To be consistent with forum rules, there actually is some turning in this project - the African Blackwood clean out plug and the mouthpiece end of the haft. Since my early days in the 70s making longrifles I have wanted to do a pipe tomahawk. I have the time at this point in life, so I finally did it.
The head is a casting from R E Davis. It comes as a sand casting of good quality, but with casting lugs on it and a sandy surface. It took several hours of filing and sanding to get it ready for aging. I added some filed features on the bottom and top edges of the blade area. I found some old gravers I bought in the 70s with which I had never experimented. With some effort, I was able to scratch out a rough engraving of crossed arrows on each side. No future for me in the engraving department!
The curly maple haft came pre-drilled thru the center, but not shaped. Getting the head fitted is a laborious and tedious task. The fit of the tapered eye has to be exact as when the head reaches its final position, the fit must be tight with absolutely no gaps. The haft is shaped a bit at a time as the head is repeatedly tried on for fit. About a 1/4" at a time. Takes a while to go 22".
It had been about 35 years or more since I have done any significant carving, and curly maple is NOT the wood of choice for that - especially a tight curl such as this piece. I did not have the right carving chisels when this was done, but I am beginning to rectify that!
The scalplock is courtesy of my neighbor and one of his horses!