so i have a HF hammer (problem #1) and last night i was just messing around and trying to cold forge (problem #2) a leaf, i got a little mad at the slow progress and hit the leaf pretty hard (problem #3). my hammer leterally broke in half and landed on my foot... not the handle mind you, but the HAMMER :mad::confused::mad::confused:... so my advice is: don't combine cold forging with HF hammers

Hope you can return it! That's pretty hard on your anvil too ;)

No consolation now, but you really do get (only as good as) what you pay for. Sheet metal can be cold forged, but not much more than 18 gauge unless it's like copper.

so i have a HF hammer (problem #1) and last night i was just messing around and trying to cold forge (problem #2) a leaf, i got a little mad at the slow progress and hit the leaf pretty hard (problem #3). my hammer leterally broke in half and landed on my foot... not the handle mind you, but the HAMMER :mad::confused::mad::confused:... so my advice is: don't combine cold forging with HF hammers

Cold forging is not a bad thing. Cold forging past the point at which the metal wants to move is a bad thing. Cold forged metal needs to stress relived every so often because the crystals are getting over stressed. Annealing cold worked metals, if they need more work, is a good thing

HF is not a bad thing unless you expect to serious use out off it. Take the chips back to them for a refund. Go to Sears and buy one of their blacksmith hammers. Not expecting High performance out of Low performance materials is good thing.

Getting frustrated and hitting harder is a bad thing. Stopping and working on something else like a a cold drink or cleaning up around the anvil is a good thing.

Got it?

In my experience, HF has a very friendly return policy. I've known them to accept returns without a receipt -- for store credit only.

As cheap as their hammers I I would save the pieces and mount them on your wall of shame!

I have a collection of anvils on my wall of shame including one where the base broke off from the top half---the weight stamps are on the base so I know it once was a complete anvil.

I agree with Charlotte. I have a Craftsman crosspean and it has lasted very well these many years. However, my preference is a Hofi hammer, and sometimes a Swedish hammer. But for cheap, you can't beat a crosspean from Sears.

.... Go to Sears and buy one of their blacksmith hammers. ......

Getting frustrated and hitting harder is a bad thing. Stopping and working on something else like a a cold drink or cleaning up around the anvil is a good thing.

Got it?

Doggonit Charlotte I'm getting to like you better all the time.

There is no merit to taking your frustrations :mad: out on your tools, especially the cheap ones.

Frosty

You will go to "you know where" for doing that...workin it cold that is LOL. Thats what they say ;)

As for cheap I can buy a bucket of hammers at the fleamarket for the price of buying a new one at Sears! Of course only 2 or 3 in that bucket will be craftsmen...

For high priced hammers---I bought my french and sweedish crosspeins used at Quad-State.