In this part of the tutorial we finish making the throwing axe hatchet by hammering out the spike, installing the wooden handle and doing some detail work.

Part 1 of this tutorial is here

Next we do the spike at the other end of the axe head. Start out with a heavier hammer and round out the corners. We are only getting it a little bit rounded here.

Then we move down to a lighter hammer to get the detail work and the spike to the desired length and shape. I used three different hammers each one a bit lighter than the previous.

Ok! The forging is done. Now let's use some hand tools to finish off the metal work.

Now we use any variety of tools to clean it up and get it to the final shape we desire. I am just doing this on the hatchet head and the point. The rest of it can stay raw.

As, always we do rough work first and make our way through finer and finer tools.

After belt sanding I moved on to a mill file to bring both ends further to shape. Both the axe head and the point on the other end. After this I then went to various emory paper grits to finish it.

After those steps I returned back to the mill file to finish it by putting a bevel and sharp edge on it. You don't have to get it really sharp. You can always use a sharpening stone. But bring it to somewhat of an edge. And just as we hammered it to shape by working both sides evenly we do the same thing with the bevel filing. We a bevel on this side, flip it over and bevel the other side too.

OK! The metal working is done. Let's put the handle on it!

I trimmed the wooden handle a bit so it would fit very snugly into the hole.

Then I hammered it into the hole.

Then I put a screw into it to act as a wedge. This tightens it up very nicely.

That's it! Let's finish it by wrapping the handle with some twine and adding some electrical tape. These dress it up a bit but also make for a better grip.

The Complete Bladesmith: Forging Your Way To Perfection

Looking for instructions in bladesmithing that'll put you on the cutting edge of the custom blade market? Then this definitive guide to forging world-class blades is for you. Written by a master bladesmith, this book tells you how to set up your forge, select your materials, fashion grips and hilts, grind edges and much more!

What kind of things did a blacksmith do in the Middle Ages?

We all have an image of a blacksmith making swords all day right? Well.. not really true. A blacksmith did a whole lot of different things. This display from Prudhoe Castle Shows you the wide variety of things a blacksmith made and repaired. Of course it did include weapons. Blacksmithed items from Prudhoe Castle

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