How to Make a Strong Tomahawk

While not as immediately traditional, metal blades make for a strong tomahawk.

Commonly used among Native American tribes in North America, the tomahawk is a small ax resembling a hatchet. Traditionally used as tools, hand-to-hand and thrown weapons, tomahawks originally used a stone blade with a wooden handle. Later versions use a brass or iron blade, making them stronger and sharper than their earlier counterparts. In making a strong tomahawk it's best use a steel plate, as this is a strong material that's also easily available. While any homemade tomahawk is unlikely to match up to competition models, it will be strong enough for its use.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4-inch steel plate
• Workbench and/or welding table
• Band saw or jigsaw with metal cutting blade
• Clamps
• Thick gloves
• Goggles
• Grinder and metal file
• 3/4-inch threaded metal pipe coupling
• Welding equipment
• 16-to-21-inch-long wooden handle about 1 inch in diameter
• Vice

Instructions

1. Decide on the shape of the tomahawk blade. Tomahawk blade designs vary but generally have a thin rear extending to a triangular blade. More-rounded designs use a slight curve downward on the top of the blade, a rounded edge and a more-severe curved bottom. Either way, the base should be about 2 inches long and the edge at least 4 or 5.

2. Cut the steel plate into the designed shape using a circular saw with a metal-cutting blade. A jigsaw with a metal-cutting blade can also be used, but not quite as well as the circular saw. Be sure to wear thick gloves and goggles whenever using a saw and practice extreme caution while cutting. Clamp the metal in place during the cut.

3. Smooth and sharpen the edges of the blade using a grinding wheel or file.

4. Cut the pipe to the length of the base, about 2 inches.

5. Clamp the blade to the welding table, place the pipe flush to the straight end of the base and weld the base to the pipe. Clean the weld and check that the blade is straight to the side of the pipe.

6. File down one end of the wooden handle so that it fits into the pipe. Place the blade head into the vice and screw the handle into the pipe so that the blade is secure.

7. Clean the edges of the blade. Use the file or grinder to sharpen the edge of the blade.

References

• Hatchets and Axes: How to Make a Tomahawk in 5 Steps
• Vivid Light; The Making of My Tomahawk; Lennie Rue
• Snowwowl: History of the Tomahawk Pipe