Refurbing an old hammer

[minerug]

I got this hammer off an auction website for $20

The face on it was a bit munted so today I set about making it a bit more useable and shiny. 

I am unfamiliar on what the peen on it would be used for though. Any ideas?

         

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard glad to have you. I just came from looking at your knife post. I think that's a stone mason's hammer. You should be able to make a perfectly workable blacksmith's hammer from it with a little forging and grinding. One of my favorite straight pein hammers started life as a mason's hammer and is so much happier now than it used to be.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[arftist]

That is a stone mason's hammer. The point is used for removing stone, by the concentrating the force of the blow. The face is a little polished but too flat and the edges are way too sharp (will leave marks all over your work. All hammers (even carpenter's hammers) have at least a slight crown.

Without the crown you will  leave dents with every blow except the occasional perfect one. the edges should be eased (rounded).

[Dogsoldat]

Anyone know what use with that hammer causes the 2 edges to be worn in that manner?  I have a hammer in my pile of odds an ends that has a very similar face.  I try to grab a pic a little later on today

[arftist]

Anyone know what use with that hammer causes the 2 edges to be worn in that manner?  I have a hammer in my pile of odds an ends that has a very similar face.  I try to grab a pic a little later on today

Same as the edge of the anvil. Instead of getting a straight pein when he needed on, he used that side.When he needed a cross pein he used the bottom edge. Most stone hammers are one or the other. Because that one has a pick built in instead of a pein, a highly skilled primitive mason didn't even need a chisel if he had that hammer. He could drill, set, chip and flake and break all with one tool.

[Dogsoldat]

Here is the pics of the hammer I have.  It is hand made by someone.  Makes me think more of a handled tool with the small round eye.

[Steve Sells]

you should take a look at the thread about doing this, It can be found in the  "store bought hammer" sticky at the top of this page.'?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>

 

at the top of this page

[minerug]

Welcome aboard glad to have you. I just came from looking at your knife post. I think that's a stone mason's hammer. You should be able to make a perfectly workable blacksmith's hammer from it with a little forging and grinding. One of my favorite straight pein hammers started life as a mason's hammer and is so much happier now than it used to be.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

 

Thanks frosty, I was a bit reluctant to grind too much off on my first go. I'll probably need to grind it back 1/8 - 1/4 inch to get that ding out of the corner.

[minerug]

That is a stone mason's hammer. The point is used for removing stone, by the concentrating the force of the blow. The face is a little polished but too flat and the edges are way too sharp (will leave marks all over your work. All hammers (even carpenter's hammers) have at least a slight crown.

Without the crown you will  leave dents with every blow except the occasional perfect one. the edges should be eased (rounded).

Thanks for the heads up on crowning!