Making Tommy

Knife making is a special sort of blacksmithing and some would say (and I agree) it is an independent trade on it's own.

Throughout the modern ages their has been raging debates on whether knife makers should use known steels and grades etc. (new Bar Stock) or use scrap steel.

I am a recycler from way back and I enjoy finding old steels to bring them back to life. Obviously this has risks and sometimes you can waste days or even weeks on a project only to find it won't work because the steel won't achieve what you desire etc. but to me this is half the challenge. Finding old steel and deciding on a project and techniques to succeed based on previous experience and bring new life into the steel.

I think I am a hoarder and collect lots of useless stuff etc. Sometimes I use some of my collected steel to make projects. I decided to use a bit of mild steel 250 scrap steel I found and was lying a round to make a Tommy Hawk. I like making things traditionally and before big punches etc. could punch holes in thick steels etc. people use to wrap steel to join to a handle. Wrapping steel is relatively easy to achieve and doesn't require much heat or skill.

For the cutting edge I am going to use a spring steel from a leaf spring of an old truck I 'collected'. I don't mind using a grinder, buff or electric tools to clean up the steel etc. simply because a file and wire brush will take lots more time and we do have some technologies so I figure I can justify using them by saying 'work smart, not hard,....LOL

Forge welding these two plates together is the most complex and technical part of this project. From my previous experience, I have learned thae hardest part in maintaining a hot temperature on the internal faces of the steel. The reason is the temperature heats up the outside easier and it can take longer to get a forge weld temp on the inside.

This is the reason spring steel is a good option for the cutting edge. A. because the steel will hold a better edge than mild steel and

B. It doesn't require as much heat to get 'forge welding' temperature making the process slightly easier.

Using my costumed designed and built forge I am able to create enough heat to create the required weld. With a little help of Borax Powder from Bunnings as flux and a little patience I can complete the design.

A rough head ready for tidying up and heat treatment. The problem is an axe head is useless without a handle and one of the reasons knife making is quite specialised. You need skills in a lot of crafts to dress knifes, make handles, make pouches etc. required to finish your project.

Using the rough head I can make out a taper on a Silky Oak branch and rough plane and sand a handle. Waiting for the the axe head to be tidied up and heat treated tomorrow before final fitting.

This is one way using scrap steel and a Silky Oak branch to make a Tommy Hawke, obviously there are many ways and materials to produce similar results. If anyone has any questions or need any help with their own projects feel free to reach out.

Kind regards

Trevor