Pictures of old historical tomahawks.

Edwood7

Edwood7

Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
2,890
Ok, Letts see some pictures of old historic tomahawks you have gathered on the web or that you might have in your collection. I just love looking at these old weapons.


The more interesting the better. Here is one I loved. I think it’s the direct ancestor of the RMJ tactical axe.




Example of an early American tomahawk made in the style of an English halberd tomahawk. The haft and head are forged as one piece with a long shank. The blade, point, and beak have been sharpened. Made entirely of wrought iron, it is similar to other examples discovered in New York and the Ohio Valley. The word “tomahawk” is a 17th-century transliteration of the Virginian Algonquian word conveying the action, “To knock him down.” Overall length: 20”



I have been looking for a pictures of the Fort Meigs tomahawk that Daniel Winkler used as inspiration for his Magua Tomahawk (my all time favorite axe) but I haven’t been able to find one.

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My NR Magua custom
 
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Can't contribute, but subscribed. Oh man this is such a great thread idea.
 
The word “tomahawk” is a 17th-century transliteration of the Virginian Algonquian word conveying the action, “To knock him down.”
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Thank you Sir. This discovery would have cost me a leg but it's all worthwhile to know.
 
Edwood, Missouri Warhawks, Big and Bad 1890

BIGtomahawk.jpg
YELLOW2.jpg


This is Standing Bear, He's also in the top pic. His son, Yellow Tail is in the center pic, left

BIGtoma2.jpg


And here's a link to some of Z. Gilberts photo's. After the Civil War he took thousands of reservation photos.
http://amertribes.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=photos&action=print&thread=1067

Look at the size of these 'hawks. A Missourri Warhawk is one of the one's I can't quite figure out how to do without modern equipment. I wish the Indians would have had digital, action shots would be good.....Randy
 
Awesome pics! Is that a heart in the center of the blade? I'm going to assume it is. They liked beads and feathers, maybe they liked hearts to. :p
 
This one always looked more like a hawk then an axe but I guess axe is an all encompassing term.ice_axe.jpg
 
DrivebyTrucker said:
Awesome pics! Is that a heart in the center of the blade? I'm going to assume it is. They liked beads and feathers, maybe they liked hearts to. :p
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I don't recall where I saves this from but thanks to whoever wrote it. Explanation of the "Bleeding Heart Tomahawk;


Heres a couple of examples.
"Some say that the heart was the heart and soul of the axe. It was removed by a shaman during a ritual before a great battle.
The axe was then given to a great warrior. The axe, missing his own heart, would then take the heart of any enemy it was thrown toward.
Or...
Some say that there was a great warrior born in the Oconaluftee village deep in the Smokey mountains. His mother, knowing of his future greatness, took the iron heart form her fathers axe and placed it over her own sons heart. The child grew into a fierce warrior, and no matter what struck him in his heart he was protected by the iron.
Theres a ton more stories, but that kinda gives you an idea."

True or not, good stories.This is one of my passions that I can't quite get made but I'll keep trying....Nice thread Brother Edwood....Randy
 
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Awesome thread!!! Subscribed. . .

church&son said:
Look at the size of these 'hawks. A Missourri Warhawk is one of the one's I can't quite figure out how to do without modern equipment. I wish the Indians would have had digital, action shots would be good.....Randy
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Those 'hawk heads are HUGE!!! compared to what I'm used to seeing. . .

church&son said:
I don't recall where I saves this from but thanks to whoever wrote it. Explanation of the "Bleeding Heart Tomahawk;


Heres a couple of examples.
"Some say that the heart was the heart and soul of the axe. It was removed by a shaman during a ritual before a great battle.
The axe was then given to a great warrior. The axe, missing his own heart, would then take the heart of any enemy it was thrown toward.
Or...
Some say that there was a great warrior born in the Oconaluftee village deep in the Smokey mountains. His mother, knowing of his future greatness, took the iron heart form her fathers axe and placed it over her own sons heart. The child grew into a fierce warrior, and no matter what struck him in his heart he was protected by the iron.
Theres a ton more stories, but that kinda gives you an idea."

True or not, good stories.This is one of my passions that I can't quite get made but I'll keep trying....Nice thread Brother Edwood....Randy
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Great info! Thanks for sharing!
 
Edwood, there is a lot of good stuff in these drawings. Thanks to my highly dysfunctional system of saving pics
I have no idea whom to thank, but thank you... Randy

indian-weapons-6.jpg
indian-weapons-4.jpg
indian-weapons-1.jpg
 
Edwood, thanks for starting the thread. Thanks everyone else for educating the rest of us. There are so many different styles! You can start with a basic hawk design and modify it anyway you want and still be close to one of the old designs.
Howard
 
Anyone else have pictures of the rifle buttstock style tomahawks??? Remember seeing those for the first time in "Last of the Mohicans" and they were cool then and even cooler now that I know a little bit about this stuff. . .

. . .what about the club/tomahawk things with the balls on the end (with the spikes in the balls)??? Are they a form of tomahawk or a club or both??? I remember seeing them before but maybe only once and not at a time when I was interested. . .

. . .this thread is REALLY cool!!!
 


Chingachgook's war club




Trade Point Ball Club, A replica of an original featured in the book, BATTLE WEAPONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION by George C. Neumann. Made by at Todd Bitler (thanks Robin for introducing his work to me)
 
church&son said:
I don't recall where I saves this from but thanks to whoever wrote it. Explanation of the "Bleeding Heart Tomahawk;


Heres a couple of examples.
"Some say that the heart was the heart and soul of the axe. It was removed by a shaman during a ritual before a great battle.
The axe was then given to a great warrior. The axe, missing his own heart, would then take the heart of any enemy it was thrown toward.
Or...
Some say that there was a great warrior born in the Oconaluftee village deep in the Smokey mountains. His mother, knowing of his future greatness, took the iron heart form her fathers axe and placed it over her own sons heart. The child grew into a fierce warrior, and no matter what struck him in his heart he was protected by the iron.
Theres a ton more stories, but that kinda gives you an idea."

True or not, good stories.This is one of my passions that I can't quite get made but I'll keep trying....Nice thread Brother Edwood....Randy
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Thanks for sharing does stories brother Randy. I love reading these things.
 
Not to derail but i felt this is a good share (from Shunshui):

"Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agreed, as you can all read the Book?"
- Sogoyewapha, "Red Jacket," Seneca

"When it comes time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home." - Chief Aupumut (1725), Mohican.

"I think over again my small adventures
My fears, those small ones that seemed so big
For all the vital things I had to get and reach
And yet there is only one great thing
The only thing
To live to see the great day that dawns
And the light that fills the world."

- Unknown Inuit
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White Horse. I have to get a portrait done of myself like this one of these days. I would have loved to have shaerd a camp fire with him.
 
I think the halberd tomahawks are some of the most interesting hawks out there, the fact that the natives cut the down and modified them for their own style of fighting is very intriguing.

 
White Horse.
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and our kids think they invented cranial accessories.
I think the halberd tomahawks are some of the most interesting hawks out there
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They are magnificent. In my research the trade tomahawk comes back to these and British boarding axes, also a fascinating weapon and time period......Randy
 
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