How do you attach a steel bit to a brass tomahawk?

[David Rase]

Between just completing an English style presentation pipe axe as a raffle prize for my local blackpowder club and reading the axe head question posted by CaptJoel, I got to thinking about brass headed pipe axes.  I have a couple of brass cast pipe axe heads I would like work on and need to know how you attach a steel bit to a brass tomahawk.  Any info would be appreciated.
DMR

[LRB]

  I would do it with a snug dovetail fit and silver braze it. The steel bit could be heat treated before brazing and the edge protected in a shallow pan of water while brazing. The bit probably would not really need a heat treat, as these were never intended for heavy chores. Just combat and show.

[Ken G]

The ones I have done have all been tightly dovetailed and then soldered in place.  When I say tightly I mean they would stay in place without being soldered to begin with.  My understanding is most originals had the brass poured into a mold around the steel bit. I have seen plenty of originals without the steel bit indicating to me even the "poured around the bit" way didn't hold up if you used it for whacking stuff.

As Wick has already suggested I did not worry about the temper of the steel bit because they all were presentation pieces.  I doubt they ever saw the light of day.

Cheers,
Ken

[T.C.Albert]

If I may interject a question with out hijacking the thread, I read recently that back when these were common English imported trade items, the brass head was actually cast onto the pre made steel bit...is that a real possibility? It would make sense from a production standpoint, and maybe it wouldn't have been beyond the arts of the early industrial revolution...?
thanks,
TC

[David Rase]

Thanks for the feed back.  I think I will go out to the shop, tightly fit up the dovetail between the bit and axe head, peen the brass head a little to ensure a tight fit and the solder them together.
DMR

[Jim Kibler]

About casting the brass around a steel bit...  Others with experience in the process would know better than me, but I understand it's a practical process.  Part of the difficulty I understand is getting the brass to bond well with the steel.  I believe I recall Wallace saying that if the steel is tinned with silver solder first bonding is helped.

[LRB]

  That would make a lot of sense. Would you think the bit might have had flux applied to it before the pour?

[Kermit]

Here's a nifty tutorial on making dovetailed brass and steel infill woodworking planes. Good pics and narrative on how he does the dovetails for these. Some of it might apply.

http://www.members.optushome.com.au/pjmcbride/metal_plane_making/index.htm

[Dphariss]

Thanks for the feed back.  I think I will go out to the shop, tightly fit up the dovetail between the bit and axe head, peen the brass head a little to ensure a tight fit and the solder them together.
DMR

I would drill (small) into the head at several places in the dovetail and put in a small length (1/4" maybe) of silver solder wire and some flux in the hole install the bit then heat to melt the solder so that the solder can flow out of the holes.
No worry about penetration into the peaned joint.
Dan

[Rasch Chronicles]

Make a well executed, tight fitting dovetail.
Tin both the brass and the steel.
Flux well and fit together.
Peen the brass well on both sides to insure a tight joint.
Heat and solder.
Finish the finishing.

That should do it. You would be sure to have a tight fitting joint, a minimum of solder, and maximum strength in the joint. It would be a finely fitted joint with no gap.

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch In Afghanistan™
Scouting for Hogs, Chronicles Style!

[LRB]

   I would still siver braze it for strength.