Written by Heinz Ahlers, photographs by H. David Wright

The name tomahawk is a combination of tribal and English words. Algonquin and Lenape peoples called their lightweight stone axes "tamahak" or “tamahakan".  European Americans pronounced these words as "tomahawk." They liked the size and weight of the original tool, but made their own adaptation by replacing the stone heads with iron heads having steel blades. Tribes who had never seen a handled tool with a metal head called it a tomahawk, adopting the indigenous term to the iron headed tool.

Around 1740, Native Americans or European Americans adapted the iron tomahawk into a new form known as the pipe tomahawk. The trade tomahawk is a tool with a wooden handle and a metal head. What differentiates a regular tomahawk from a pipe tomahawk is its head, which consists of a cutting edge on one end and a pipe bowl on the other. Pipe tomahawks could be used for smoking and chopping when necessary, but they usually were more symbolic than practical.  Tobacco smoking had a spiritual significance to native peoples. Pipe tomahawks also are a mix of Old World and New World materials. The majority of these tools were made in North Amer-ica. Their handles are of native woods and their axe blades were metal. Blades were usually iron with a steel cutting edge. If not intended for cutting, they were made of brass.  A few brass pipe tomahawks have a steel bit.  Some of the heads and handles were decorated with silver, pewter, lead, brass, and copper inlays.

European Americans traded pipe tomahawks with native peoples during the fur trade era, from about 1650 to 1870. European Americans also presented pipe tomahawks as gifts in diplomatic agreements and treaty signings with the tribes. Joseph Brandt was painted with one in his 1776 portrait by George Romney; Tecumseh had one presented to him by British Colonel Henry Proctor.  Lewis and Clark took 50 pipe tomahawks with them on their 1803-1806 expedition to trade or present as gifts.

This pipe tomahawk made for the Contemporary Longrifle Foundation 2020 live auction was done in the classic American blacksmith style; a head and bowl forged from a salvaged section of gun barrel with a carbon steel cut-ting edge forge-welded in place. Simeon England, Mike Miller and Kyle Willyard have produced an outstanding pipe tomahawk.  Historically correct in its features and embellishment, this is a significant display of exceptional work by these three talented artists. The length of the tomahawk is 21 1/2" with a historically correct head 5 1/2" tall.

Simeon, Kyle, and Mike, longstanding NMLRA members and widely respected artists, each practice a different trade.  Though all three artists have built guns and knives and are skilled at forging and engraving, they’ve each settled into a slightly different specialty.  Mike is known for his faithful recreations of the American longrifle. Simeon’s passion is the forging of tomahawks and axes, true to those made in the latter half of the 18th century.  And Kyle is known for his fine cutlery, especially knives and swords.

The auction tomahawk was the perfect project to bring each artist and skill set together.  Historically, pipe tomahawks were very often the product of a gunsmith.  Often presentation pieces, they required the various skills that a gunsmith possessed, including forging, fitting, inlay, and engraving.  When planning this project, it was decided that each would contribute aspects from their particular trade.

Reinforcing the trio’s common theme in gunsmithing, Simeon began by forging the tomahawk from a discarded gun barrel.  After punching the eye and forming the blade, Simeon hammer welded a piece of an old file for the cutting edge. With the forging complete, he draw-filed and added decorative features.  Kyle was responsible for the engraving and finish of the head.  A sterling silver inlay in the shape of a scalping knife was chosen to showcase the fact that Kyle is perhaps best known for his knives.  That detail is a perfect historic fit, as similar inlays appear on several original tomahawks.  Mike showcased his talent as a gun maker to haft the tomahawk, fabricate a coin silver mouth piece, and incor-porate silver and brass wire and inlays, as well as engrave and finish the handle.

As you can see from the photos, this pipe tomahawk is created with the correct architecture and materials.  Ster-ling silver has been used for the haft cap and mouthpiece, and the inlaying and the engraving is ‘top drawer’. The haft is a fancy piece of curly maple and features a flange for a wrist strap.  Look closely at the attention to detail, including the engraved silver mouthpiece and the carved wood clean-out plug.

The CLF Live Fundraising Auction, held for the benefit of the CLA, has a history of offering fine presentation pipe tomahawks, but they do not come up every year.  This is one of that select group and this year is your chance to own one.

The artists’ contact information is below: Simeon England

simeonengland@gmail.com

Mike Miller

riflemaker@aol.com

http://www.millerlongrifles.com

Kyle Willyard (Old Dominion Forge) kwillyard@earthlink.net

http://www.olddominionforge.com

To see all the artists' contributions to the 2020 CLF Live Fundraising Auction, visit the CLA website at http://www. contemporarylongriflefoundation.org/2020-live-auction/