Right hand cross peen hammer?

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Dixieblade57

Joined
Jun 20, 2007
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Does anyone have a RH cross peen hammer that they would be willing to take a few pics at different angles to the hammer head? I have a hammer that I am going to attempt to cut down but want to be sure I am cutting it correctly before I actually cut it. :rolleyes:
Second question I would assume that it will need to be heat treated after cutting? How should it be treated to heat treat? Temp or color and quench medium?:confused:
 
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Do you mean an angle peen hammer? As in a 45 deg angle? A cross peen would not matter which hand it was used in.
 
This is one I made from some 4140 hex bar. It would depend how you cut it whether it would need to be re-ht'd. If you used a hacksaw or band saw it would not be needed. If you use an angle grinder then it would most likely soften it. But you also want your hammer to be softer then your anvil. They are cheaper to replace.

post-1761-1167967766.jpg
 
Damn, Finnigan, that is a nice hammer. Looks like you must keep it in a display case, I would! Did you laminate that handle, too?
Maybe he means a straight peen hammer. Never heard of a RH cross pein either. Is that when a blacksmith knocks you out?
 
On my right hand angle peen, the face angles from top right to bottom left, if you are looking at the face directly.The angle is about 20-30 degrees from vertical.

The way to determine the proper angle and direction is:
Take a bar of flat stock, and the hammer you are modifying.Take a comfortable stance at the anvil, and hold them as if you were drawing the bar out. Look at the hammer face as it sits on the steel. Draw a line exactly perpendicular to the length of the steel. This angle ,when cut/ground into a peen, will determine the direction of the draw. You want it to push the steel down the bar without having to turn the bar or your hammer hand.

The theory behind an angle peen is it allows the drawing of a bar without having to stick out either elbow to make the peen and bar align at 90 degrees. If the bar and hammer are held with the elbows tucked in, they normally intersect at an acute angle...somewhere around 60 degrees for most folks. The angled face compensates for this allowing a better draw.

Some tips:
Most folks make the peen too sharp. A more rounded face will draw and taper with less dents. A radius of 1-2" works well.
This type of hammer works best around 4 pounds. It is used for rough drawing, and needs some mass.
Use a short handle.
This is a more skilled hammer, misplaced blows can really ding up the steel, and will transfer severe shock to the wrist joints.
The hammer needs to be tailored to you, and may not work for everyone the same.
Anvil height must be right for best drawing results. Too high or too low and the draw will make a banana.

Stacy
 
Dixieblade57 said:
Does anyone have a RH cross peen hammer that they would be willing to take a few pics at different angles to the hammer head? I have a hammer that I am going to attempt to cut down but want to be sure I am cutting it correctly before I actually cut it. :rolleyes:
Second question I would assume that it will need to be heat treated after cutting? How should it be treated to heat treat? Temp or color and quench medium?:confused:
Click to expand...

I did a post about a week ago detailing how I made mine.

The hammer should not need to be HT'd after you cut it, unless you plan on using a torch to cut.

The details of how I determined the angle are in the last post of this thread
 
vorpalknives said:
Damn, Finnigan, that is a nice hammer. Looks like you must keep it in a display case, I would! Did you laminate that handle, too?
Maybe he means a straight peen hammer. Never heard of a RH cross pein either. Is that when a blacksmith knocks you out?
Click to expand...

Thanks, No I keep it hanging right next to the anvil and use the heck out of it. I laminated the handle out of Honduran mahogany and red oak.

I use my angle peens to work the edge up without having the blade tip curve up.
 
OK OK, I said, I didn't always get the terminology correct :foot: but I have been paying attention in class!!!! Don't I get an that a boy for that teacher. I meantRH Angle Peen Hammer.

I think I get it by Finnigans picture but, I would love to see the hammer laying on anvil or flat surface, like it was striking downward, from different angles. Then I could tell more about cutting the RH Angle Peen Hammer. :eek:

Finnigan that would be Irish is it not? I am Irish on my mothers side! She used to have a plaque on her kitchen wall that read; "May you be dead and in heaven an hour before the devil even knows your dead"! Lost her this Feburary and shore do miss here!

Thanks guys for the info even if I didn't get the name right. I did go back and amend the title to this post!
 
Call me old fashioned. I've had one of Ed's Angel hammers for several years and never felt like there was an advantage to having the peen running at a 45. I prefer normal straight and cross peen hammers.
 
Thanks Raymond, I just checked out Ed's webpage and if I didn't already have this hammer setting around I might just order one.
Thanks to everyone who chimed in on this subject, I appreciate it!
 
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