Mark Ling

wow, thats really nice wood!! That would even make nice knife handles! Littleblacksmith

I may just through in a walnut handle and call it done Dave51B And the thing is, is that this is a small hammer ya'll. less than a lb. This is a hammer, that at the most would be used for texturing or jewelry, you can't really do any heavy forging with it. I honestly could put pine in and probably would be fine I think (I obviously WOULD NOT do that, but was just saying). It's not like a sledge hammer handle, or an axe handle, that is actually going to have to take some beating, and is long, but this is a 12 inch piece that is straight (unlike an axe handle). I think the only possible way to break the handle in this case would be to over strike, and the only time that is possible is when striking punches or chisels. Also, I think I could also through in a hickory handle, that way if it does break, they can just through in the handle, as I could make it to fit it already. What's ya'lls thoughts? also, MC Hammer, thank you for the suggestion. littleblacksmith

do you think though that it would wear off? I could soak it in it, but I would be worried when it dries that it would crack. gmbobnick- Thanks for the suggestion. I looked it up and it looks like a possibility. Mr.Powers- If I had a decade I would deffinantly do that! we do have Osage Orange trees on my grandmothers property a couple hours away. I looked into Osage Orange on eBay, and yes prices are a little high. My survival instructor does bow making and I might see if I could get a stave from him for a discounted price.... I will have to look into crabapple! this is the hammer in case y'all are wondering. littleblacksmith

It's the start of a skillet, or a pan! littleblacksmith

I had made a pair of hammer making tongs from coil spring, and I knew not to quench them, but because all I had ever used was mild steel I once forgot and quenched them, and ended up with alot of cracks in the tongs. since then I have made a new pair and have not quenched them! littleblacksmith

I just use metal coffe cans with the chisels, punches, and fullers upright with working end facing out, but if you want to give yourself a treat Mr. Mcpherson's ways of storing look effective and purty. Littleblacksmith

I have a friend who uses a 50/50 mix of green coal and coke, he likes it, all I know about it though. Littleblacksmith

from the looks of it I would say it is not an ASO, doesn't have the tell tale signs of one. That is a sweet looking anvil though, nice face and clean edges with a good radius, though closest to the horn I like my anvils to have more of a radius for drawing out, though you use it for a while and figure out what works best for you. Sorry don't have any info on it, never heard of that company or shop name. Littleblacksmith

well, wish he was near me! striking is one of my favorite things. I have a few freinds who would strike for me, a few that have already, same age as me, 15. Littleblacksmith

or the potential thousands of people watching his video. Littleblacksmith

I personally would leave that one on, and just pick up a plow share up at the scrap yard. quite common find, at least here. Once the plow loses its share the price drops a good bit, I would just resale that to some one who wants to stick it in there lard and pay big bucks for it, then take a few of those dollars and buy a used plow share. Littleblacksmith

I understand. I just liked drilling them over grinding them, cause grinding down to bare shiny metal shows up better, compared to a shallow hole (I don't drill all the way through), and most times I fill the hole with a little bit of epoxy and you can't even notice. Littleblacksmith

also on the anvil stand video I would also mention to be sure to look ove the telephone pole good before going at it with the chainsaw, it is quite common to find nails in them from posters and signs, and trust me, hitting a nail with a chainsaw is not fun.

Or to a fabrication shop and pick up some cut offs or "drops" of some 3/4" round or 5/8" square mild steel to make tongs out of. I have used 1/2", and see others use 1/2", and in my opinion (I realize you probably dont care, 'cause you have already proved you dont care about making the best, but just something that will get you by), 1/2" is too small of stock to make tongs out of that are strong. I find there should be no part on a tong thinner than about 1/4" , and really, that's still a little on the weak side unless you are making a pair of light duty tongs. But, you could always upset the end of the bar to about 5/8" square, though I find it is just quicker to draw out the reins than to upset the stock, or forge weld on the reins, once you get experience in forge welding. I wouldn't call going to the steel yard overthinking it, but just something that a blacksmith does....I know, it's maybe not something that "the common man does", but also the common man doesnt forge, the common man doesnt have a peice of track laying around, and the common man doesnt have a cutting torch nor a power pole laying around. Im what people would call "uncommon" and I dont have a power pole laying around haha! now, I have rr ties, and a chainsaw and plenty of trees... Littleblacksmith

The Nazel 3b is one of the two power hammers I have ever used, the other being a 25lb little giant, and man though, the Nazel 3b is a beast! you will be pleased. Littleblacksmith

What I do, Is I drill a shallowish about 1/8" hole, and put in a self tapping screw. Then I take a piece of copper wire, and rap it around the screw, and then attach the other end to a piece of rebar going across like you have the piece of wood. That way, you can put several items on the piece of rebar submerged under, and just attach the clamp to the end and your then able to get current through all of the pieces. Littleblacksmith

Thanks for the input ya'll. If this was going to be my hammer, I would try a walnut handle, but this is going in an auction, so I want a handle that isn't really likely to break. Any Ideas on a wood that is "fancy" that would go well with the head? is there a dark wood that would work? Osage orange I know starts a greenish almost yellow, and then goes darker , I wonder if I could find someone selling a straight grain piece suitable for a hammer handle. Littleblacksmith

ah yes, I think you are right JHCC. Thank you for the correction. I have an 1837 mouse hole and it has a pritchel. Littleblacksmith

Hey ya'll, I'm not a wood worker, and it may really show through this post, but how would Black Walnut work for hammer handles? I tried looking this up, and all I could find was people asking for axe handles, and the overall response was no, that it is too brittle. But, axe handles are 3 times longer than hammer handles, and have a curve to them, and so you really do need a good wood for axe handles. But, what about for small lets say 1lb and smaller hammer handles, about a foot long or so? I was wanting to know because I recently finished a Damascus steel hammer (ok, I'll say pattern welded) that weighs less than a lb, and I thought a black walnut handle wood compliment it nicely. I would just use it for small hammers 1lb or so, jewelry sized hammers, I wouldn't use it on 3lb or something that large for sure. The pieces I have are straight grain, so they check out in that department. So what do ya'll think? Littleblacksmith

I believe it was 1820 though I may be off. sometime around there, wait for others to chime in until you take my word for it though. littleblacksmith

Thank you! When he was here buying coke (I'll let ya'll figure out what kind, it was $25 for a 50lb bag..) he had mentioned that he'd been wanting to make a hammer out of some cable and so I thought that would be a cool Idea, and I had wanted to make a damascus hammer for a while, and thought why not. forged from 1" (or maybe a little larger) cable, folded over once to have a larger chunk of steel. Littleblacksmith

made a few hammers. a small 1 lb rounding hammer, though not exactly happy with it. also made a little less than 1 lb what I'm going to call a cross between a Swedish cross pein and what others might call a viking style cross pein. then used some cable that Shawn S gave to me the other day and made a small cable Damascus Swedish style cross pein that turned out not half bad. That one will be donated to an auction that my local blacksmith shop is having during a combo demo open forge event. I oughta take a picture of the face of the end grain of the cable Damascus it's kinda cool, reminds me of frog eggs. Littleblacksmith

Hello, sorry for not responding in so long, had been sick and read this and meant to reply, but then just forgot about it, I understand you are in a hurry, at least you are thinking about Christmas gifts, I haven't figured out what to make people yet! I will try to pm you the pictures and captions. littleblacksmith

I recently made these ones recently. Forged from 1/8x1/2". And some more key chain ideas. https://www.iforgeiron.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=115646 Oh and that link is a how to slide show. Littleblacksmith

Think so too, at least here though any iron you pull out of creeks are in a 1/2" thick cocoon of rust. Littleblacksmith