OT Ball Peen hammers...

I wonder if Ragnar carries a laminated carbon steel BPH in the 20 ounce range...
 
I guess I'm more than a little twisted and veer from the mainstream cantinitas when it comes to hammers. I prefer my Centaur forge 2lb straight peen hammer for both smithing and dealing with "issues". A straight peen will not lodge itself in "issues".

Contrary to one observers comments, over zealous use of the peen on ones bolt will actually cause the nuts to fall off. This is sometimes the desired effect when dealing with "issues".

Top fullers and hotsets can be used with equal aplomb when dealing with "issues" as well. Hotsets are trickier to carry in ones front pocket.
 
I hope you guys aren't being taken in by all this and think you need to pay full boat for an authentic ball peen! I made my own using an authentic hickory handle (available for those of us in the know at the local Home Depot), and just glued a large trailer hitch ball to it! Now it easily does double duty as a ball peen, war hammer, desk paper weight, what have you. Countless new uses are found every day. For instance, I used it just this morning to open a new jar of peanut butter for the kids. Couldn't untwist the darn thing so just smashed the lid right off. (Of course now the ungrateful kids are complaining of bits of broken glass in their PB and jelly sandwiches!)

So why pay for a new production or antique collector ball peen (like John Powell does; you should see his 150 year old curved handle 26 oz. ball peen with the gold leaf inlays!) Just make your own!

Norm

P.S. I will be sending my custom made ball peen to Dan though for a the fitting of a quick draw kydex sheath. Right now I tote it around "Mexican Carry" inside the pants for a quick draw, but the handle pokes way down towards my crotch and I have been getting some funny looks from women. (?) Not to mention it makes sitting down a painful and uncomfortable experience... :confused:
 
I heard that Saladin had a wootz ball peen hammer that could cut a floating silk cloth. With the peen end.

It is also little-known that several years ago Ed Fowler began to study the art of the "High-performance Ball Peen". He determined that for optimal smashing ability, it had to be annealed 17 times and peen-quenched 23 times.
 
stevomiller said:
Contrary to one observers comments, over zealous use of the peen on ones bolt will actually cause the nuts to fall off. This is sometimes the desired effect when dealing with "issues".
Click to expand...


please remember that this is a family forum...
 
I recently purchased an antique Roman ball peen dated "21 BC" on the head. I have another that is so old it has had the handle replaced 5 times and the head replaced twice. Now that's an old hammer. :D
 
It's refreshing to visit the Cantina...folks with much experience always come out to help the newly initiated!

Svashtar - I've always considered the Mexican carry to be quite advantagious specifically for that reason!

Brian - Nice story about that old beauty!

By the way - I always carve "BL" in my hammers to avoid dangerous confusion.

.
 
Bri in Chi said:
BL? What am I missing?
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Brother Nasty is setting up Bruisee Lee for a bum rap.

Shhhh. The Mounties are enroute.

Of course, if his hammer said "Nasty" on it the Dectectives wouldn't be surprised...

When my Ancient Chinese Ball Peen WarHammer said "Forged" on it, I thought it referred to the casting process... I feel like such a fool. :(


Ad Astra
 
Ah!
Experts!

I've had a set of ball-peen hammers for a few years
but I hardly ever use them--
I keep hitting myself with the long wood part.

With my thumb on the thumb-rest
no matter which direction the wood protrudes
it always, eventually hits me in the head.

What am I doing wrong?


~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<>they call me 'Dean' :)-FYI-FWIW-IIRC-JMO-M2C-YMMV-TIA-YW-GL-HH-HBD-IBSCUTWS-tWotBGUaDUaDUaD
<> Tips <> Baha'i Prayers Links --A--T--H--D
 
I don't know what's so great about a ball pein. I've been trying for years and i still can't pull a nail with the danged things. I think every one of the them that i've bought has been a dud. You guys don't even want to know how long it took me to file in a claw. Their QC guy really needs a pink slip.

Jake
 
Ad Astra said:
When my Ancient Chinese Ball Peen WarHammer said "Forged" on it, I thought it referred to the casting process... I feel like such a fool. :(
Click to expand...

ddean said:
What am I doing wrong?
Click to expand...

47-70 said:
A "t"
Click to expand...

Steely_Gunz said:
I still can't pull a nail with the danged things
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You don't pull the nails...you sort of hit right behind them and just *pop* them off...

Bri in Chi - *LOVE* your sig!


ROFLMAO...you guys have NO idea how hard I'm laughing...

.
 
Bri in Chi said:
...which those who appreciate the perfection of minute details is "pein."
Click to expand...

It sounds too... French.

I'm going back to calling hammers "pounders" and pliers "squeezers".
:)
 
Sounds like a cho-cleaner to me.

Yes, the Olde English spelling is "pein", but this is America and we say "peen".

Sort of like gray vs. grey, theater vs. theatre...

Of course, I could always bring mine over and show you the difference...

;)

.
 
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