[Lin Rhea]

I just tried my hand forging a hammer head to use forging blades. This got me thinking about what hammers you guys use. Not to say which one is best, but just best for you and why. I tend to have one hammer that I reach for even though I have several. When I am forging my hammer head, I am trying to roll all of my favorite things into one. I will post pictures tomorrow of the one I have finished. I may forge another soon with a slight change, but this one works well. I actually forged a blade using it this afternoon. My next one will be a little heavier. I'm trying for 3 lbs.

Let's see yours in the mean time.

[Ray Pieper III]

Good Morning Lin! can't wait to see you hammer, I use my old trusty Swedish pattern hammer 1500 ( 3.3 #) The head is polished and buffed, an old blacksmith friend told me to sand and buff it so it would not leave marks in your work! It helps, Ray

[Allen Newberry]

This past fall/winter I picked up a few fun hammers. Probably my most often picked up hammer recently has been a Hofi 3 lb. cast hammer (on the left) and if my arm is getting tired I also have a 2.2 lb forged version. (on the right)

[Lin Rhea]

Let's see,.....Alan uses 3 lb, Ray uses 3.3, and I use 2 lb.

I'm a wimp!

[Rick Baum]

Wow Lin! That's beautiful. Seriously, it's a work of art! I can see the usefulness in the two different ends too. Looks like one end is for finessing the drop at the ricasso and the other is for moving steel efficiently.

Are you planning to make more to sell?

BTW, it's not the size of your hammer that counts... It's what you can accomplish with it that matters!

Rick

[Lin Rhea]

Thanks Rick. No, I wont be making them to sell. I'd go broke. Takes me too long. Yes, one end is for drawing and the other is pretty flat. This one is about 4 inches from outside of face to outside of face. I'll try to make the next one at least 5 inches to increase the weight and the impact per sq inch, but about the same face size and shape. I'll use this one for a few blades and see what else I might want to change on the bigger one.

I like a long handle in my hammers. I have a Tom Clack hammer similar to Alan's and really like it, but the handle has always seemed too short for me. I like 4-5 inches past my hand. I think the longer handle makes it easier to use.

[Rick Baum]

Thanks Lin!

I forgot to ask... What steel did you use to make the hammer head? What HRC are you shooting for? High 40's to low 50's

I ask because I have some 5160 in 1 1/2" round stock that I was thinking of making a hammer head with.

Thanks!
Rick

[Lin Rhea]

This was from a piece of a drive shaft off of some heavy equipment, not a car type. 2 1/4 solid with keyways milled in the ends. Nearest I can figure, it's 4130 or 4140, but I may be off some on the steel. What I did was to thermocycle it and harden each face, then draw it back till it would cut with a file. I did a triple draw thinking it might help since its so thick in comparison to blades. In my way of tinking the thermocycle would be very important on a hammer.

[Rick Baum]

Thanks again Lin! I can't wait to hear how it works for you. Please keep us posted.

Rick

[Steve Culver]

Wow, Lin. That hammer head looks great! I like the looks of the hammmers that Allen has too.

I've got a whole bunch of hammers that I use. Guess I need to take some pictures of them.

[BrionTomberlin]

Now that is a good looking hammer Lin. I like it, a lot. My everyday using hammer is a Vaughan 3 lb blacksmiths crosspein, very nice hammer. I also have a german pattern 4 lb. My favorite hammer is an old Mongomery Wards 2.5 lb crosspein, like 50 years old with a long handle. I am like Steve, I guess I will have to take pictures as I have a number of them. I tend to favor the crosspein style, but would like to try a japanese style hammer.
Brion

[Allen Newberry]

Very nice hammer Lin!

Lin Rhea, on 24 March 2011 - 10:40 AM, said:

Let's see,.....Alan uses 3 lb, Ray uses 3.3, and I use 2 lb.

I'm a wimp!

My three pounder is actually my big hammer. The other hammers I tend to use are around 2.5 lbs. I can get tired with the 3 pounder, but things go faster. However, with the 2.5 lb and less hammers I can hammer for a long time without getting too tired.

[BrionTomberlin]

Heck Lin Diane uses a 2 1/2 pound hammer. Just kidding, but she does. Here are my main hammers. From left to right. The german pattern 4 lb, the Vaughan 3 lb, Wards OLD 2.5 lb, 1 lb crosspein for straightening, and a 1/2 lb for detail work. All just standard crosspeins.



Brion

[Lin Rhea]

Now Brian....do you have to point that out? I said I'm trying to work up to 3 lbs. Just give me time.

That's a nice selection of crosspiens. I prefer straight piens, but I have to have a cross pien for some things.

[Dale Huckabee]

I do 95% of my forging with a two pound sledgehammer. I have heavier hammers, all the way up to 16 lbs, if I need them, but the two pounder sees most of the work. I think control is more important than weight and a heavier hammer can be harder to control.

Dale

[Lin Rhea]

Seriously, that is why I use my 2 lb hammer as well Dale. I just have better control with it. Most of my bar stock is not oversized by very much so, I rarely need a bigger hammer. I

One thing I want to find out for myself is can I make a 3 lb with enough balance and feel that I can use it a easy as the old 2 lb.? I believe hammers are like knives, some are just more efficient. I may be reinventing the wheel, but it stands to reason some are better then others.

[Dale Huckabee]

I agree, a hammer has to feel right. I finally broke my favorite hammer. It was a two pound sledge that I bought for a couple of dollars when I first started to forge. It fit my hand right and I used it for seveal years before a chunk broke out of it. It took a while before I found another one that I could use as well. It is the same style hammer, but still felt different and I had to get use to it. Hammer control is the main thing and if the hammer doesn't feel right, you can't control it.

Good luck with your search for the ultimate hammer. It it is balanced right and the handle fits your hand right, you should not notice the added weight.

Dale

[Rick Baum]

Here's what I use the most...

One is a 3 lb. Vaughn that I modified and polished. I find the squared end useful in forging the drop at the choil. Until last summer it was pretty much the only hammer I used besides a cheap cross peen that I picked up from Harbor Freight.

The second hammer is a 2 and a half lb. rounding hammer made by Estwing. I picked it up from a retiring farrier for $10.00 and it quickly became my favorite.

I'm with Lin on the lighter hammers... After using the Estwing for 6 months I find the 3 lb/ Vaughn wears me out quicker... Sure firms up my handshake though.

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[Lin Rhea]

I just forged another hammer. This one is from a 6 inch X 1 1/2 round bar of L-6. I had to upset it a lot to get it to square up at about 1 3/4 and to get the sides straight on each side of the hole. I'll use this one at the museum since the pattern is from the early to mid 1800's. I hardened just about 1/2 inch into the face and the pein before drawing it back. Now that I have some drifts made I might make another if this one works.

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[BrionTomberlin]

That is cool Lin. I like it. Let us know how it works.
Brion