How to Make a French & Indian Tomahawk

Tomahawks were used as weapons in the French and Indian War.

During the French & Indian War (1754-1760), Native Americans killed and mutilated their opponents with tomahawks, which are small battle axes crafted from wood, rawhide and a stone or metal blade. After breaking the victim's head with a tomahawk, a Native American would sometimes use a knife to cut off and collect the scalp. The tools were also used for hunting and chopping. You can make your own tomahawk for a costume with materials from the woods or a scrapyard.

Things You'll Need

• Willow, ash or hickory branch
• Hacksaw
• Metal file
• Rock or scrap iron, brass or copper
• 15 feet rawhide string

Instructions

1. Soak your rawhide string in a bowl of warm water to soften it.

2. Find a flat rock in the size and shape of an axe head. If you live near the woods or a river, you may be able to find such a rock. Otherwise, select a piece of scrap iron, brass or copper at a junk yard, home supply store or machine shop and use your hacksaw to shape it into an axe head. Sand the cut edges to make them smooth.

3. Select a sturdy, dry, seasoned willow, ash or hickory branch. Cut it to the desired length with your hacksaw. Saw a slit in the top of the branch big enough for the stone or metal blade to fit through.

4. Insert your blade into the slit in the wooden handle. Leave a couple of inches at the top of the handle so the blade can be secured with rawhide.

5. Wrap wet rawhide tightly around the bottom of the blade. When you have wrapped about half the length of string, bring the rawhide up across the blade and tightly wrap around the handle above the blade. Tie a knot to secure your blade in place.

References

• Early America: Scalped During the French and Indian War
• New River Notes: The French and Indian War in the American South
• Docstoc: How to Make Your Own Tomahawk