Spike Tomahawks

[mgolab]

Hello:

I wanted to share and gain some feedback on these two tomahawks.

The smaller one has been painted black and refurbished. What is the best way to remove the paint?

Both are lightweight, roughly 1.1 pounds. The smaller one comes from the PA/NY border. The larger one (without the paint) comes from Northern Ohio.

Thanks

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by mgolab

The smaller one has been painted black and refurbished. What is the best way to remove the paint?

I would use paint remover, it can't harm the steel and the handle looks very recent, can't get bad!

[mgolab]

Thank you very much. I used lacquer thinner. Worked really well and exposed all the forge marks/patina. Not sure what that red/pink on the blade is, whether old paint or otherwise.

I'd appreciate any further comments on the tomahawks as to age. etc.

[mgolab]

Wanted to share final images of the tomahawk after removing all varnish from the handle and paint from the head. Handle appears to be white ash. Old nail notch cut in the head, for square head nails or chain pull, pre-1880.

[David]

On your first example (the painted one) i would deem that more a pick than a spike. I wonder if this might possibly be trench axe.The nail pullers and the long pick point to something that was more likely made to be a tool rather than a weapon.

[mgolab]

Thank you David.

Interesting, trench axe did not cross my mind. Given the geographic location where the piece was found, PA/NY border in Tioga County, I wonder if it is revolutionary war period.

The area where the axe was found served as a staging point for the infamous "Sullivan's Expedition" in 1779.

[M ELEY]

With many of these types, it is sometimes difficult to positively say whether or not a spike ax is a true tomahawk versus a pick ax/trench ax/fire ax. Likewise, boarding axes, which resemble tomahawks, are frequently faked and mis-identified as well. That being said, I think your two axes are the real deal, but this is just my view.

The smaller ax with the long spike appears to me to be early 19th century, of the pattern later used for roofing hatchets. I base the time factor on this single bearded/eared head shape. It is blacksmith-made (not trip hammered) with forging flaws, steel bit and the 4 sided spike again of that form dating to late 18th/early 19th. The squared notch is possibly a beaver trap chain pull as used by the fur traders. Smaller hatchets like this would have been popular not just with natives, but fur traders, frontiersmen, scouts, soldiers, etc. There is a chance the notch was also channel-cut later in the axe's working life...

The second axe looks to be right, but again, I'll hold off for others more experienced in this area than me. It looks authentic, but there are so many fakes these days-

[mgolab]

thank you very much for the information. I appreciate it.

[MitsuWa.]

That pink stuff you saw on the ax head was bondo, polyester autobody filler. The hardware store hammer handle that is mounted on it is not original.

[mgolab]

Thank you.

I am not sure of handle's age. Certainly not the original but I question whether it is recent. First, it is white ash. Usually you see hickory handles nowadays, unless custom.

Also, I have attached a picture of the top. Seems somewhat earlier fitted in to me.

[BBJW]

Many 'spike' tomahawks are were used on sailing ships. The spike being used to pull away downed rigging.-- bbjw

[M ELEY]

I just wrote a long and convoluted response to this and it vanished before my eyes, so here's the short of it...

Despite the bondo, it doesn't mean this is a fake. The axe appears hand-forged, perhaps early 19th. Seems too early for mining or trench axe, not practical as a tool axe. The 'eye' is of the early pattern oval and slightly thinner on one side, indicating hand-wrought. The spike like this one found on some known native specimens (Iroquois for one). The hafts on both these axes replaced, but this is common and expected. The head pattern is post 1800 and does fall into the shape of later tool axes, but very few of those were blacksmith made. The squared slot on yours very possibly a beaver trap chain pull to prevent having to plunge one's arm into icy rivers again and again (and possibly getting bit by a muskrat or beaver).

Check out the following-
Hartzler's 'Trade Axes and Tomawks'
Neumann's 'Swords and Blades of the American Revolution'
the Tatca website- https://tatcalite.tripod.com/index.htm

As I stated earlier, there are a lot of fakes, so an expert would need to actually handle your 'hawks' to be sure. Check out the trade tomahawl site's list of mimics and fakes. It's enough to scare you away from collecting these!

[mgolab]

Thanks again for the detailed and informative response.

Iroquois Confederacy/Six Nations would make sense based on the geographic location found. Specifically, Seneca.

What is your thought on the age of the half for the small ax with long spike? I find it interesting that it is white ash. Clearly a replacement but my thought is that bears some age.

Thanks again

[M ELEY]

One of my recent threads with my few examples-

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=26553

[mgolab]

Yes, the website and materials are informative. I own swords and blades of the american revolution.

I have seen your prior posts and was hoping that you would provide comment/feedback! Very informative as well. Your spike tomahawk is similar.

Any thoughts on the the haft? I know it is a replacement but seems like it has some age to it.

Thanks again

[M ELEY]

Sorry. I missed your response earlier. On the haft on my example, I feel that it is fairly contemporary or at least an early replacement. I confess I've studied the heads of these axes for a while, but know very little on the particular woods used for the hafts. For instance, I was convinced a pike I own had a shaft of wormy ash based on the tiny larva holes...until I learned that there is also wormy oak, wormy elm, etc. Dope! That being said, your haft does seem to reflect some age, perhaps replaced around the turn of the last century. I've read that soem of these axes were taken by Native Americans serving in WWI to act as trench axes, so hafts were sometimes replaced specifically for that period.

[mgolab]

Thank you again M Eley for your very informative response.

Another one of my axes has been intriguing me...I have posted pics. This axe is clearly in the halberd form, 15 inches overall and 7 inches from blade to hook. It is nickel plated but appears forged sheet iron underneath, 1/8 inch thick. Very similar in dimensions, form and sheet metal to one on the trade axe and tomahawk collector's association website, page one.

Clearly marked Order of Red Men, June 1910. However, when I contacted the improved order of red men museum, I was told that the origin of the axe was a mystery to them and not an official order of red men piece.

I wonder if this is an older piece later used by the order of red men in 1910...

Thanks for any comments

[mgolab]

Also, I wanted to add re: the halberd ax that I just posted:

the IORM museum also indicated that most of their official pieces were cast,with lettering. In some instances, the lodges would acquire older pieces where the lettering was stamped into the ax, such as this one which I own.

My ax comes from the Harrisburg, PA area.

Thanks again

[David]

Originally Posted by mgolab

Thank you again M Eley for your very informative response.

Another one of my axes has been intriguing me...I have posted pics. This axe is clearly in the halberd form, 15 inches overall and 7 inches from blade to hook. It is nickel plated but appears forged sheet iron underneath, 1/8 inch thick. Very similar in dimensions, form and sheet metal to one on the trade axe and tomahawk collector's association website, page one.

Clearly marked Order of Red Men, June 1910. However, when I contacted the improved order of red men museum, I was told that the origin of the axe was a mystery to them and not an official order of red men piece.

I wonder if this is an older piece later used by the order of red men in 1910...

Thanks for any comments

Mgolab, we recently discussed this ceremonial axe in the Miscellaneous Forum. I doubt you will get more info on it in this thread. This axe is in no way related to the practical examples that you started this thread with. And since you have been to the actual authorities on these Red Men artifacts i doubt you find any further info on this on this thread.
http://vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=28959