Recommend first hammer.

R

R.H.Clark

Joined
Aug 23, 2007
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I have just contacted my local forge council and got in touch with an ABS Master smith.He has sort of a get together once a month with some other knife forgers.I will be at the next one and need to bring a hammer.

When I asked about what kind of hammer he tried to explain and said I should just pick up one at a flea market.I really am very inexperienced and hardly know what to look for.

Can someone please recommend a site and hammer to purchase.I would like to stay as inexpensive as possible without buying junk that I will soon need to replace.

Thanks for any help on my first forging adventure.
Randy
 
I have a couple dozen hammers, but this one is one of my favorite and most used hammers. It is a standard cross-pein hammer. You can find these at flea markets pretty readily.

This one is about 3.5 pounds. I'd recommend you start in the 2-3 pound range. Most likely 2.

Watch out for made in China and try to find a clean, solid face. It's very common to see hammers like this that have huge chips/gouges in the face at flea-markets.

Have fun.... forging is very addictive.

This picture is about 3 years old, but I still use this hammer a lot. :)

OSFagainstpattern-6de93.jpg
 
Oops... you asked for a site. Blacksmith's Depot has them (formerly Kayne and Son).

A 2.2 lb. is $27.00 and that hammer would last you for the rest of your life if you take care of it.

I saw some great hammers like the one in my picture at a flea market Saturday for $8. I paid $10 for mine about 7 years ago.

By the way, this certainly isn't the only way to go... but it's a solid option :)

http://blacksmithsdepot.com/Templat...rces/Products/Hammers/German_Standard_Hammers
 
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nick and others.....do u do anything to your hammer.....like round the face....i hear alot of people talking about that....do u just grind off the corners a little....i would assume to get rid of any gouges that would occur by mishitting a piece of steel?......ryan
 
I'm with Nick on the flea market hammers......I've bought
a number of them that way.

One important thing to consider: You're going to use it
quite a bit when you're working, so pick one out that
FEELS like you can manage it fairly comfortably.
 
Also....and I tend to be pretty picky about this.....Many
hammers have heads that don't sit square on the
handle......
 
Another good choice for a first hammer is the hammer that I tend to do most of my forging with, the craftsman 2.5lb crosspein hammer that they sell. You'll need to chop 5 inches or so from the handle, and you'll have to dress the face, but it's a good quality hammer, and if it ever has big problems, being a craftsman hand tool, you take it back and get a new one. 2.5lbs is really all the size that you need. You dont need to be swinging a hand sledge all the time, and 2.5lbs is light enough for good control. If buying a metric weight hammer 1000 grams is the size to shoot for.
 
Local and big box hardware stores also sell "engineer's hammers" or "blacksmith hammers" I found my 3lb hammer at Home Depot. I also found a 1lb baby brother at True Value in the discount bin.
 
I've been forging for 5 1/2 years using just a few different cross peins. I just bought a couple of "Swedish" style hammers, and a Czech hammer a few months ago, and the difference is truly "night-and-day". I really like the Swedish style hammers a lot! I haven't gotten the hang of the Czech, or Hofi, style hammer yet because my anvil is set up too low for it. I believe, though, after feeling the Czech style hammer, that I would actually prefer using it as opposed to even the Swedish style hammers (which are great!:D). Just my 2 cents worth on hammers... Also - what some of the others said about flea markets is dead-on. I've gotten great hammers for working with, and for making tomahawks with, at flea markets!
 
Go to Sears and get their 3.5 lb. cross pein, shorten the handle a little-I have 3 of them and happy with them,but I don't like a square face either----- but opinions are like a--holes everybody has their own:D Regards Butch--------------OOPS didn't see Justins post!
 
I personally prefer a flat face on my hammer. The edges need to be rounded off to prevent too deep of a ding. If you round the face it will leave small dimples in your work. It will take a little more practice to get the hang of a flat face on your hammer but in the end it is worth it. As far as what type, I like quality tools. I would rather pay for a really good Swedish or even better one of Ed Caffery's angle peens. However make sure you will keep on forging (once you hit hot steel your hooked) before you put out the real money. You may want to try a hammer at the get together, that is if they are forging. If not then I would see if you can pay for some classes with a smith and use on of his hammers. I have several I let my students use until I see they can strike the material were intended then get out the better hammers for more advanced studies. Good luck and have fun.
 
Thanks Mr.Richards.I never even thought about that.

My thanks to everyone,you all have been very helpful.

I'm very excited to get started.
 
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