Wire Wrapping Hawk Handle

**Beo** · 11-13-2009, 08:18 AM

I am working on another tomahawk, this time around I wanna wire wrap part of the handle, problem is I have never done this and don't have a clue how to start. So I was wondering if anyone knew how to do wire wrapping on wood handles. I have finished the floral pattern carving, and even stained it, the curly maple came off pretty. I wanted to use silver wire wrap on a lower portion of the handle.
Anyone know how to wire wrap wood handles?
The handle is 21 inches long curly maple, hawk head is 5 inches long with a 2 1/2 inch cutting head and 1 1/2 inch long bowel and yes it is a drilled handle and is smokeable and still ready for use as a working hawk around the camp or to cleave in the head of any undesirables... lol...
The top of the hawk above the head still needs to be cut down either to the head or just above it.
I am still working on it though so gimme some time.
Thanks
Beo,

**your_comforting_company** · 11-13-2009, 08:28 AM

I haven't got a clue as to what wire wrapping is or how to do it, but I have to say that that is an absolutely gorgeous piece of craftsmanship. WOW!

I'm really excited to see the finished product, and please tell us how you wrap it. I have done a bit with leather, in my clumsy, barbaric way, using pine pitch as the adhesive (I didn't use hide glue because it's water soluble). Sorry, I didn't take pics of it before I passed it on

I started on the small round (where it fits against your fingers) and used the half twist wrap that is common on mil knives. didn't do a very good job, but it worked and looked...umm... primitive hahaha.

**Beo** · 11-13-2009, 08:35 AM

Well I heat treated (tempered) the head first, down at Fort Boonesborough at the blacksmith shops forge, it was cool using an actual forge, the carving I tried to do the old fashioned way, drew it out with a lead pencil and used a tenpenny nail that I filed to a point and tapped with a small brass hammer. That is some hard work and doing it on a rounded handled suc'd it was so hard.
I stained the curly maple handle using oranges to make the wood stand out and make the rings pop, took about 8 oranges and 2 days.
I'll be making another one to sell at the April Native Days at Ft. Boonesborough. At around $75.00 bucks a hawk they go pretty quick and the people like to watch me work on them so sometimes I give a quick class.
I'll take all the picks of that one too, even earlier before heat treating.

**Rick** · 11-13-2009, 08:55 AM

Wow! What a great job!

I've never done this with wire. Frankly, I've never thought about it. I don't know why you can't use a common Whipping knot if you are using a small gauge wire like 22-24 gauge. It doesn't require anything to hold it in place and it doesn't come undone if you tie it properly.

Here is a video that shows how a whipping knot is tied. I actually tie it backwards from the way the video shows using the long end to do the wrapping and the short end to pull the final thread through. That way, you don't have to worry about having the "right length" because it will always the right length. You just cut it off when you have the length of wrap you want.

http://www.videojug.com/webvideo/how...-whipping-knot

I think this would be an excellent way to carry some spare snare wire on a walking stick or knife handle.

**Beo** · 11-13-2009, 09:04 AM

Haaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!! Rick you are the man! That is he knot I was hunting for, didn't know the name of it, and seen a guy do this to a knife handle with wire when wrapping. Thanks bro really needed that info.
Thank you very much.
Beo,

**Rick** · 11-13-2009, 09:10 AM

No problem. I would practice with something like a broom handle before trying it on that fabulous hawk. I'd hate to see you scratch it. The wire is going to be a lot more difficult to wrap with than rope will. I would imagine you'll have to use pliers to pull it through. You'll wind up with a slight ridge running beneath the wrap because you've pulled the wire back under it. however, since it's wire, you might also be able to get away with just pulling the loop snug against the wrap and not pulling it underneath. In that case, you shouldn't have much of a ridge at all.

**Rick** · 11-13-2009, 09:13 AM

Where do you plan on placing the wrap?

**Beo** · 11-13-2009, 03:04 PM

Not sure if I'ma wire wrap this one or not, the next one I'm doing will have the wire wrap running down from under the head to about 6 or 8 inches, then some floral scroll work coming outta that. I'm going to replace the brass tacks in this one with brass pins after I take the over hang of the eye off. Heres a pic of Pipe Hawk Terminology for anyone interested.

**Rick** · 11-13-2009, 03:13 PM

I was just thinking if you wrap at the base of the head you could bring the wire between the head and the handle. Wrap the wire as the video shows then slip the end through loop at whatever length you want. If the other end of the wire is already between the head and the handle you just have to pull the loop snug against the wire then snip it off. It should stay put. It might require a tiny groove in the handle so the wire can slip in between but it should work and stay in place. The wire would extend out through the eye but between the head and the handle. I hope that makes sense.

Otherwise I don't know how you'd get the whipping up tight against the head since you are either going to pull from that end or pull against that end and try to get the loop down flush. If you actually pull it through the eye then the whipping would be snug and flush up against the head.

You could also touch base with other makers and see how they do it. As I said, I've never done it but if I had to start from scratch that's what I'd do.

**Beo** · 11-13-2009, 03:14 PM

Before anyone asks, I didn't complete the knife I wanted made. Way harder than I thought, but after I finish my next hawk I'ma make one from and old file, thinking about a 12 inch blade, wood or antler handles that are pinned on and wire wrapped about a half inch top and bottom of handle. Using the old blacksmiths forge at Boonesborough gives me great insight on how they did in the old days plus is just fun and a real forge makes the work easier.
Kinda cool pounding things out and they actually work and look good.
Thanks
Beo,

**aflineman** · 11-13-2009, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Rick

I was just thinking if you wrap at the base of the head you could bring the wire between the head and the handle. Wrap the wire as the video shows then slip the end through loop at whatever length you want. If the other end of the wire is already between the head and the handle you just have to pull the loop snug against the wire then snip it off. It should stay put. It might require a tiny groove in the handle so the wire can slip in between but it should work and stay in place. The wire would extend out through the eye but between the head and the handle. I hope that makes sense.

Otherwise I don't know how you'd get the whipping up tight against the head since you are either going to pull from that end or pull against that end and try to get the loop down flush. If you actually pull it through the eye then the whipping would be snug and flush up against the head.

You could also touch base with other makers and see how they do it. As I said, I've never done it but if I had to start from scratch that's what I'd do.

To smooth the wire out, I have always used the bare handle (no plastic wrap) of a pair of lineman's pliers. Any smooth radius piece of metal should work though. I just rolled it over the loop after (and sometimes while) I pulled on it. I used to do a similar wrap with the copper drain wires on a high voltage splice or termination

**crashdive123** · 11-13-2009, 05:44 PM

Great looking work Beo.

**Ole WV Coot** · 11-13-2009, 07:01 PM

Leave it alone! Wood and what you've done looks great as is. You can't improve on it by covering any of that nice grain and the carving looks period. Play with wood that ain't that good on the next one. My personal opinion, can't beat the look of nature.

**Rick** · 11-13-2009, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by Coot

My personal opinion, can't beat the look of nature.

I agree. Look what it's done for us!

**COWBOYSURVIVAL** · 11-13-2009, 08:13 PM

I like the handle better as is, but it is your hawk and a durn fine one. Small world I am working on a hatchet with a long hickory handle now, looks like more of a braves hatchet than a chiefs hawk though! I wanna know more about the orange peels??? I have some maple around here somewhere......

**mcgyver** · 11-13-2009, 08:32 PM

That is some beautiful work!
I'm second in line for more info on this orange peel method of finish.

**Beo** · 11-13-2009, 10:42 PM

Orange peel stains... well it really only looks good on curly maple wood. It brings out the curls in the grain pattern.
Take about 6 to 8 oranges
Slice the oranges into 4 quarters (thats 4 pieces for one orange)
Holding the orange to be used by the outside peel and rub the orange up and down the shaft, it will be messy so put some old newspaper down.
After using each quarter of orange let it sit for maybe an hour, wipe down and repeat until you have the desired color. For a little darker stain put a drop (just a drop) of wood stain in the orange peel and rub the same way.
After your finished with the last orange piece let it dry all the way and wipe down.
That is what i did, and it worked for me.
Beo,

P.S. Thanks for the thoughts on the hawk, glad you guys like the work. Gonna keep it as is.