LLoegrfach Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Hi All, Can anybody recommend a supplier of blacksmithing hammers in the UK (or that will ship to the UK reasonably!)? I've looked at Vaughans but they are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNJC Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Hello, I had the same problem when starting. For a new hammer at a very cheap price go to Homebase and get a 'flooring' hammer; they are 1.75lbs / 800g and cost about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Budd Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Most of my hammers are those form Cromwells. They are pretty soft so they don't hurt my anvil as much as the few 'good' hammers that I have. The others are either carboot jobs or modified by myself from either of the above sources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 How many blacksmithing hammers do you intend to wear out in your lifetime? A custom made blacksmithing tool is an investment. Divide the cost of the tool by the years of service it provides and you get the annual cost (value) of that tool. Then you must adjust that number as you are more productive with good tools and many good tools get passed down to the next generation in the family. We can ship the Hofi hammers to UK or Europe. Email or PM me your name, address, email address, and the Hofi Hammer size you want. We can then contact you concerning price and delivery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 (edited) You don't have to have a 'Blacksmiths Hammer' to forge metal, assuming you are in the UK (whereabouts?) you should be able to access suitable hammers at many locations and from very cheap to very expensive. I am still using a 2lb ball pein hammer I made as an apprentice over forty years ago. Having said that, the hammer I use most of all nowand feel very comfortable is a Vaughns farrier's rounding hammer, this was not cheap, but it has more than earned its keep and its regular place on/by the anvil. It also means I have a ball face and forging hammer in one, whereas before I carried two 2lb hammers, 1 regular ball pein, and the other a ball faced ball pein, I still have these as back up, but prefer the Vaughns Its a quality product made from the right materials. In fact truth be known I have two, I like a back up 'just in case' Edited April 26, 2009 by John B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 A hammer is not something that should be cheaped out on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNJC Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Hello, I agree that a hammer, or any equipment for that matter, should be the best quality one can afford; but the point here is that if you can't afford the best brand new kit, you can 'make do' with an alternative for the time being. We have all had times when we had to save every penny in every way. Vaughans' hammers are very expensive in the UK, and it is not too hard to get a good secondhand hammer for a very reasonable price. The two hammers I use most were bought secondhand; one I use as it came (but re-hafted) the other is a reground & forged 4lb sledge, now a good 3lb cross pein, total price for the two...about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLoegrfach Posted April 27, 2009 Author Share Posted April 27, 2009 Thanks for all the advice. I've been blacksmithing (South Wales) for a couple of years now and have been using a big ball-pein and a small sledge hammer generally. I wanted to invest in a 'proper' cross-pein blacksmithing hammer and just wondered if there was more choice in the Uk than Vaughans. The Cromwell hammers look good so I've gone for a couple of those for now. All of my other tools have come from eBay or local antique shops - or I've made them. I think making a hammer is a bit beyond me just yet! Thanks again, Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arbalist Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Richard, As mentioned Cromwells are a good source of supply for cross pein hammers but they are a little longer than what many would call a blacksmiths "forging hammer". I bought one of these for 60 Euros but you can get something very similar on the same site for half this. Vic.- ANGELE Schmiedetechnik - ANGELE-SHOP If you don't want to look at lots of nice Blacksmithing stuff DON'T click on the link! :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonjic Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Quite a few folks I know in the UK are using one of these, They are 3lb, not 2 lb as advertised. They need a good dressing before use but for the price ( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 There's a very good army 3lb forging hammer that sometimes turns up on tool stalls at fairs etc. It's got a flat face and a full face and the body is comparatively long and thin. I've been using one for 30 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob JS Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 There always seems to be some ball peins floating around at the boot sales in my area - usually only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLoegrfach Posted April 27, 2009 Author Share Posted April 27, 2009 I am indebted to you all! I shall never again surf the internet, vainly hoping to find what I seek - I shall just come here and ask. Fantastic advice & links from you all, As we say in Wales "Diolch yn fawr!", Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNJC Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 My Welsh is a bit rusty, but aren't you a 'Little Englander' by name?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 That one appears to have two full faces and is rather less elegant than mine. Another thing that can be important when choosing hammers is the shape... Before spending a lot of money, make sure that you 'get on' with square faces; personally, I hate them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLoegrfach Posted April 28, 2009 Author Share Posted April 28, 2009 G, Not so rusty! "Little England" is the direct translation. It is the name of my house - and probably the trading name for my blacksmithing (eventually!). I am an 'Englander' but unfortunately not so 'little'! My hammers have just arrived from Cromwells - they look the business. Can't wait to get home from work and give them a try. Thanks again, Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 G, Not so rusty! "Little England" is the direct translation. It is the name of my house Be careful that you don't get a brick through the window! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLoegrfach Posted April 28, 2009 Author Share Posted April 28, 2009 Sam, I think we are OK! The locals named the house anyway. Apparently it used to be a pub (every house in Wales 'used to be a pub') toward the end of the 19th century and it was frequented by a group of English labourers who were working at a nearby estate. This is a very Welsh area so English 'invaders' were few and far between so it became known as Little England. I wouldn't change the name now - that would probably bring forth the aforesaid brick! Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Budd Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 forgot to mentions, the cromwells hammers will aslo need dressing as they have a nasty 45 degree chamfer on the edges. as for ball peens being proper smithing hammers in the uk, that depends on your definition of traditional. True enough ballpeens are only seen in the uk forges, but they only appeared in the last few hundred years. before that we all used cross peen, square faced hammers like everyone else Personally I have no neeed for the ball peen unless I'm riveting, so generally a square faced cross peen is my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Budd Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Good Morning Dave Here we have one of those differences in mindset. In Britain, just because you've done something for the last few hundred years, doesn't necessarily make it traditional. Over on the other side of the pond, that's longer then we've existed :-) sorry, something i often forget I had a Canadian girl staying with me a couple of years ago and she helped out in a living museum back home. Apparently the museum was a nice example of a homestead of the 1860s, so she found the idea that I was living in a 16th century house and using 18th century tools quite strange :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLoegrfach Posted April 30, 2009 Author Share Posted April 30, 2009 forgot to mentions, the cromwells hammers will aslo need dressing as they have a nasty 45 degree chamfer on the edges... Thanks Dave! The chamfer is very crisp isn't it. I'll smooth them off so its harder to see when I don't hit the anvil square! Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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