I forged this Thor's Hammer for our son for Christmas.

Thanks for Glenn for helping us get this posted

Nice work (noting the scale and detail against the 'hand' as a backdrop) - I draw the conclusion that you son is quite small (aka cute).

I worry that my large son's hobby of 10th century living, which guided me towards blacksmithing, might translate to a request from him to hand forge an equivalent sized hammer (son:son = size:size = hammer:hammer)

Trevor

I like that hammer. It would make a nice key fob or pendant. It seems a simple shape at first glance but as I try to imagine the steps in forging it I discover that it might be a fairly difficult shape to create. You did a very nice job with the twining stem of the handle! I'd like to know how you created the steep variance in mass between the handle and the hammer head.?.? Did you perhaps start with a bolt or some such thing?

Great hammer. Im thinking about casting one a little bit smaller out of silver and then twisting the end after it is cast so i can make a key chain out of it.

If I was making that shape I'd forge it from square stock. Make a very short 90 degree bend in the stock. Forge down a shoulder right next to the bend, leaving the mass for the hammer head over the edge of the anvil and then shape that to roughly the shape of one side of the hammer, draw down the handle, then split the piece down the middle of the mass left for the head and fold out the two halves.

If I was making that shape I'd forge it from square stock. Make a very short 90 degree bend in the stock. Forge down a shoulder right next to the bend, leaving the mass for the hammer head over the edge of the anvil and then shape that to roughly the shape of one side of the hammer, draw down the handle, then split the piece down the middle of the mass left for the head and fold out the two halves.

Yeah, what he said.

I don't think Thor himself could make one that small, that well.

I remember reading somewhere that, as Christianity spread into Northern Europe, Thor's hammers were often made with enough of the handle sticking above the head as to look like a cross. A loop was placed at each end of the handle and the wearer could hang it as Thor's hammer or a Christian cross depending on the neighborhood. Practical survival.

Thanks everyone for your comments. Yes, my son is a wee lad;
6' tall with blonde hair down to his waist.... just a snip of a lad. He has been reading Norse poetry and I thought he would enjoy this as a pendant. I forged it out of a scrap piece of 3/8" square stock. I forge out the tang into a long taper first and then forged the hammer head out of about 3/8"x3/8" piece left. I forge the head so it tapers to both ends. I used my nail header to hold the piece while I forged the head to shape. I've seen Thor's Hammers made out of copper or brass and many out of silver. I think making one of silver would be a fun project. Sukellos, that is very interesting about when Christianity spread to Northern Europe. They kept some of their old symbols yet converted them to their new way. As you said, practical survival. Thanks again everyone for your comments. I hope to post some more photos to the gallery but I am having trouble loading them.

BTR

Thanks everyone for your comments. Yes, my son is a wee lad;
6' tall with blonde hair down to his waist.... just a snip of a lad. He has been reading Norse poetry and I thought he would enjoy this as a pendant. I forged it out of a scrap piece of 3/8" square stock. I forge out the tang into a long taper first and then forged the hammer head out of about 3/8"x3/8" piece left. I forge the head so it tapers to both ends. I used my nail header to hold the piece while I forged the head to shape. I've seen Thor's Hammers made out of copper or brass and many out of silver. I think making one of silver would be a fun project. Sukellos, that is very interesting about when Christianity spread to Northern Europe. They kept some of their old symbols yet converted them to their new way. As you said, practical survival. Thanks again everyone for your comments. I hope to post some more photos to the gallery but I am having trouble loading them.

BTR

Nicely done. Your porportions are really nice, the rat-tail twist for the eye is nice and the simple punch work detail is effective. But best of all it looks like something a father would proudly make to keep his son safe - that's the best part

These are some Thor's hammers I made out of silver a few weeks back - they were gifts for some friends of mine. I recommend that if you think you would like to make more hammers to perhaps sell, make yourself a set of punches and do some research on Viking jewelry hord finds to see what some historical pieces looked like. Both of these were inspited by historical finds (inspired - not direct copies). Making the punches is easy and alot of fun too. I just use sets of pin-punches and a file to make mine.

Keep making stuff like this , you've got a really nice touch with your work. And I think you should consider trying some other mediums - that hammer design would look really spiff in copper or bronze or silver.
Thanks for sharing.

Sam

Thanks Steve for your comments and suggestions. I had Googled Thor's hammer before and had looked at a lot of types and decieded to try and forge one for my son, so that he had a one of a kind. I have quite a bit of copper and brass sheet so that will be the next one I make. I will be looking at some Viking jewelery hords also, for some more insperation. The pieces that you make are very well done, I really like the ring with the striker and knife.
Thanks again.

BTR

Silver hot forges very nicely, esp fine silver, just don't melt it in the forge and using propane or charcoal is suggested to avoid sulfur issues.

I have not see the dual use hammer/cross but I have seen stone molds that have both crosses and hammers carved into them for use as needed.

I've been in the SCA 31.5 years so far...