Rare LaGana Tomahawk ?

[doyler]

[doyler]

[digi-shots]

Ron, great photos. You can almost see the manufacturing progression.
 

I have no idea of the process of how these were made but looking at your photos, how does this sound….

 

- original head was drop forged

- while still in the white, cutting edges were hand or belt filed/ground and beveled

- head and handle were assembled and wedge installed

- final product sprayed olive drab paint (you can see paint in the top/wedge, not sure about handle)

 

In your second photo (post 77) you can see how the original profile was filed flat at the spike tip and the edges beveled.  Definitely not a production line operation but lots of hand filing and fitting.

 

Thanks for posting the photos

 

 

[doyler]

Thanks Linda.

 

Im not a great photographer. Need work in that department. There are some definite grind or file narks. Also as you say the flats of the spike then beveled. As well as the wirk to the beard of the hatches. Lit different than many of the after markets I have seen. 

 

There is signs of OD paint in the wood grain of the handle. Hard to say if it was worn off or intentionally removed.

 

A hatchet popped up on a gear page this week. Thought at first it may have a bit if a chance. The person stated he got it at a sale in a duffle bag of military clothing. Was painted dark OD. Had age. I was focusing on the wedge and handle. Then it was mentioned the word "TAIWAN"  on the right side of the hatchet head in raised letters. This was initially over looked by the poster. I can invasion a motivated faker to work this off with a file and then refinish or age and blend in paint. I will see if I can pull the pictures and post it here. 

 

Thanks again for your interest.

 

[digi-shots]

Ron, in post 76, 5th photo… is there a seam along blade (see my altered photo here - red dotted line) or is that a grind/bevel ?

 

Do you see any seams on yours or perhaps were they ground down/removed?
 

[doyler]

46 minutes ago, digi-shots said:

Ron, in post 76, 5th photo… is there a seam along blade (see my altered photo here - red dotted line) or is that a grind/bevel ?

 

Do you see any seams on yours or perhaps were they ground down/removed?
 

 

 

Don't see a visible seam or flashing. If you follow your red line back to the handle there also is grind marks to the metal and looks to me it was part of the shaping process or to remove and smooth out areas after forging.

 

There are tool marks from grinding and there is a bevel to both sides and is actually beveled to a slightly sharp lower edge.

[doyler]

This recently was for sale on a site. Seller stated the handle appeared replaced. I asked for pictures of the area with wedge. It didnt have the cross shaped wedge. Possibly replaced handle. The few pictures I couldnt see the same bevels etc as the one I posted. I couldnt say if it was a LaGana for certain or a Hess. Maybe something else.

 

Here are the pictures I saved.

 

 

 

 

[digi-shots]

That’s an interesting one.  Lots of faint grind marks.  I think I can see some dark green paint in the wedge area and also on wood handle near the head.  Maybe a repaint, maybe original.

 

The more I see of these the more I’m confused.  This one looks nice but is missing the one component yours has. The spike doesn’t look as beveled as yours.

 

I read where an original LaGana was used by ATC - American Tomahawk, to make their forging. If that’s the case, they are all going to look similar but have various hand tooling marks.  Labors cost would probably keep the hand work to a minimum.  The handle and the way it is attached would differ.

 

 

[digi-shots]

Here’s a few photos I found on an older posting on blade forum.  I’ve seen the pics before.. maybe eBay a few years ago.  Rusted heads, as found and then “cleaned” up.  Should say over cleaned.. reverse electrolysis would have been better.
 

[digi-shots]

Also, here’s a write up from older blade forum posting - regarding their tomahawks

 

[digi-shots]

Here are a few more photos I found on old blade forum post.  The consensus was that this one is good.

 

[digi-shots]

And a photo of another one..

[doyler]

Thanks for the added photos. Have seen mist all if them. The Hawk with cover has the same type cover as th eone I won.The harware is pretty distinctive (to me) as well as how the were made.

[VNAMVET70]

Currently on gunbroker.com is a Howard Hess tomahawk in mint condition for sale.....no reserve. The seller's description reads: 

 

"This tomahawk was made by Howard Hess during the Vietnam war. He had gained approval from Peter LaGana to make them. The heads were cast from the original LaGana hawks........"

 

The seller's statement would explain why there might be a visible seam on the tomahawk head from the casting process. The seam is called a "parting line". The parting line is the line that separates the two parts of the mold (upper half and lower half). A skilled person can grind most of the seam down but a keen eye can spot it.  Often the mold halves will leak during the casting process and there will be spill out...just more to grind off. I've seen this in some of Hess's heads.

[doyler]

1 hour ago, VNAMVET70 said:

Currently on gunbroker.com is a Howard Hess tomahawk in mint condition for sale.....no reserve. The seller's description reads: 

 

"This tomahawk was made by Howard Hess during the Vietnam war. He had gained approval from Peter LaGana to make them. The heads were cast from the original LaGana hawks........"

 

The seller's statement would explain why there might be a visible seam on the tomahawk head from the casting process. The seam is called a "parting line". The parting line is the line that separates the two parts of the mold (upper half and lower half). A skilled person can grind most of the seam down but a keen eye can spot it.  Often the mold halves will leak during the casting process and there will be spill out...just more to grind off. I've seen this in some of Hess's heads.

 

Posted this earlier in the topic (post #12)

 

The light OD hatchett is stated to be a Hess and from the picture it looks like the parting lines were well finised off in the posted example. Also the handle doesnt extend out of the top of the eye of the hatchett head. Granted the handles can be replaced but to me it looks like th eone on GB is a darker paint and not finished as well aroint the casting seams? 

[doyler]

Image from GB sales ad.

 

 

 

 

[otter42]

What's your thoughts on this one? Looks like re-handled or repaired.  Appears to be recently sharpened, and very sharp! Has glue on part of the head that appears it may have been in a display. 

Thanks Ken 

[doyler]

38 minutes ago, otter42 said:

What's your thoughts on this one? Looks like re-handled or repaired.  Appears to be recently sharpened, and very sharp! Has glue on part of the head that appears it may have been in a display. 

Thanks Ken 

 

 

Handle looks like it was sanded to age it?  The casting lines seem to be pretty distinct like I see on copies as well as the filler in the eye of the hatchet head.Easy enough tot replace the handles but the distressed handle is a red flag to me. Maybe others can comment. 

[doyler]

 more pictures of some of the tool marks in the one I have. 

[digi-shots]

There was one almost exactly like this posted on the Blade Forum back in 2012… it was one of two.  They were both the same and had an orange epoxy type filler on the top.  They both had a rounded “heel” (?) and  had same light olive paint over dark.  The comment made was that it was not a LaGana but perhaps a Hess.

 

Here are the photos:

[otter42]

Great thanks for the help. Looks good in my SF display, even if a copy. 🙂

[doyler]

Here is one that recently sold and posting here for an example. I dont think its a Lagana due to the lower profile of the head and lacking the grind to the lower edge etc. Also no pictures of the wedge. Interested to hear opinions if its a copy or a Hess version. My initial thought is copy.

 

https://www.proxibid.com/VIETNAM-WAR-US-ARMY-PETER-LAGANA-TOMAHAWK/lotInformation/72615673

 

 

 

 

[VNAMVET70]

Looks like a cheap "Cold Steel" Tomahawk to me.  

[ArchangelDM]

Here is mine 

head is slightly loose where wood has shrunk, 

Forged by looks of file marks. 
no green left on blade but some green still left on the crossed top part. 

[ArchangelDM]

Looking forward to learning more about mine