Hammer Prices

[jmeineke]

Does anyone have any idea what one can expect to pay for old ball-pein / cross-pein hammers?

I found some for $5 each - does that seem like a reasonable price?

[bigfootnampa]

If the hammers and handles are in good shape that is not too bad especially for the larger ones. If handles are bad or missing and maybe the hammer heads need some grinding, are chipped or mushroomed etc. I usually get them for $1 to $2 each.

[jeremy k]

With gas prices pushing $4.00 per gallon, are you really balking at $5 for a hammer that you'll have the rest of your life to use? What are the prices for a new one at a big box store, or say a custom made hammer($85-130ish) or a pattern welded hammer ($800+).

[Willway Forge]

Well Put.

[jmeineke]

Pushing? Heck, we're at $4.15 right now where I'm at. I'm just hoping it doens't go any higher.

Thanks for puting it into perspective, thought. You're right - the last hammer I bought at the store ran me about 20 something.

I just walked away with 11 hammers (mostly ball-peen) for $40, so I paid $3.63 a piece. They need a bit of work but I think I got a heck of a deal. Elbow grease is still pretty cheap.

[Thomas Dean]

There are a ton of things you can do with one of these; hawks form the larger ones, gring patterns in the hammer face for texturing(I have one for a 'wood' texture), make different shapes on the ball end for stamping designs into projects--hearts, stars, diamonds, and so forth--just soften the face some to avoid causing chips to fly when struck with another hammer. This is just a few ideas, the list goes on and on and on....

[Bentiron1946]

It's all what you are willing to pay. If it is a really nice hammer $4 to $5 isn't bad, however I'm still only paying $1 to $1.50 for nice jewelry/silversmithing hammers at estate sales and if it's really nice and someone else is after it I will go as high as $20 even if the handle is bad but the head good. A really good quality head in need of a handle is not a problem at all for me, handles are considered consumables for me! I have quit actively blacksmithing but boy it is hard to pass up a decent tool if you know what I mean. I bought a coopers band driving tool that doesn't look like it was struck more than a dozen times for $2, such a deal, why they had it I have no idea but there it was. If it is what you want, pay the price and be happy :D

[jmeineke]

Here they are. Not the prettiest in the world but I'm happy. I've been having a heck of a time finding hammers, so these are a welcome addition to my shop.

[Glenn]

You may want to replace those handles that may be cracked or damages ASAP.

[jmeineke]

Any recommendations on where to get inexpensive handles?

[Steve Shimanek]

I bought a batch off ebay and all but one were pretty good, and it was a lot cheaper than buying individually at my local hardware store. Could be different for you on the mainland.

[pkrankow]

Firewood pile and a drawknife? You have pecan where you are don't you? Good stuff, comparable to hickory.

Glenn is right the ones that are taped up under the head I am sure are split at least partially. It could be that a mechanic was using them and preventively taped because of mis-hitting, but not too likely.

You also have several different handle sizes going on. Have fun, that is a couple hours of work even with pre-made handles. They never fit right without fuss.

Phil

[thingmaker3]

Any recommendations on where to get inexpensive handles?

They grow on nut-producing trees. Use the straight-grained white wood. The knots & the brown bits are for the fireplace.

[K. Bryan Morgan]

With gas prices pushing $4.00 per gallon, are you really balking at $5 for a hammer that you'll have the rest of your life to use? What are the prices for a new one at a big box store, or say a custom made hammer($85-130ish) or a pattern welded hammer ($800+).

I can spit and hit a refinery and gas here is $5 a gallon. Hammers I can get at the local pawn shop for a buck. It costs me more to go get the hammer than the cost of that hammer.

[ianinsa]

That was a nice load of hammers even if pricey.
Bryan I thought you were 'taking the xxxx' with North Pole till I googled it - interesting.
Ian

[ThomasPowers]

I have a set buy point for ballpeens: US$1 a piece, any not totally trashed get bough at that price and go into my "bucket of hammers" to be used as stock, or a new smith might high grade a couple for use at $2 apiece.

This is here in NM BTW where tools are a lot scarcer than in OH. (South High Fleamarket in Columbus was *heaven*! It was a working drive in so dealers had to load and unload every day and so had encouragement to get rid of heavy stuff cheap).

I generally buy the head assuming the handle will be worthless. (one time the dealer kept wanting $$ for the new handle he had put in the hammer---so I pulled it out and handed it to him and asked "how much for just the head?" Totally bad job of putting a handle in and it couldn't be "saved" so it was worthless even if it was "new".

I buy handles at the fleamarket whenever I find them. Check for straightness and grain run out, don't worry about cosmetic issues as you will probably want to re-do the grip area anyway.

[jmeineke]

Guess I've been looking in all the wrong places. It's been easier for me to find anvils than hammers, so I was pretty pleased with these when they turned up. I've been just asking around for hammers like I do for anvils, but that hasn't worked for me. I saw these on CL and jumped.

Thomas - thanks for reminding me of the south drive-in. You told me about it a long time ago and I completely forgot about it. I may try to get out there tomorrow if the weather holds out.

[ThomasPowers]

Don't know if it's still there as there was talk of developing the land; but I was a faithful visitor 3 times a week Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday mornings 1989-1994.

I bought tongs, anvils, postvises there; it's where I got my leads on other anvils including my 515# Fisher!

Thomas

[jmeineke]

Yep - it's still there. I found it online and put it in my GPS a few minutes ago. Planning on heading there in the morning.

[Old N Rusty]

A good blacksmiths ballpeen is a real find at a flea/garage sale. Socketed handle hole like a claw hammer. not a squashed ball like a machinists hammer. The peen is set closer to the handle than a machinists hammer, and more domed shape than round.I have a 16 oz and a 32 oz both from garage sales.I think Plumb made them. Jerryco Surplus used to sell hammer handles. Pecan is good, but I think hickory is the best. You might try peanut tree wood.

[K. Bryan Morgan]

Bryan I thought you were 'taking the piss' with North Pole till I googled it - interesting.
Ian

Its a great little town. I really like it here. Wonderful place to live.

[rthibeau]

I fully understand the cheap at a flea market or garage sale price, but to get a real custom made hammer according to the specs you want, look to pay $125 or better...that's for a ready to hit hammer without modification or finishing....

[double_edge2]

Cheap hammers, I'd buy them and turn some into top tools, and use the good ones as they are, the rest as trinket fodder.