Mitake

Wade Hougham

Wade Hougham

Well-Known Member
This is mitake (pronounced my take) on what I would have carried back in the day of edged weapon dominance.
The 19 1/2" haft was given to me by a friend who had it attached to a bull whip, it is oak. I added some copper, a little carving, some pheasant feathers, brass cones and some crow beads. The grip is hemp and the 7 1/2" head is attached with 5 pins and a hemp wrap and was forged from a leaf spring, it has a 3 1/2" cutting edge.
Thanks for looking and any and all comments are welcome.
Mitake 011.jpg
 
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messerist said:
Are the heads pretty secure on that type of hawk Wade? Anyways it is a great hawk!
Click to expand...

This was for hacking on live people to make them un alive! :biggrin: Not for making dinner or splinting firewood.
If you weighted this one or any real Tomahawk or war hacker like this. It will weight about 2.2 Lb or 1 Kilo.
Studies of actual historical arms,
Whether European Morning star/Mace or any indigenous peoples Tomahawk or war hammer will weight about that amount on average.
This is the weight most full grown males can swing in heated battle with any accuracy or strength for 15 minutes to about 45 minutes or so.
This was from a study that was done at the Leeds Royal Armory in England.

I read this a few years back.

Cheers!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/
 
rhinoknives said:
This was for hacking on live people to make them un alive! :biggrin: Not for making dinner or splinting firewood.
If you weighted this one or any real Tomahawk or war hacker like this. It will weight about 2.2 Lb or 1 Kilo.
Studies of actual historical arms,
Whether European Morning star/Mace or any indigenous peoples Tomahawk or war hammer will weight about that amount on average.
This is the weight most full grown males can swing in heated battle with any accuracy or strength for 15 minutes to about 45 minutes or so.
This was from a study that was done at the Leeds Royal Armory in England.

I read this a few years back.

Cheers!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/
Click to expand...


Very nice Wade, you keep put those kind of NIICE hawks out. I realy like them.

Nice with the history, i am very interested in that. Was it any special tribe that used them. How did they secure the head, just with rawhide, or what.

Seved
 
Thanks for the reply, Seved.
You really need to start making some of these they are very enjoyable and relaxing to work on. Look forward to seeing one of yours. Wade
 
Yes, i have thought of making a hawk like that for a long time. I realy have to try to make one. It would be realy nice and much fun.

Seved
 
Not sure if I am butting in here or not.

Tomahawks and many derivations were trade items from the European traders both in Canada and the Eastern portion of what is now America beginning around 1650 or slightly earlier. The originals were smith made in Europe of wrought iron with a steel cutting edge and were traded without handles....space was important on those masted sailing vessels. Eventually, most tribes, especially the Iroquois Confederation, used them in peace and war gaining a reputation in hand to hand combat. Since most of the heads had a tapered socket all that was required was to fit a tapered piece of hardwood in the socket and the user was good to go. Sometimes the users would apply tacks (also a trade item), horsehair, rawhide, beaded skins, feathers, etc. to the handles for decoration and to signify ownership. Later, pipe hawks were made that fullfilled two purposes: as a pipe and a weapon of war. The tomahawk is nothing more than a copy or variation of a naval hand axe or hatchet used in combat to board ships in battle. Made in many different countries to fill different needs. Some were made without sockets and were fixed to handles with a variety of methodologies including nails, pins, pine resin, wet rawhide, etc. Modern versions have been used in the Middle East with success as entry and combat tools.
 
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