Tools of the Trade.

My tools of the trade.

Axes in New France: Part 111 Casse-têtes (French Tomahawks)

https://secureservercdn.net/198.71.233.109/tnx.0f5.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Axes-in-New-France-Part-3-Casse-t%C3%AAtes-French-Tomahawks.pdf

Axes in New France: Part 1 The Biscayan Axe

https://secureservercdn.net/198.71.233.109/tnx.0f5.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Axes-in-New-France-Part-1-The-Biscayan-Axe.pdf

Tools Made from Rasps or Files

Tools Historic Maritime I (1607-1676): The First Colonial Dominion The Davistown Museum - Tools Made from Rasps or Files 31-Jul-14 Blacksmiths re-use worn or damaged files and rasps by making them into something else. All the tools listed here are also listed in the sections and categories given. Historic Maritime I (1607-1676): The First Colonial Dominion Sub Category Woodworking: Axes and Hatchets 102409T1 Hatchet 13 1/2" long, 3 1/8" cutting edge It has a forge-welded edge. DTM http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/102409T1web1.jpg http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/102409T1web2.jpg SubCategory Woodworking: Boring Tools TAB1010 Stone drill 8 1/2" long This stone drill has clearly been re-fashioned from a used blacksmith rasp. It was made in the 17th or 18th century. It is typical of the type of tool early settlers would have used to drill a mooring hole. DTM http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/tab1007.jpg SubCategory Woodworking: Edge Tools 42602T4 Drawknife 10" wide, 4 1/2" wide blade This hand-forged tool has been carefully refashioned from file steel. The short chubby handles are in the English style and are made of carefully cut and glued leather. This nifty tool is difficult to date; it is probably made in the 18th century. It is displayed in the Maritime I case because it is so typical of the homemade tools of the early colonial period. This tool is, in fact, exactly what a small drawshave in the tool kits of the first New England settlers could have looked like. BDTM Historic Maritime II (1720-1800): The Second Colonial Dominion & the Early Republic SubCategory Agricultural Implements 102409T2 Grafting froe 13" long, 4" wide, 2 3/4" cutting edge DTM http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/102409T2web1.jpg http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/102409T2web2.jpg 913108T47A Grafting iron 9 1/2" long, 2 3/4" long blade DTM Blacksmith, Farrier, and Metalworking Tools SubCategory TBF3501 Bench vise 7" high, 2 1/2" wide The hold down is made from a recycled farriers' rasp. DTM 3114T3 Hoof knife 6" long, 1 1/4" wide, 2" edge DTM 61601T5 Tin snips 12 3/4" long These are clearly reforged from a file. The first rolled tin dates to the early 18th century. This reforged smith-made tool is at least 200 years old. DTM SubCategory Cobbler and Saddler Tools 1 Tools Historic Maritime II (1720-1800): The Second Colonial Dominion & the Early Republic The Davistown Museum - Tools Made from Rasps or Files 31-Jul-14 62406T3 Curriers' slick fleshing knife 6" long, 2" blade It is forge-welded from a recycled rasp. DTM SubCategory Domestic Utensils 11301T1 Block knife 20 5/7" long with 15 3/4" chopping arm and 5" wide iron blade The iron component of this food and/or tobacco chopper is made of a recycled farriers' file. DTM TBF3000 Cleaver 8 3/8" long with a 2 1/2" blade It was forged out of an old rasp. DTM SubCategory Knives 81101T14 Crooked knife 8 1/2" long, 3" blade Crooked knives are especially common in northern New England where they were used by Native Americans and European settlers for many purposes including basket-making and working birch bark. This knife has been reforged from an old file or rasp, one of early American artisans' most important sources of recycled forged steel. The crosshatched carving on the nicely fashioned applewood (?) handle suggests a Native American user. DTM http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/81101t14.jpg SubCategory Logging Tools 913108T49 Spud 8 1/2" long, 2" wide DTM SubCategory Miscellaneous Tools 40501T4 Pry bar 21 3/4" long Refashioned from an old rasp, this rip is a classic example of recycling a dull rasp. With a nicely forged rattail hanger, this tool is probably late 18th century. DTM SubCategory Woodworking: Boring Tools 31602T2 Turn screw 19 1/2" long with 15" long and 5/8" wide blade It has a nicely turned handle with a recycled iron ferrule. A recycled file has been used as the turn screw. An unusual hole has been wrought and drilled in the turn screw center. DTM TJR1301 Turn screw 12 1/2" long, 3 1/2" handle This shows the typical recycling of used rasps. DTM SubCategory Woodworking: Edge Tools 81801T11 Drawknife 6" long, 3 1/4" blade This carefully wrought shave is made from the recycled steel of a rasp or file and predates the patternmakers' drawknives that it resembles. Its use is unknown. DTM 2 Tools Historic Maritime II (1720-1800): The Second Colonial Dominion & the Early Republic The Davistown Museum - Tools Made from Rasps or Files 31-Jul-14 31702T2 Drawknife 10 1/2" wide, 5 5/8" blade This is an excellent example of an edge tool made out of recycled file steel with English style handles. DTM 32412T2 Drawknife 14" long, 8 1/2" long blade This drawknife is crudely welded together from a file and two separate pieces of steel. Courtesy of Liberty Tool Co. DTM 913108T39 Drawshave 20 3/4" long, 7 3/4" blade This shave is made from a recycled rasp or file. DTM 111001T21 Toothed chisel 3 7/16" long, 2" cutting head with 17 teeth This is an excellent example of recycling file steel. Its use is unknown; it is too delicate for stone facing. DTM SubCategory Woodworking: Planes 81101T12 Coachmakers' router 13 3/8" wide, 7/16" wide cutter This once common 18th century tool shows indications of being refashioned from an old file or rasp. DTM SubCategory Wrenches 43006T4 Wagon wrench 3/4" and 13/16" wide wrench openings It is a curved wrench, forge-welded and hand-filed from a handmade rasp. It is a nice example of an 18th century wagon wrench. DTM Historic Maritime III (1800-1840): Boomtown Years & the Dawn of the Industrial Revolution SubCategory Agricultural Implements TCR1001A Grafting froe 8 5/8" long with a 3 1/4" blade This tool is refashioned from an old file or rasp. It was a basic necessity for Davistown residents maintaining orchards in the 19th century. DTM http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/tcz1006.jpg http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/tcr1001a.jpg Blacksmith, Farrier, and Metalworking Tools SubCategory 913108T7 Blacksmiths' tongs 13" long DTM 913108T37 Blacksmiths' tools (5) A) 2 1/2"; B) 9 1/4"; C) 6 1/2"; D) 1 3/4"; E) 7 3/4" This is a set of tools a blacksmith may have made for his own use. They consist of: B) grafting tool, C) spud, D) wedge, and two farriers' hoof cutters A) and E). DTM 021812T4 Clinch cutter This is a farriers' tool rendered out of a recycled rasp or file. DTM 3 Tools Historic Maritime III (1800-1840): Boomtown Years & the Dawn of the Industrial Revolution The Davistown Museum - Tools Made from Rasps or Files 31-Jul-14 032103T3 Farriers' chisel 7 3/8" long, 2" long cutter This is an excellent example of recycled steel. Originally a steel rasp, worn out rasps were saved and reworked into other useful edge tools. The peened top cutting edge reflects the transition from forged iron to a hammered steel cutting edge. DTM http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/032103t3_p1.jpg http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/032103t3_p2.jpg TG1010 Punch 5 1/4" long DTM 021812T6 Wedge 3" long, 1 1/4" wide This is possibly a farriers' or blacksmiths' tool made from a recycled rasp or file. It has a hand-drilled hole of 1/4" diameter that might be used for a handle. DTM SubCategory Cobbler and Saddler Tools TG1007 Tack pry 11 3/8" long It is made from a file. DTM SubCategory Coopers' Tools 81801T13A Coopers' _____? 6" long, 4" angle extension This tool is characterized by the same grooved crease found in all coopers' hammers, though slightly narrower (1/8") than the crease in 81801T13 (1/4"). It is clearly refashioned from recycled file steel and is very unusual. A specific identification is welcomed. DTM 092409T3 Coopers' adz 9 1/3" long, 1" wide with a 12" long handle DTM http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/092409T3web2.jpg http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/092409T3web4.jpg SubCategory Domestic Utensils 913108T37A Food chopper 6 1/2" long, 7 3/8" wide blade DTM SubCategory Hammers 032203T3 Snowball hammer 8 3/4" long, 2 3/16" cutter at one end This is a typical example of a late 18th century or early 19th century recycling of a precious forged steel rasp. After becoming dull, this rasp was reshaped into a tool for knocking the snow and ice from a shoed horse. What was the cutting edge used for? Notice that the malleable wrought iron top edge of the tool has been bent over from use, whereas the steel cutting edge shows no evidence of wear. This illustrates the varying amount of carbon in different sections of this tool. DTM http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/032203t3_p1.jpg http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/032203t3_p2.jpg SubCategory Knives 913108T15 Crooked knife 8 1/2" long, 3/4" long blade This is typical of the forge-welded crooked knife used by the settlers of North America for basketmaking and other uses. DTM 4 Tools Historic Maritime III (1800-1840): Boomtown Years & the Dawn of the Industrial Revolution The Davistown Museum - Tools Made from Rasps or Files 31-Jul-14 TG1009 Knife 9 1/2" long, 3 3/8" handle DTM SubCategory Miscellaneous Tools TG1006 Brick chisel 5 3/4" long, 1 1/2" wide It does not have a handle. DTM TG1008 Unidentified tool 16" long, 14" wood handle DTM Watchmakers, Jewelers, and Silversmiths' Tools SubCategory 041505T28 Spinning tool 15" long including a 14" wood handle, 2 1/2" long pewter ferrule The wood handle holds the tanged steel chisel. This cutting tool is clearly made of recycled file steel. It is an uncommon tool from a long lost trade. DTM SubCategory Woodworking: Boring Tools TCC3011 Burin 4" long This commonplace tool is refashioned out of an old file and has a beautifully turned handle. DTM SubCategory Woodworking: Edge Tools 22411T3 Drawknife 15 1/2" long, 6 1/2" wide, 10" long blade This drawknife is handmade from a file. DTM 913108T23 Drawknife 12" long, 7 3/4" long blade DTM TG1004 Drawshave 13 5/8" long, 9 1/2" blades It has no handles. DTM 10407T4 Drawshave 10 1/2" wide with a 7" cutting edge The handles are handmade and it is obviously forged from an old file. It is a typical edge tool utilizing the strategy of recycling a high quality (probably English or German) steel file. DTM http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/10407t4.jpg Woodworking: Edge Tools - Imported Cast Steel SubCategory Peter Stubs Tools TCC1008 Chisel 4 1/8" long, 3/4" wide "Stubs" It is made from one of Stub's recycled files. DTM http://www.davistownmuseum.org/bioStubs.htm Woodworking: Edge Tools Made in Maine SubCategory 3114T4 Crook knife 9" long, 4" blade LPC 5 Tools Historic Maritime III (1800-1840): Boomtown Years & the Dawn of the Industrial Revolution The Davistown Museum - Tools Made from Rasps or Files 31-Jul-14 SubCategory Woodworking: Other Tools TG1003 Center punch 3 1/2" wide DTM TCR1009 Turnscrew 12 1/2" long, 8 3/8" long blade This tool has been refashioned out of an old file. DTM TG1005 Wedge 1 3/4" wide DTM TG1011 Wedge 4 5/8" long, 2 5/16" wide DTM TG1015 Wedge 2 3/8" wide DTM SubCategory Wrenches TG1001 Wrench 13 1/2" long, 9/16" and 1 3/14" open ends DTM TG1002 Wrench 8" long, 3/4" and 5/8" wide open ends DTM Historic Maritime IV (1840-1865): The Early Industrial Revolution Blacksmith, Farrier, and Metalworking Tools SubCategory 32912T7 Ox shoe 4 1/2" long "L" Courtesy of Liberty Tool Co. DTM SubCategory Coopers' Tools 913108T45 Coopers' bung 7 3/4" long, 3 3/4" long blade It is unusual to see a coopers' bung used for a handle attached to a curved blade. DTM SubCategory Woodworking: Edge Tools 22411T16 Drawknife 8" long, 4" wide, 5" blade It is hand-forged from an old file. DTM The Industrial Revolution (1865f.): Other Factory Made Tools SubCategory Miscellaneous Tools 30311T7 Screwdriver 12" long, 1 1/2" wide It is handmade from a file. DTM 6 Tools The Industrial Revolution (1865f.): Other Factory Made Tools The Davistown Museum - Tools Made from Rasps or Files 31-Jul-14 30911T6 Tapered reamer 15" long, 8" blade This convex-shaped reamer is handmade from a file. DTM SubCategory Woodworking: Edge Tools 72714T1 Drawknife blade 11" long, 5 3/8" cutting edge, 4 1/4" handle tangs This drawknife is fashioned from a reforged file. LPC 31311T12 Gouge 17 " long, 11" long and 1" wide blade, 6" long handle DTM Woodworking: Edge Tools Made in Maine SubCategory 41212T6 Drawknife 16 1/2" long, 9 1/2" long cutting edge "T.C. JACKSON" "STINSON" This tool was made in Bath, Maine circa 1869 or earlier from a recycled steel file or rasp. Courtesy of Liberty Tool Co. DTM http://www.davistownmuseum.org/publications/volume10.html 22411T6 Drawknife 13 1/2" long, 5" long handles, 7 1/2" long blade "J. T. BUDGE" This drawknife is handmade from an old file. Possibly Budge was the maker/owner. The Penobscot County ME Archives History - Businesses listings for Lee in 1883 has J. T. Budge as a blacksmith. The Maine Register of 1889 lists J. T. Budge & Son as blacksmiths in Lee, Maine. DTM 7

http://www.davistownmuseum.org/PDFsforInventory/WebToolsFromRaspsOrFiles_PDF.pdf

The Whetting Stone.

18th century whetstones Nottingham University Museum Photo Robin Aldworth.

The Whetting Stone.

Whet means sharp, so by definition if a blade has been sharpened, it has been whetted. If you are sharpening a blade, then you are whetting that blade.

Keith.

“The language surrounding so called oilstones is very misleading. First off, there’s no such thing as an “oilstone.” Long ago, these abrasive stones were simply called whetstones. “Whetting” was the period word for “sharpening” and it had nothing to do with applying liquid to a rock”. https://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/what-is-an-oilstone-2

https://finds.org.uk/database/search/results/material/2/objectType/WHETSTONE

whet

 (redirected from whetting)
Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms.

whet

  (wĕt, hwĕt)

tr.v. whet·ted, whet·ting, whets

1. To sharpen (a knife, for example); hone.

2. To make more keen; stimulate: The frying bacon whetted my appetite.

n.

Something that whets the appetite or desire.

---

[Middle English whetten, from Old English hwettan.]

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/whetting

18th century whetting and polishing machine.

http://www.chirurgiemechanik.de/En/History/18th_Century_Beginnings_of_Surgical_Mechanics.asp;

Jean-Jacques Perret, sharpening,honing methods 1771.

This is how I sharpen my blades.

Keith.

Tomahawks PDF for Download.

https://ia700600.us.archive.org/17/items/americanindianto00pete/americanindianto00pete_bw.pdf

Fur Trade Axes & Tomahawks. A Link.

http://furtradetomahawks.tripod.com/index.html

Settlers. Tools, weapons, and carrying.

Settlers. Tools, weapons, and carrying.

Some people I know choose the actual settlement scenario for historical trekking events. But I wonder just how much thought goes into such an event beforehand. Settlers traveled by various means, by foot, by horse, and by water. If you are going by water, then carrying all your belongings is relatively easy. If by horse, or if you have stock, then these animals will probably be carrying belongings and possibly young children. But if by foot, then you have to think about who carries what among your group of travelers.

Think about your purpose. This is in the 18^th century, you are not trekking for fun, you are trekking to a place to settle. This involves building some form of shelter, possibly some form of defences, toilet, and gardens. Gardens are extremely important. You can survive on just wild game, but sooner or later you are going to need some form of crops. In order to cultivate this garden you are going to need tools. Some tools can be made out of timber, but they are not nearly as efficient as metal tools. So let us look at some of these necessary tools and think about how we can carry them.

Tomahawks are a given, along with the knife and the gun, but what about felling axes and half-axes. Tools such as rakes can be made on site, but you will need at least two sizes of augers to make one, and these augers will be needed for constructing a more permanent shelter in time. Hoes will come in handy, as will a mattock and possibly a pick axe. You may also need some form of saw, either the larger cross-cut saw, or a blade for a buck-saw.

Handles or stails can be made for hoes on site, as can handles for mattocks and pick-axes, as they are similar in construction to the tomahawk helve. Axes though you may wish to use early on and not wish to have to wait until you can make a helve. Then there is the consideration of whether or not some of these lighter tools may not be of some use as weapons along the trail? A hoe for instance is not a heavy item, and a woman may be able to carry this tool over her shoulder as well as carrying a pack.

"I noticed particularly, one family of about 12 in number. The man
carried an axe and a gun on his shoulders. The Wife, the rim of a spinning wheel in one hand, and a loaf of bread in the other. Several little boys and girls, each with a bundle, according to their size Two poor horses, each heavily loaded with some poor necessities. On the top of the baggage of one, was an infant rocked to sleep in a kind of wicker cage, lashed securely to the horse. A cow formed one of the company ,and she was destined to bear her proportion of service - a bed cord was wound around her horns and a bag of meal on her back. They were not only patient, but cheerful and pleased with themselves with the expectation of seeing happy days beyond the mountains"
Diary of Presbyterian Rev. David McClure.
18th century.

We know that ordinary tools such as felling axes and hoes were also considered as weapons. There must have been many people using these tools for self-defence in situations where they are caught off guard in the barn or whilst working in the fields, but this following quote also shows that these tools were also considered for offence should the need arise:

“I gave orders to them to go home and fetch their arms whether guns, swords, pitchforks, axes or whatsoever might be of use against the enemy and for three days provision in their knapsacks”

Letter to Gov. Morris, from Conrad Weiser, Esq. 10/27/1755

Don’t forget the seeds. Even if you do not wish to carry the necessary tools for cultivation or the important supply of crop seed you can at least count them into your calculations when packing for the trail. Your packs may well seem too heavy, but maybe that was just the way it was. Certainly it was not just a walk in the park; everyone including the children had a duty to perform and a load to carry.

The Project Gutenberg EBook of New Discoveries at Jamestown

The Project Gutenberg EBook of New Discoveries at Jamestown

The Project Gutenberg EBook of New Discoveries at Jamestown

Diderot.

Diderot.

Diderot.

Mopoke’s Stock & Trade (Australia).

Mopoke’s Stock & Trade (Australia).

I would like to introduce you all to a new Australian trader, Mick Humphrey. Mick is a good friend of mine and he is based in Victoria. Please bear in mind that Mick has to order this gear from overseas, therefore the prices at first glance may seem a little high. But the fact is Mick’s prices including post and package should be at least comparable if not less expensive than ordering from the UK or the States.

The other good thing is that Mick is local, any problems and you can literally phone Mick up and he can sort things out for you. You can order by phone, by email, or online from Mick’s site. I think this is a great opportunity for Australian living historians and re-enactors to get the items they want, knowing that they are helping a small Australian company.

If you have any special needs that do not show on Mick’s site, or if you have any suggestions for Mick, contact him. I know Mick would love to hear from you.

http://www.mopokesstockandtrade.com/

Here are just some of the items Mick is carrying:

This fishing kit unfortunately has a synthetic line. But if you think the price is right you can replace it with linen or silk line.

Good Tomahawk/Trade Axe Research Site. A Link.

http://furtradetomahawks.tripod.com/id11.html

From the Horse's Mouth. A New Australian Trader!!!

Just thought I would give you all the heads-up early. A good friend of mine and fellow 18th century living historian is starting his own Trading Company here in Australia. To start off he will be selling just flint, steel and tinderbox kits and hand forged tomahawks at very reasonable prices. I can't say when he will be open for business, because he is waiting for stocks to arrive, but as soon as I know, you will know.
This chap is straight up and up all the way, no dodgy deals and a service you can depend on. So watch this space as they say for more news in the near future. If you have been wanting one of the above items, now is your chance to purchase them locally instead of from overseas and paying extra for freight.

The Tomahawk and Its Weight.

Recently I have received several enquiries about the weight of a trade axe/tomahawk. I had not realised that some popular brands of “off the shelf” tomahawks weighed in at about 1 kilogram! Personally I think this weight for a tomahawk/belt axe is excessive.

My tomahawk head weighs 1 lb, and all up with the helve about 500 grams. Personally I would set the upper limit of 600 grams. Even my half-axe weighs in just under 1 kilogram.

As I said, this is my personal choice. If a person has uses for the tomahawk that requires a heavier head, then so be it, but I fail to see what this use could be in a normal woodsrunning situation. I use my tomahawk for: shelter construction, trap construction, hammering in shelter and trap stakes, throwing for recreation and it is good for self-defence and hunting if needs be. None of these chores require a tomahawk head heavier than 1 lb.

So if you are thinking of purchasing a tomahawk, think about what you are going to use it for. I do not use mine for cutting firewood, I have never had the need, but even if I did, my tomahawk would still be adequate. 

 This is the tomahawk I normally carry when in the woods.

 This is the tomahawk I made from a modern axe head. Both are the same weight, 500 grams with helve/haft.

Australian Aboriginals using Trade Axes/Tomahawks.

"They had among them one iron axe and four steel tomahawks".
Snowy Mountains Australia. Tumut district in 1824-25, Hume.
http://www.kiandrahistory.net/indigenous.html

18th Century Childrens Tomahawks.

I have seen these tomahawks/axes refered to as toys, and they may well have been called toys back then, but I prefere to call them tools or a child's tomahawk/axe. These were and are real small sized tomawks/axes, and they were made for children. The round poll tomahawk below belonged to one of my sons, it was later passed down to my youngest son. All three boys learnt axemanship and tomahawk throwing with this tomahawk. There was another exactly like this one, but it got misslaid out in the forest somewhere! I will have to check out their old camp sites sometime just in case it is lying close by.

The other tomahawk is a spike poll type. I have no idea of its date of manufacture. It was given to me many years ago. According to "Fur Trade Tomahawks" https://www.furtradetomahawks.com/ a child's tomahawk/axe is distinguished by the head being less than 5 inches long from the poll to the cutting edge. Both these tomahawks below conform to that size. I am not claiming that these two tomahawks are exact copies of originals, just that they are the same size as a child's tomahawk.

Here you can see a comparison between my wife's belt axe and the smaller tomahawk/axe.

My youngest Son when only very young. You can just see the tomahawk helve sticking out by his left hand. The knife in his belt is real too.

Links to records and museum images.

http://www.fortvan.org/files/teachingthevillage-web.pdf

http://www.nps.gov/fova/historyculture/upload/Research%20Guide.pdf

http://www.nps.gov/museum/treasures/html/A/fova28308.htm

The Southern Cross Free Trappers Newsletter.

http://freetrappers.org.au/2011/08/12/vol-33-august-2011/?utm_source=Around+the+Traps+Newsletter&utm_campaign=b7cddd9c98-Vol_33_August_2011_08_12&utm_medium=email

Tomahawks/axes made by Glen Mitchell of Pioneer Forge.

What You Need To get Started In 18th Century Historical Trekking. Part One.

What You Need To Get Started In 18th Century Historical Trekking. Part One.



Equipment.


1. A kettle can be useful for boiling water for hot drinks and cooking food, but it is not necessary. You could instead drink water from your water bottle and carry meat to cook on a stick or other foods that do not require cooking. If you want a kettle you could start off with just a tin can with a bale made of fencing wire. It is not authentic to the period, but it will suffice until you can get the real thing.

This is one I made many years ago. You can cook with this and use it as a cup.


2. Cotton or linen food bags. These are easily made and not expensive. A cheap calico will do fine.


3. You will probably need a knife at some time or another. A good hunting knife will do for cutting and eating food, and I suggest you check out the op-shops and second hand shops for second hand butcher knives. The handle should be pinned and not riveted, but you can change the handle if needs be.

One of these cost me $4 and the other $7. One like this will make a good hunting knife.


A sheath for one of these is easily made from second hand shoulder bag leather.

 This one of mine is double leather; a heavy leather inside a soft leather casing.


4. A tomahawk is a handy tool for constructing shelters and for many other tasks. It is not too difficult to convert a second hand hatchet into a tomahawk, which is lighter to carry than a hatchet.

This is a square poll hatchet head that has been lightened and the eye reshaped to take a tapered tomahawk helve.

This beautiful piece was made by Todd from the Woodlife forum, from a store bought hatchet.


5. A knapsack can be made from one of those made in China all cotton school knapsacks, or you can make one from a haversack or from scratch.

Here is the one I converted from an all cotton made in China knapsack.

A glass wine bottle with a cork will do for a water bottle, and modern ones are still being made in roughly the same 18th century style.

Making An Axe Helve By Hand.

Bows, Tomahawks And Our Cottage Club House In The Woods.

We lived in Elm Cottage for about 20 years, but now it is the New England Colonial Living History Group's club house in the woods. This pic shows my primitive survival bow hanging over the fire place in Elm Cottage where our group meets.