Tomahawks, self-defense / Sport throwing / food gathering

Favorite Vice Cutting-edge
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Both have hickory shafts. The one on the right has a going over with a propane torch and then a dark stain.

The 10" knife is a copy of one found at Fort Ticonderoga from 1759 +/- (the metal bit, anyway) forged from a leaf spring, VERY handy and much used. More so than a tomahawk. It has made dozens of ground blinds for bow and muzzleloading hunts.

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The handle is a deer crown wrapped in tarred marline and then rubbed with asphaltine (asphalt dissolved in turpenine). Makes a GREAT grip (used on Naval cutlasses and ship’s rigging long ago).

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Ive trained in eskrima and tomahawks could easily replace the sticks or blades and probably be better in some cases.

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@Stumpkiller, in your first picture the large Camp knife is clearly not wrapped with the material like in the second picture.
Was there a problem with the handle that it required the wrapping? I appreciate a finally made period knife, I’m trying to understand the need for the change of the handle?
And I get it you and mquinn55 don’t have much use for the tomahawk.

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@Caw, lots and lots of usefulness to a good Hawk if you’d care to share I’d like to hear more about eskrima and tomahawks.

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Im not sure about throwing them, didnt the Native Americans of yester year use them as throwing weapons?

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Well arm trapping and attacking in an aggressive straight line would make a top heavy pointed weapon pretty handy for hooking limbs or other weapons and a hell of alot better for attacking somebodies knee or thigh area. The point could easily be used to break somebodies gaurd and create an opening or even comedown over the top on top of their head. I just like the idea of rushing somebody with one of those instead of a stick or even a blade in some instances.

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@Caw, yes of course the Native Americans used their tomahawks for throwing and so did early American settlers as well as Colonial militiamen.

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Yes. The original antler crown was small, slick, cold in the winter and not a good grip. Rather than waiting for a larger deer I wrapped the antler with tarred marline and then used road asphalt dissolved in turpentine as a further “tar” coating. Now it is a hand-filling grip that is slip resistant and strong. The old sailing ships used a similar process to protect the spliced rope on blocks from wear and weather.

I have LOTS of uses for a tomahawk. Or a hand axe. Just not for throwing. I think that fell under amusement in camp rather than warfare. One of the few period accounts I came across was their use was to snag an ankle or throw into the legs to trip a fleeing enemy to trip them. Live enemies were much more fun for the whole tribe than dead ones. Red hot copper wire in the eyes or running the gauntlet and endless fun like that. Or even as slaves or trade hostages. Tomahawks are a GREAT arm capture and blocking weapon, and of course the blade. Too valuable to throw away in a fight. :wink:

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Not the least reason was that the gang I hung with would play “handles”.

You never wanted to be the first up to throw at the block.

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I used to practice with a small tomahawk.
I figured if it was good enough for the Shawnee and Tecumseh, it was bound to be good enough for sure.
But I eventually switched to a recurve bow.
Much better in every way.
Arrows don’t flip over and over before they hit their mark.

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Not so good for throwing, but it excels at everything else.
The CRKT Chogan
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I stripped the hickory handle and then sanded the coating of the blade. I later stained the handle and boiled the head in apple vinegar (making the dark patina)

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The Kydex sheath was an afterthought. I tied the Turk knot myself. It’s on there tight AF. I had to hammer it into place.

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