all of his stuff and moving to Africa. Got a pre-drilled CM stem, cast a pewter end on it and used a hollow bone bead for the mouth piece. A buckskin gasket seals the smoke hole.
My wife's belt axe. Again, a gift. The blade is Damascus, very lightweight and thin, short handle. It has gotten a lot of use over the years, and she has even thrown it, although thankfully not at me.
Close up of wife's axe head.
None of these were made from scratch by me, but I assembled some, and modified others to my liking. I hafted a small Tinker's Hammer with the handle that originally came on the H&B.
Thanks for looking, --JB
