Sledge Hammers!

tanglediver said:
This is a pretty cool thread! :D
Chevrons for NCO's need crossed rifles anyhoo. :rolleyes:

I use this tool at work a lot! Nothing says "Do as I say!", like a BFH, nothing.

Dumpster find 8 pounder that had a busted pipe handle. I rewelded a better piece of short pipe with capped end. It was an early practice project when I took up welding, and I have yet to break it off like it was when I found it! :) (I spent money on the pipe and cap.)
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That's cool
 
Bob I like the advice here and I think Sq is on point. Most of the commercial mallets for sale seem to be Beech and the glued up oak seems like the way to go and it's good looking.
I have some Jacaranda that was cut this spring and have waxed the ends to keep from checking, it's not to hard but I'm thinking just to use it on wedges. FWIW Rick

Square_peg said:
Choose a wood with a coarse intertwined grain that is difficult to split. Elm and London Plane are great choices. Then bore your hole precisely perpendicular to the grain. This makes for the toughest least split prone hang possible.

See the grain on this T-handle auger?
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jb, I say, great job! I imagine you'd need to hit that thing pretty hard against more hard steel to even find out if it's too hard. I have a blacksmith hammer in much worse condition sitting around that I want to do exactly the same thing to. Yours really looks awesome after some time in the fire and under the hammer.
 
cityofthesouth said:
jb, I say, great job! I imagine you'd need to hit that thing pretty hard against more hard steel to even find out if it's too hard. I have a blacksmith hammer in much worse condition sitting around that I want to do exactly the same thing to. Yours really looks awesome after some time in the fire and under the hammer.
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Thanks. Funny thing is that it only took maybe 5 minutes including the refinement on the belt sander, not including hafting or heat time. It was easy. It won't be worth my time to fix a lot of ballpeins, but I will definitely be cleaning up some nice crosspeins etc.
 
The latest batch. A GTW crosspein, Graybar lineman, Woodings-Verona drilling and Plumb 4lb sledge. The Plumb is also stamped "OREGON" in large letters on the top, that's a new one to me. Maybe there was a collector's set? ;)

 
jblyttle said:
The latest batch. A GTW crosspein, Graybar lineman, Woodings-Verona drilling and Plumb 4lb sledge. The Plumb is also stamped "OREGON" in large letters on the top, that's a new one to me. Maybe there was a collector's set? ;)

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Is that gtw a Griffith tool works or an earlier germantown tool works ?
My 1.5lb blacksmith hammer is beloved to be 1890's because the little Info I found said that used just germantown till about 1900 when they started using germantown tool works then later Griffith tool works ( also using gtw in both era's )
It's definitely a quality tool and it's patina is so dark that I'm sure it's gotta be about as old as I believe it is. That cross peen you have is nice looking and their quality IMHO is excellent, I'll never hesitate to buy one of their hammers when found.
 
jblyttle said:
Unknown to me.
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I thought maybe you were just abbreviating. When I google germantown tools it didn't take me long to realize that they were the same company, as both had the initials gtw and we're from germantown PA 😁
I wish there was actually some real info out there about them as they made great tools.
 
Agent_H said:
Maybe this?
http://trowelcollector.blogspot.com/2015/06/history-of-germantown-tool-works-and.html?m=1

There is a link on that page to one of their catalogs.
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I've seen that before, but it didn't have any real years for the germantown stamping.

the information I originally found was actually a page about a family who all worked for them throughout the generations, and it said that they started out very early on with the simple germantown stamping before becoming GTW and I went with its info as it had some actual years
My hammer may not actually be as old as I originally thought, but I'm sure it's pretty old.

It's kinda funny that there's a plumb bsa hatchet in the GTW catalog
 
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Here's a few of mine. I couldn't fit them all in picture.Most of my sledge hammers are not pictured. This was taken 3 or 4 years ago. The pile has grown since them. Believe it or not I don't collect hammers. They all are users if I grab it at the time. Seems like there's always one within reach. Last count was over 150 a few years ago. There could be some in there not marked, but for sure none say made in China or Japan
 
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Hello I'm Bamadadx3 and I have a wooden handle tool issue as well! (My AA intro in a few more months) I'm currently at 20+ and counting. Current project Wooding &Verona 8lb Splitting Maul/axe.

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An uncommon hammer, apparently used for sheetmetal work. I have seen this called a planishing hammer, and an armorer's hammer. In any case, the hammer weighs 2.25lb with the 14" handle.




 
I spend way too much time on this. Not for the work, but related to the value of the tool. But it's not always about that is it? I like how it turned out and I enjoy the work. My last section of shovel handle was on the short side, so it was perfect for a drilling hammer head like this. I normally like to use metal wedges with hammers, but this was so tight that I had to keep using a mallet to get the head off when test fitting it, even before the wood wedge was installed. I'm calling it good, metal wedge can be added if ever needed. This is 10.75" long and weighs a total of 3lb 5oz.





 
Yellow birch. I cut a section off of a recently downed tree in the woods near my house. I brought it home, split it into blanks and let it dry a bit. Here are both halves.

 
jblyttle said:
Yellow birch. I cut a section off of a recently downed tree in the woods near my house. I brought it home, split it into blanks and let it dry a bit. Here are both halves.

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That's a nice looking flatter there , what brand is it ?
 
jblyttle said:
I like how it turned out and I enjoy the work. My last section of shovel handle was on the short side, so it was perfect for a drilling hammer head like this.
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Man! That's as good as it gets were there a curve to this handle. On straight handled implements it might be there is a bit more spring, bounce or give to a horizontal grain handle. Quinton can chime in on that. I can see a strong argument in favour of cross wedging when it comes to round or oval eyes. The eye taper is not unidirectional such as in axes. The cross wedged 3 lb mini sledge (16 inch handle) I re-handled for my auto mechanic buddy still hasn't come loose and it takes (and gives) a beating almost daily.
jb you're going to have to invest in a small lathe. I had kids in high school wood shop making their own hammer handles. The flats that remain after turning (you only turn the widest part of a rectangle board) are easily blended with a rasp after. It's funny how you recognize classic hammer handle contours and yet you need a model or pattern to remind yourself when shaping one from scratch.
 
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