INTRODUCTION:
Not posting, just reading for a while, I would like to come back with another WIP project - this time of one of my most beloved hafted weapons - the warhammer.
As many times before, the piece wouldn't be a replica of any particular one, but rather developed in my mind as a combination of features of several pieces.

Apart from including a new item in my list, the main reason of making this warhammer is the developing of new skills and mastering new forms. And as usually, this would be another experiment I make.
If this experiment goes well, I'd like the next weapon of similar kind (regardless warhammer, poleaxe or so - I'll decide later) to be forged instead of ground.
As the piece is intended for my collection, its priority is relatively low, and would be worked in time free of commissions. This, unfortunately, could prolong the time of making dramatically. Please, have some patience, till reaching the end of the project.

THE WARHAMMER

Usually, when working on new type of weapon, I like to sketch it first. This helps me to visualize the piece and to mark the critical points.
The initial sketch of the future warhammer is this:

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Well, I'm not the best artist, but at least gives some idea what I would like to achieve. Also, have in mind many things could be changed in the process.

After some markings, the work began with making the hole for the haft. This was a combined process - first I drilled a pair of spaced holes (13 mm in diameter), after that using a lathe as a milling machine and 16 mm cutter, these two holes were connected, forming one elongated hole.

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The two main parts of the weapon with all lines marked. Note that quite un-patiently, some of the cuts were already done.

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For this project I use St45 steel in 22x22 mm and 15x15 mm square bars.

Closer view to the "crown" spikes in very rough shape.

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That is going to be one beautiful, deadly, nasty-sexy bugger there! Can't wait to see it come to life! ;) :D .....McM

Awesome! Though I do love swords I believe axes and hammers should get more attention than they do.

Amen to that, Mike! Boris---Is the handle really going to be as short as in your concept drawing? I personally rather like it that way....very up-close and 'in-your-face'....extremely intimidating! ;) :D ......McM

Looks pretty cool. Looking forward to see how it progresses.
I do have a potential concern with the practicality of the design- the depth of the tines on the hammer end.
Most of the pollaxes and hammers have more restrained tines on the hammer head, just enough so they bite on plate armour rather than sliding off, to maximise the force that gets transmitted to the target. I fear the deep tines would be more likely to pierce the plate and get stuck. Yes it could be a fatal blow, but you would not want a weapon stuck fast whilst there might be threats from other enemy combatants still to deal with.

Whilst its unlikely this weapon would ever be needed to perform this function, its just something that you may not have already considered. Who knows, if you decide to do test attacks on plate, it might show that I am wrong with my preconceived idea. What ever the result its still going to look massively badass regardless, and is a very cool project.

Honestly I've seen originals that were a lot more radical than that, to the point they looked somewhat fragile. I tried to do an image search but at the moment I'm most getting fantasy gaming and low end reproductions in my results.

Definetely the haft would be longer.
Today I made some sort of test, attaching the yet unfinished head to a 30 cm (12 inch) long hammer-hangle. The result was quite awkard behaviour. I think a haft with lenght of 50-60 cm (20 - 24 inch) would be OK.
The other option would be to cut some longer piece - why not even 70 cm (about 30 inch) and to start shortening it, until reaching the desired lenght.
As the weapon is mine, may be that's the right descission.

As for the crown spikes - I would really bend them outwards.
Also I don't think their lenght would be a problem - backing Mike there are good quantity of specimens with even extremely-long spikes.

After some cutting and filing the head took a shape, which is closer to what I want as a result

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Of course, the "diamond" of the principal spike will be reversed, but this will happen during the next steps.
Also I added some decorative cuts at the edges of the head - they also need some more additional filing til reaching the desired shape, depth and curvature.

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The rest was mainly filing, first at the corners in order to determine the depth

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and secondly - between the corners, forming the proper concave areas

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Note also the decorative grooves, separating the different areas of the head.

Finally, the cuts were sanded and smoothed; the "diamond" of the principal spike sparted to take shape also

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THAT is going to be FABULOUS! Too bad you're keeping it all to yourself! :mad: I would JUMP at the chance to own this! Yessir...in half a heartbeat. :D Outrageous grinds, totally seeex-yyy. Grrr, baby, Grrr..... ;) :D ...McM

Looks great! You've got to get to a forge one of these days though, save yourself some metal dust!

# Mark
Don't feel angry, mate :cool: - I could make another piece for you in the near future, if you order.
Just wait some time - for you to see the result; and for me - to work out the technology completely and to able to quote some price.

# Addison
You are absolutely right - and if I may quote you from your site, this would "restore a sense of humanity and individuality" indeed.
And these are my plans for future wepons like this one.

Boris...I don't think I meant so much as 'angry'....just reeeally jealous! :lol: Of course, the wait is almost as much fun as the finale'. :D ....McM

Meanwhile......
.... managed to finish the forward spike; now it's ready for heat-treatment.

The process was identical as on the head
First I filed the corners to establish the desired depth (BTW, at this stage I wanted to "reverse" the diamond here also, but figured out it would get too narrow and abondoned this idea)

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Then filed the piece to the desired depth

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Finally, formed some sort of shaft (for the future riveting) and sanded the piece - first up to grit #60

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and then to #180

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After some more filing and sanding the head took its shape also

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And both main pieces of the warhammer ready for heat-treatment

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Before doing the heat-treatment itself, it was time to make the langets of the warhammer.

All started with three strips of metal - two straight and one bent into bracket

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Then I drilled several holes in them - the holes with greater diameter are part of the future decorative cuts (you could see some cutting lines also), while the smaller - for the rivets.

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Some work on the bracket:
* positioned in place over the head
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** the circular cut was transformed into diamond - there the shaft of the forward spike would rest
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*** some sort of test-fit
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and finally **** testing the whole assembly
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I really enjoy watching this one come together.

Terrific job so far!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

Moving forward with the langest, it's time for their decoration.
For this one I chose some simpler but yet effective design. After cutting the langets into desired shape, I prepared the stage for two cut-through diamonds.

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After some file-work the result was this

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Taking the marker and ruller in my hands, I marked all the lines of the decoration - the design is repetitive line of shorter and longer semi-conical cuts

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And after some time (well - a couple of hours) spent with the Dremel and a semi-circular file in hand the decoration took its shape.

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As you might see, the lines at the semi-circular ends of the langets were made not with Dremel/file, but were struck with a blunt chisel - here I decided to try another possible option for making them.