How to get started making tomahawks

[Cory McArtor]

I'm new to woodworking overall (I've assembled one of Jim Kibler's kits) and am wanting to learn the skills needed for gun building.  It seems like making a tomahawk
 or two would be an easier way to start and learn some skills like wood shaping, inlays, making the cutouts for poured pewter (not sure what that is called) etc.  What tools would I need to get started with that?  Are there any books/websites that would be helpful for learning the skills and finding examples to imitate?

Thanks for the help!

[webradbury]

Cory,

 Are you talking about forging your own heads or just hafting and finishing premade hawks? I have made both, hawks and rifles. If it were me, and guns is what I wanted to learn, I would jump right in and learn by doing. Also go slow and ask A LOT of questions here...great guys here that love to teach and help out.  As far as forging hawks, obviously it takes a forge and the associated tools. Forging is an art in itself that takes time and practice. Unless you plan on forging your own buttplates and triggerguards, not a lot will carry over to the gunmaking side of things and you will be spending time learning forging when you want to be making guns.

As far as tools, very sharp chisels, rasps and files are a must. Also a good setup for holding your work pieces.  Pouring pewter isn’t that difficult.  Get you some hardwood and practice inletting if you are hesitant about messing up a stock blank. Just have fun! And remember.....

We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents. —-Bob Ross

[Cory McArtor]

Sorry, I should have clarified, I will not be forging anything for now.  I would like to make both tomahawks and rifles, but I figured a tomahawk is a smaller project, less expensive, and thus would be a good place to start.  Basically I want to learn the various aspects of working with wood in a way that is less involved than a rifle but still makes something fun and useful.

[galudwig]

Here is a good place to start:

http://www.redaviscompany.com/edgedweapons.html

This was my first attempt at a pipe axe using an R.E. Davis "kit." You can get a lot of practice in on various aspects of finishing. It just depends on how much decoration you want on your piece.

[B.Barker]

Get in touch with Tim at R.E. Davis. He has a book on putting together pipe axes and you can get heads and hafts from him also.

[Robby]

Does anyone know what kind of steel R.E Davis uses in their hawk heads?
Robby

[Tim Crosby]

Does anyone know what kind of steel R.E Davis uses in their hawk heads?
Robby

 To get the right answer give Tim a call, 419-833-1200.

    Tim

   

[Tim Crosby]

 The book Brian mentioned is Instructions & Hints For Assembling Pipe Tomahawks by the Gutchess'.
If you want to learn you can't go wrong with it.

  Tim C.

[Elnathan]

Does anyone know what kind of steel R.E Davis uses in their hawk heads?

There are a couple different choices depending on how hard you want it to be to file and engrave versus how hard you intend to use it when finished...bear in mind that for any actual use they will need heat treating.

[galudwig]

Click on the link, it's all in there...

http://www.redaviscompany.com/edgedweapons.html

[Cory McArtor]

Get in touch with Tim at R.E. Davis. He has a book on putting together pipe axes and you can get heads and hafts from him also.

Thanks for the info!  I will check out the book and probably get some parts from them soon.