Is this "hawk" ok?

That looks good. I modified my trail hawk in much the same way although I didn't do any work to the head itself. The handle is much too long on these and that paint is tough to get off. I use mine as a camp/hiking tool. If I were to get serious about throwing I'd get a different hawk.

Happy Thanksgiving to all! :hatsoff:

Congrats. Use and enjoy.
These are ours and have been in use since the 1970s. H&B does a good job.
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That looks great. Totally changed the look. I may try the same thing. I shred away from those hawks because of the painted look.

I like the file-work it really adds to the look. Ive got a cold steel hawk just like that (poll can be handier than rounded eye for driving stakes etc), think Ill do similar to what you have done. They take a really good edge (mine is an older model perhaps, no set screw). Have others for throwing (prefer more traditional forged with inset high carbon edge, like those 3 above, for throwing). Agree with mouse hawk for younger throwers and for light camp chores etc.

I have the Cold Steel "pipe" hawk and love it, hawk you show was my second choice. A little time with a wire brush on the bench grinder, some vinegar and wax and it looks a lot better than the original coated finish. Took a very good edge with a the same mill file I sharpen my broadheads with. That said, I don't throw it much, but use it for all manner of camp tasks as well as dressing game, and for certain "social" engagements.

How did you get that tough epoxy-based paint off? I have a couple of CS poleaxes I have had for years and would like to strip them down and make something else out of them but getting the paint off is the first step.

It's been a bunch of years but if I recall it was just some quality time spent with a wire brush wheel on my bench grinder. I don't remember using any chemical stripping agent. Some work with a few grades of sand paper and crocus/emery clothe to get into those hard to reach areas.
Then I placed it, sharp end up, in a container just barely big enough around for it to fit and filled it with white vinegar to just shy of the sharp edge. Can't remember how long I let it soak, but keep checking it. Carbon steel should start to turn a nice grey color after a while, the longer the soak the darker the grey. Dried it good and rubbed on some bee's wax to protect it and sharpened her up. The vinegar patina does offer some rust protection kinda like blueing or browning, but I like the added protection of the wax.

Thanks for the tip. The paint is really tough to get off by hand so I was hoping you used some sort of stripper. Someone told me about a product called, I think, Cutz which is supposed to be available at Sherwin-Williams but I have not looked into that because this is a project for the very back burner. The steel in most Cold Steel axes is very nice, some of it being differentially heat-treated. I just wish they would not cover it in that thick paint. Someone in an earlier post mentioned Cold Steel moving their manufacturing overseas but my recollection is they have always had their products made overseas.

Squaw bread?
NW

I bought a pair of those Hawks from TOW mentioned earlier in this thread. One each for my son and I. Finally got the handle finished up and started throwing it. The first thing I noticed is the handle pops out a lot. Of course that put gouges in my newly finished handle. I got over the pain of that and now wrap a leather thong around the handle to prevent the pop out. Is this a common occurance? What are others doing?

Try Acetone. Not much it won't dissolve.

Ghettogun said:

The first thing I noticed is the handle pops out a lot. Of course that put gouges in my newly finished handle. Is this a common occurance? What are others doing?

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What! You aren't making perfect throws that stick each & every time??? :grin:

I have 17 handles about the place in a variety of conditions from cracked & taped to brand spanky new.

My only finish (not counting mud & grass stains) is on one or two and that is elk blood with a light over coat of gun stock wax. It sounds odd, but when you are doing camp chores the blood gives grip & the wax makes sure it doesn't get sticky.

MacRob46 said:

How did you get that tough epoxy-based paint off? I have a couple of CS poleaxes I have had for years and would like to strip them down and make something else out of them but getting the paint off is the first step.

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That paint is very hard to get off. I tried some regular paint stripper and I tried some heat from a propane torch. Then I dipped in an old can of Berryman parts cleaner that has been in my barn for ten years. It took the paint right off, as I knew it would, but the stuff stinks horribly. I do not recommend buying it for this purpose.

What! You aren't making perfect throws that stick each & every time???

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Its supposed to stick? I was just going for the loudest clang.

Two of my sons asked for hawks for xmas from their grandmother, and she bought one the mouse hawk (7 y.o.) and the 10 y.o. she bought the regular full size, both from Panther Primitives. The only problem is the small diameter of the mouse hawk handle is not able to hold up to all the serious practice he puts it through. The grain runs diagonal thru the handle, and is bound to crack that way! I called PP about the first broken handle, and they mailed another. He then broke the second, and I then made the third myself with a dry sapling of a straight-grain hop-hornbeam tree, which lasted longer, but he eventually cracked that, too! But, I tell you these boys LOVE those hawks, and have used them well, and last month the 10 y.o. won our local hawk and knife contest for the kids with his. The eldest boy (11) won his hawk as a hawk and knife prize with a borrowed hawk two years ago! Our kids do this instead of playing video games! To watch them wind up and throw is so precious! :wink:

I have this same hawk.

I like it, but I would really like a good camp knife too.

Kleanstrip Premium Stripper melted that paint right off for me.

It worked very well and was followed up by scotchbrite pads to remove any left overs in the texure of the metal.

I removed that set screw and sanded the handle until the head wedges towards the upper handle by swinging it firmly.

I have not put a finish on the hawk head yet, but I am toying the idea of a food acid patina, later halting the patina process with baking soda and then covering with an oil coating to prevent any rusting problems.

I did this with an Opinel knife using mustard and it looks pretty good after sharpening. I have had no rust issues with this knife at all.

Still plum browning would look better, but you would have to eliminate the texture and that would change the temper hardness on this hawk head.

The metal texture might also be an issue with the patina method mentioned above, but I am still thinking of trying this.

I already wood burned a salmon graphic on both sides of the handle where it is grasped, and will put small turkey and quail tracks, hog tracks, bear tracks, mountain lion tracks, in wood burned graphics along the the handle and carve a mule hoof on the bottom handle end.

I have yet to make a sheath for it, because I have not settled on a design. I would want to access it quickly out of a one piece snap top covered belt sheath.

This hawk is great if you want to modify it, but it is a tomahawk from our time in the current day.

Still, I am sure someone from the past would have loved to have one of these.

I just bought one of these types of hawks over the weekend at a local gun show. I paid $26.00 for it. It's pretty much like the one you have in the picture, except it doesn't have the hammer head on the back.

I figured it was made well and would be a good start to learning how to throw a hawk.

Not sure how HC it would be, but it's close enough for the girls I go out with. :wink:

I have a new reliable I bought from TOW and I'm very pleased with what I got for the money.

I need to check out TOW. Sounds like they have a lot of good stuff.

I've been watching some youtube vids of making char cloth and using flint and striker to start fires. I've got it down pretty good with the fire starting thing.

I now have a good possibles bag with extra flints, lubed patches, balls, ball bag, vent pic, etc.

I need to go out and buy a good can to do my char cloth making in. I'm glad I watched one video that warned to make it outside because it will stink up your house if you do it in the house. My wife would have used my hawk to scalp me for sure. :haha: :haha: