My latest project, Stolen straight from the mind of Beaver Bill, Saw one in real life and had to have one, but sadly no.

So on a budget of $20 I'm re-purposing an old hatchet head to use as a good Iroquois style Cane. I have the rough shaping done, now begins the long process of hand filing, sanding, and polishing, Then I need to learn how to use a spoke shave and make a 38" shaft, I'm thinking a thin taper octagon Hickory shaft down to a spike made from the scrap, and set into .50 S&W case with the head turned down. I have plenty of rubber shoes.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

This is interesting. Will the finished project also function as a pick? Would like to see the end result.

This is interesting. I like it so far. In the third and fourth photographs from the top, it's beginning to take on the shape of an elongated eagle's head. Is this what you're going for? And if so, are you going to give it some eyes and a line to divide the beak? Maybe even a hint of some feathers and an eyebrow? Seriously...I look at the photos and an eagle's head immediately comes to mind.

I'll say this, though...if you're going to leave that sharp point on it, you're gonna have to be careful with that thing. Possibly even careful how you hold it.

It's possible you may have found a new career?

It should work for light duty. The shaft will be the weak link, it wall be too thin an slick for a real impact work. maybe brass studs.... The first inch of the pick end is still good hard steel, forge welded to the soft head.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

I think I see Woody Woodpecker in photo #4

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"Life is short, hunt hard"

I did not plan that, and did not notice it until I saw it in the photos, I thought it looked more like a Blue Jay. I thought about eyes and feathers, I don't have the right tools or any of the needed knowledge.



I'm shooting for a 1/8 or 3/16 round over on the pick, and 1/16 round over the peen.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

That could put a heck of a hurt on an attacker of the biped or quadruped persuasion.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Pretty handy for sliding down a glacier too.

or a .357 mag barrel wrapped in laminated wood? probably wouldn't want to try to take it on a plane. lee

Looks like a midevile war hammer. If you ever saw Kingdom of Heaven the crusaders used something quite similar. Far as a shaft is concerned get a hickory shove handle and whittle it down to your liking. Frank

I stopped buy the big box store on my way home from work, the shovel handles were just a tad small in diameter so I picked up a post hole digger handle I had to rummage through a bunch of them to find one with good straight grain. It's made of ash not hickory but it should work just fine. After cutting off the attachment holes I still have 4 extra inches in-case I make any mistakes. Then I spent an hour in this 90 degree heat fitting the handle into the eye, and then tapering the shaft down to size with a plane. I'm actually surprised that I got it straight, I did everything by eye with no measurements. I still need to finish the inletting so the shoulders fit down on the shaft, I'll wait until tomorrow to do any more work on it. More than half the weight of the wood is now on the floor. So far $5 for the hatchet and $10 for the handle and I'm still $5 under budget.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

I am impressed! That is the neatest handle for a walking cane I have ever saw. I have used deer antler and I have a porcelain door knob from grandpas old house and brother in law has one with the brass knob off a set of hames but I have never saw a hatchet cut down like that. I'm going to start looking for a dog wood to make the shaft and a cheap hatchet for the handle. Larry

Very nice, looks good.
Nice taper on the shaft.

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Keep on Chooglin'

I finished fitting the head to the staff, I wanted to get it done before finishing the head so as not to mar the head with tool marks from the fitting. I then gave the staff a quick burn, stain, and wax. I can now set it aside until the head polished and ready.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

I like it! Makes we want to try my hand at making a quality walking stick...

My Uncle, whom is in his 70's now, had a dandy "Dogs head" walking stick he used for years, he was at a Lowes Hardware store, left his stick unattended for just a minute in his shopping cart, and some knucklehead stole it! Something like that would be a dandy replacement.

I think I will look for an old hatchet head this weekend at the flea market....

Really looking good

Great looking walking stick. When you start taking orders, put me down for one.

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Inconsistently consistent

Smith.357,

If you don't mind me asking, how did you cut the excess metal from the hatchet head?

Thanks,

canoeguy

This looks more like a Warhammer of yore than a walking cane--I like it!

Wish I could use one like that. Unfortunately I need an offset, padded handle.

Does look a war hammer.

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Oh well, what the hell.

I'm done with the head, I did a bit of filing and then wet sanding and buffing. I went with a cold blue finish, it's not perfect, but it's close enough for me. Before I hang it on the shaft, I need to work on the foot of the shaft. I'm debating if it needs and ice spike, my wife has claimed it so I'm thinking a spike is a must have for her safety.






If I start taking orders it becomes a job, I already have a full time job.


I don't mind at all, I used and angle grinder, to rough cut the blade into a spike, and a bench grinder to shape the spike and the poll. From there it was single cut and double cut hand files, emery cloth, wet sandpaper, and finally a buffing wheel. I used the old haft for a temporary handle and could flip the head if need and clamp it up in the bench vise for stability while filing, sanding and buffing on it.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

Well the long suffering Mrs. Smith did not care for the ice spike idea, so I cut it to size for her hung the head sealed it all up with bee's wax and put on the rubber shoe. It's now ready for the street, and it came in $5 under budget.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

Beautiful in every respect.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Beautiful craftsmanship. Very well done.

I want one now. Great job, thanks for the info and pics.

Bump it so more folks will see it. Now I have a new item on my bucket list, lol. I'm going to talk to a local custom knife maker about doing one for me - do I have your permission to "borrow" this design?

The finished cane is wickedly beautiful. How many people have already offered to buy it from you? Congratulations on an excellent job.

You live fairly close to me. If I brought you an old iron lung could you make me a Corvette?

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Excellent craftsmanship, it's beautiful!

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"Life is short, hunt hard"

Classic!! I love it. Gotta be the wittiest reply I've read in months. Thanks for the laughs, Rusty.

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Inconsistently consistent

Excellent work!
I have a friend who has some ebony shafts. I've been waiting for a handle "head" design to "pop" for me.

A friend of mine wanted me to see if I could make one similar to that postedI liked it so much that I have madde five of them and if I could I would post the pix. I can email tho fotos bust dont know how to post them.

^^^THIS^^^

Freakin awesome!

Ran across this and thought I'd bump so guys and gals that are fairly new could see/appreciate it. I had one done by a local knife maker and had a woodworker to do the shaft. Not quite as nice as this but I like it.
Ed

@hdfinder47, I concur. Threads as good as this shouldn't be relegated to the back pages.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Very cool and garage shop do-able.

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1SG, USA (Ret)

Very nice work!

That said, while I understand that a person can't be denied a cane (as a medical device) on planes and venues that restrict potential weapons, I'm having trouble thinking that you wouldn't be challenged with that one.

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Dave

Nice to see this again. It's a splendid design, and beautiful workmanship.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Nicely done!

* In the interest of being correct on the model I believe you started with a rig axe rather than a hachet, but could be wrong? 😋

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Wherever my mind isn't
Jim

I love the innovation. It is matched by the craftsmanship. Well done.

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Ban this man,
'89

That is fantastic!!!! Makes me want a walking stick...

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My first thought was a framers ax/rig ax. I'm sure that I'm wrong and I don't know the name but this is meant for cedar shakes and shingles, a roofers hammer.

This is one of the best ideas I've seen in a long time.
I would find a way to camouflage the head. Maybe encase it in a generic rubber hand grip of some sort. That shouldn't hurt it's effectiveness as a weapon.
Thank you for sharing the splendid idea.

CRCK>or something like that is a company that makes knives. Just before Christmas they came out with a couple ax or hatchet designs. one has a cast steel head with axe on one side and a hammer on the other. The other one has the axe on one end ans what looks like a war hammer on the other.Handle is either hickory or ash and about 2' long. A sheath is available for the axe. NO wooden wedge or steel one for either. Just slide the axe over the small part of the handle and invert the handle and slam it against a good hard surface and inertia comes into play. Takes a darn good edge. Frank

This is an old posting, but I'm wondering if the OP has ever attempted to carry it to board an airplane? Just curious what security may have had to say about it.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I really like it. Just have to find an axe to cut up. Probably look on the internet for either ash or hickory handles. Been having problems with my rightknew and have been using a generic cane I found at wally world. Your head reminds me of the hookaroon/pickaroon folks in the lumber trades use. I bought one of the CRKT axes, has the blade and hammer. Too nice to actually use. Frank

For over a year I have kept coming back and looking at this beautiful project, wondering if I could pull it off. Today I bought a 20 oz. Vaughn hatchet hammer head.

You can do it!

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Patriots Forever!!

While not having a metal head or spike, the one below has been on several trips, including Europe. TSA didn't bat an eye. But then again, neither did I.

Got Mrs Magger and myself out of an "interesting" situation with 2 junkies along the river in Toledo, Spain. This one is Irish Blackthorn.

Canes are GREAT under the radar tools.

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I have recently got into blacksmithing I have made several knives, and one hatchet from railroad spikes. I think a railroad spike would work just fine for this hummm...

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Randy