what makes a Hofi Hammer so great

[Ramsberg]

Hey John,

The amount of balance obtained is going to be a big question. Do you know off hand how much of the blades weight is balanced by the pommel nut?

For a hammer, if there is a distance of 9" between the center of the hand on the handle and the center of the hammer head and the head weighs 2 lbs then the head would produce a torque of 18 inch pounds. If the counterweights center was 4 1/2" behind the center of the hand then to produce 18 inch pounds of torque it would need to be 4 lbs. That would completely balance the hammer head, not the handle but they are light. . .

The dilema is how far back to extend the counterweight, if it were back as far as the hammer head is forward then it could be of the same weight and one could use it as a true two headed hammer, but the further back it is the more likely it will be to bang into you when it is used.

I think that the latter will depend greatly on the individuals hammering technique, such as swing with the hammer to ones side or in front of the body.

Caleb Ramsby

[Avadon]

What is a good weight Hofi hammer for starting bladework?

[Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver]

Hey John,

The amount of balance obtained is going to be a big question. Do you know off hand how much of the blades weight is balanced by the pommel nut?

For a hammer, if there is a distance of 9" between the center of the hand on the handle and the center of the hammer head and the head weighs 2 lbs then the head would produce a torque of 18 inch pounds. If the counterweights center was 4 1/2" behind the center of the hand then to produce 18 inch pounds of torque it would need to be 4 lbs. That would completely balance the hammer head, not the handle but they are light. . .

The dilema is how far back to extend the counterweight, if it were back as far as the hammer head is forward then it could be of the same weight and one could use it as a true two headed hammer, but the further back it is the more likely it will be to bang into you when it is used.

I think that the latter will depend greatly on the individuals hammering technique, such as swing with the hammer to ones side or in front of the body.

Caleb Ramsby

Now I think that you might be over-thinking it. I think it's more like trying to make a 4 pound hammer feel like a three pound hammer.

[Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver]

Seein' as how we're talking about "crazy" ideas, how about this one: Make the handle a thin leaf spring to give it "whip". Works well for power hammers.

[Ramsberg]

Hey Grant,

There may be a point of diminishing returns with the amount of balancing produced via the counterweight. A bolt holding babbit "washers" threaded into the end of a hammer would give on the ability to change the amoung of balance achieved, from none to 100%. Lead would also work, it weight .41 lbs per ci, a 3" disk of lead would weigh 2.9 lbs per inch.

I like the leaf spring idea, I can imagine the spasmadic dance routine that using it might produce. It would sure be interesting to find out what that would do!

Caleb Ramsby

[Dragons lair]

Is it balance? Is it weight/ or is it velocity? Quustion asked by a 12yr old neighbor. Her answer
Energy is 1/2 X mass X velocity squared
2 lb hammer= .5 X 2 X 20 X20=400

4lb hammer= .5 X 4 X20 X20=800

2lb hammer= .5 X 2 X40 X40=i600

Double the weight double the energy

Double the speed quadruple the energy

Her thought is speed is the answer

Mine is I don't have enough fingers to keek up

Ken.

[fciron]

I have the increased velocity math as the reason for the wrist snap at the end of the hammer stroke.

You have a 12 year old girl next door that's on her way to engineering school?! :huh:

[Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver]

I can increase the weight of the hammer a whole lot easier than I can swing faster!

[fciron]

That's the key ingredient. I don't often swing a hammer slowly. :D

[brianbrazealblacksmith]

I can increase the weight of the hammer a whole lot easier than I can swing faster!

Really good point, Grant! E=m c2

[Timothy Miller]

What does the theory or relativity have to do with this? Are you going to hit it so hard that your going to smash the iron atoms in the work piece and cause a nuclear explosion.

[Timothy Miller]

You know a Maydole the guy who invented the adz eye claw hammer made a lot of blacksmith hammers. He made a compact cross peen that was called a plow makers hammer I have one. It was a bit longer than a Hofi hammer but not much. Maydole did a lot of work on hammer design as well as metallurgy. I think he was awarded a medal by the president for his discoveries and inventions. Also what about a cats head hammer it is similar in concept to a Hofi hammer but a bit different looks wise. If you want to take this to an extreem there are tribes in arfica that use iron clubs instead of hammers no wood at all for a handle. No chance for that to want to twist in your hand.

[Sask Mark]

I think P=MV applies here. Momentum = mass x velocity.

[pradap]

It's like owning a Harley......you paid much more for it so in your mind it is better. BTW I have owned a Harley and now I ride a 1600 Kawasaki.........and I do own a Hoffi hammer.I use it less than the hammer....
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[maddog]

I can increase the weight of the hammer a whole lot easier than I can swing faster!

Yes there is a limit to the speed available. At some point increased speed comes at the cost of hammer control.

[Dragons lair]

I would have to conclude from most of the posts that most have not watched the vidio. The method is the most important part. And after watching it many times
You will probably find you have gone back to the old way.
Ken.

[divermike]

I'm with Sask Mark, a 2 lb hammer moving at greater speed will do more than a slower 3 lb hammer. I have proven it to myself, now if you can get a 15 lber moving like the guys in the chain making movies, well well well

[rthibeau]

weight, speed, mass, velocity, this , that and the other.....just use a power hammer and get to work. ;)

[Steve McCarthy]

I'm with Sask Mark, a 2 lb hammer moving at greater speed will do more than a slower 3 lb hammer. I have proven it to myself, now if you can get a 15 lber moving like the guys in the chain making movies, well well well

Some folks think the same about bullets. I like my hammers and bullets the same way, SHORT-FAT-and HARD HITTIN.

[Dragons lair]

weight, speed, mass, velocity, this , that and the other.....just use a power hammer and get to work.

Good thought Rich. But then what weight,BPM,anvil weight,Tup speed,air, steam, electric or water powered.
Don't really matter to me cause nobody wants to take 3 hammers 2 anvils and a post vise in trade for even a POC
PH. One day before I die or maybe after I'll have one.LOL
Ken.

[thingmaker3]

If the hammer weighs half as much, it has to move 41% faster to have the same energy. If it weighs a third as much, it has to move 73% faster to have the same energy.

So, who has a stopwatch and a really good eye?B)

[Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver]

Well, I know I can swing a smaller hammer faster, so maybe I'm only able apply a certain force regardless of the hammer weight (within a certain range). Then it just comes down to the effect I want. I probably can't swing enough faster though, because I can get more work done with a bigger hammer (for a short time anyway). Don't need no stinking stop-watch!

[BlackSmithBear]

Ramsberg's idea may not be too far off. A pommel nut on a sword is only a few ounces, but changes the point of balance significantly.

I have tried using a ball peen hammer that came with a severely shortened handle, and just found it clunky.

Blacksmiths swing their hammers a LOT more than a warrior swings a sword, I wonder if anyone ever tried pommel nuts on hammers in antiquity, and was just told "We don't do that here."

Peer pressure is a real force. An Americanized carpenter went back to his old home town in Europe, and his cousins laughed and threw nails at him until he put away his black Titanium hammer and nylon toolbelt, and used the old style.

Found these two hammers on Ebay, they both have some form of metal added to the handle end. The shorter hammer seems to be a user added end piece, while the hammer with the other tools seems to have been made that way.

http://cgi.ebay.com/cast-iron-farrier-cobbler-lazy-susan-blacksmith-tools-/290505443004?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a37946bc#ht_506wt_973

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Blacksmith-hammer-Steel-Ferrule-end-/360248387852?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e07a290c#ht_600wt_739

[Frank Turley]

The eBay farriers' collection. Many a leather worker/saddle maker would give a lot just for the so-called lazy susan. It is a cast iron holder for various sized nails used in the leather shop.

http://www.turleyforge.com Granddaddy of Blacksmith Schools

[Mark Emig]

Hi All,
147 replies about a hammer? wow. For my .02, I don't like the Hofi style hammer. That is NOT a shot at Hofi. The thing about other hammers "tipping" upon impact is not noticable to me. I've taken classes from him, great guy, good friend,very skilled,done loads for the iron world. Whe I am forging lots of big stock my hand gets too hot with the short stumpy hammer. A good friend of mine (great blacksmith-very talented) calls it a rock on a stick. I am a professional smith. A lot of times that I am doing production work that has to be done on the anvil, a heavy hammer is not good for me. For instance, if I am doing lets say 500 snub end scrolls. It takes 2 heats to do each one-lets say 10 blows each heat. That works out to 10,000 blows. Rebound or no, a 2-3 pound hammer is a LOT more work than a 1 to 1-1/2 pounder. At the end of the day you see the difference big time. That is not to say that I don't use a larger hammer when necessary. Let's see who , after a long week in the shop can pick up their arm , much less anything else after using a big hammer. But then again, for the testosterone thing, a big hammer is fun.
Mark Emig