Thread: Weekend Tomahawk Build

So I should have taken some "during" photos but hey hind sight is a bitch.

I came across a downed tree crossing a track in Rangataua forest a few months back and lopped off a few branches for a rainy day project. I love wood especially native so any chance to magpie some for later use, I take it. Any way I have had a couple of Swedish tomahawk heads sitting in a box for to many years and decided to give them a new lease of life.

First I needed to tackle the years of rust build up with an overnight vinegar bath, followed by a wire brush on the end of a power drill. Man did that all make them come out looking shinny and finally rust free. I got out the old Vivid and started to draw the new head design, partly to reduce some weight and to make it a tad easier to are with. I took my time with a cutting disk on the angel grinder so as to not heat the head up to much, then got the file out and slowly made good progress to which I finished it all off with a orbital sander. Then worked the edge with the file and belt sander till I got a good edge and then finished it on a stone.

So now I had a very shinny and "rust prone" piece of equipment. I decided to have a go at applying a patterned patina to an ok result, then finished it of with a few wipes of vinegar to patina the entire surface of the head.

Now it needed a handle.

With a rasp and chisel in hand I slowly worked the piece of timber (trying to follow the natural curves and bends) down to an acceptable shape that resembled a "off the shelf" handle. Out came the orbital sander again to even out the surface left with the rasp. With the wedge in I then cut off the excess at the head and left just enough sticking out (more of a personal preference) finished off with a metal wedge on an angle.

4 coats of Linseed oil and she was looking rather sleek and ready for action. I have messed up a few of my store bought axe handles in the past by over reaching on the downward action causing damage to the shaft, so decided to put a few turns of para-cord to assist in preventing this in the future. All finished off with a small lanyard to assist with retention in the cold.

So happy enough with the result and coming in at just over 900g. Now to get the other one finished.