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I Forge Iron

What Size Hammer??


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For nails speed (with control) is of the essence. You can try going lighter to 1# for the sizes you are working, and decide on your own. That tiny stock will not hold heat for very long. A well restrained sledge hammer head may be an adequate anvil for nail making. There are pictures of nail making stations with about a 10# block anvil, hot cut, and heading tool that is fastened down with a lever to pop the nail out of the tool by pushing on the point.

Yes, weight is going to get more movement in the metal per blow, and this is important when working heavier stock. If you said you were working stock thicker than 1/2 inch with a 2# hammer I would be wondering about your effectiveness. Velocity can make up for some weight (to a point), and too much weight can reduce control.

Phil

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the key is the correct tool for the job at hand. Personally I use hammers heavier than most, but I have done this for a while and prefer more weight for many things, having said that I use my 2# for many things as well. Dont let some one else tell you what weight you have to use, when you are doing fine.

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I don't think the weight matters. If it moves the metal, you can swing it for a long time witout injury and you can swing it with control then its OK.

We seem to get a bit hung up on what is "right" more than what works or is needed.

If its working for you don't worry about the weight.

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Well I wouldn'a say it were too small... yet I have moved up to a 4 pounder for most nail work... it makes a surprising difference. I need more heats with even a 3 pound hammer than I do with the four. A few good strikes can save time and heat and I also make use of the larger face on the 4 pound hammer. I keep it with the corners only slightly softened and that seems to give me better shoulders which hold the head material at the top of the header better. As I have become more skilled I want a bigger hammer and do the work with fewer strikes but strong and accurate blows... my guess is that you'll go through the same conversion as you get more skilful and confident.

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When I do a lot of smithing my main hammer is a 1500 gm Swedish crosspeen. When my arm is a bit out of practice I use a 2# hammer. In between I use the light one to start, then move to the heavy one for the main part of the day and back to the light towards the end of the day.

I used to use the 1500 gm one all the time; then realized I was stressing my elbow doing fine work with it as I was pulling the blows. Not considering Machismo over being able to smith into my golden years I wised up and use the proper hammer for the job now.

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Most of my work 3/8 and under gets done with a 1.5 - 2 pound hammer. Over that I jump to a 3 pounder and, if I have something 3/4 or over I'll start with a 7 pound hammer. Needless to say, I don't swing "Bertha" all day - just to get larger chunks started before I refine.

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I'd say more than weight, hammer type and technique make a bigger difference. I can draw my tapers in 8 blows or less using a rounding hammer. Flat dies on flat dies are a very inefficient way to work. Granted, the smallest hammer I use regularly is a 4#, but I am a convert to Brian Brazeal's methodology. Big rounding hammers move more metal faster. Once you have basic hammer control with say a 2#, i HIGHLY recommend moving to something like a 4. I know some will argue that a smaller hammer swung faster will impart more energy to the work, but the fact is that the maximum velocity of your hammer swing is fairly fixed regardless of the size hammer you use. The only true variable is hammer mass. I'd personally rather work at a slow deliberate pace with a large hammer than swing like a rabid chihuahua with a small hammer.

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This debate is as old as the hills. One smith wants a light head and a long handle another wants a heavy head and a short handle. Some use a long head and some a short compact head. Others want their handle thin with some flex others want a thick solid grip. Some smiths want it weighted towards the face and others balanced. I tend to be orthodox I use a 2 1/2 lb or 3 lb American style cross peen for most work with a 14" handle. But I have about 8 or so hammers all slightly different shapes from 1 lb up to 6 lbs I use them all. I pick up witch ever hammer is best suited for the job at hand. As long as you are moving the metal effectively and not hurting yourself your doing it right.

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I'm still pretty green on all this and my three pound Home Depot cross peen used to wear me out. Then someone told me to loosen up my grip on my hammer cuz it was making him nervous. I think that was Jerry Baker. Then I was watching the Hofi vids and trying to figure out what he was talking about. Best I could glean is that you don't really swing a hammer you drop it and guide it accurately to the "spot". Then you try to catch the bounce of the hammer and lift it on the bounce to the desired height and drop again. There IS a bit of swing of course especially with thicker metal but that is also where you can hurt yourself I am thinking. My only other training is from Brian and I am still working on dividing up, contact and surfae area but mostly having a plan, that moves the metal faster with fewer blows and using the correct hammer face and angle, half hammer blows at the edges to move metal and so forth. He would say this better. In the end it all amounts to a bigger hammer letting the weight do most of the work. The grip is relaxed and generally up close to the hammer head for accuracy and leverage for what muscle is needed to move the hammer.

I still like my 3# hammer which was basically my only one for awhile. I am getting very used to the 4# er that Brian and I made. My three pounder I use more for cold work, chisel heads, banding or when I have somone over that wants to learn what meager amount of knowledge I have gained in the last year or so. I don't want "students" banging up the face of my 4 pounder.

In my opinion a smaller than 3 pound hammer is too much work for general smithing and moving metal. I am not a big guy either at 5'7" and about 153 lbs. So it's not about big. BUt I am also a fan of doing whatever works best and feels best to you.

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I just wanted to note ... that one does not have to be big or strong to swing a heavy hammer..... It is all about the technique. Without proper technique, swinging a four (plus ) pound hammer CAN damage you, especially if you do not have the size/muscle to over compensate the strain being put on you! ....... Case in point about proper technique vs. hammer weight ability.
I am 14 ( though only just ;) ) years old, exactly 5 foot tall , i weigh 90 lbs and i am not overly strong. I can swing four or five pound hammers all day every day very efficiently, which proves that, doing it right lets anyone do it. Yes, it may sound pretentious of me to imply i am doing it the correct way... But surely i have not proven to you that it is possible i am considering the facts i have just told you.
The way i have found to be most effective is Brian Brazeal's method. Which i employ and which helps me forge things extreemly efficiently.

sorry about my teeny rant there :) just wanted to pitch in a little info on my thoughts about hammer stuff as a little addition to Jason's post :)

alec

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Rant away Alec. I met you at the Artmania though you probably don't recall.

When you say Brians Method are you referring to the forging technigues or a specific hammer throw technigue? We did not talk much about how to "swing" but more on where to hit and how to divide up the metal etc...

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Brian, if you read this thread just know that I am headed for the shop to do some scrolling and banding work for some Christmas presents. Basically using what you showed me. I made a make-shift banding tool similar to yours and I'll be using the scroll jig we made even though the C doesn't touch. Me and my brother and law made the banding jig over THanksgiving and he did his first "smithing" work. The 4 pound hammer will get some use along with the three pounder for the final banding cold. Hopefully will have some pics this evening or tomorrow.

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I am meaning his choice of hammer/weights, the standing position, the throw, the grip etc . :)
i do pretty much his way....but i do slight variations on how he hammers to suit me obviously, but they are only minute variations that seem to have benefitial effects :) ( obviously, otherwise i wouldnt do the variations ) :) .
Ohh! right! i would remember you if i new you name i am sure! :D:P but born-too - late wasnt a name last time i checked ! ;) ;) :P lol

alec
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Just had a quick peep at this thread, and felt that I should offer my hapenny's worth; I think if you are a beginner you should stick with something around the 2lb mark.
I have noticed the weights of hammers that people claim to use going up and up, and I don't think it's necessarily always a great idea.
Alec.S, you are correct that slow and steady with a heavier hammer is better than going crazy with a hammer that is too small.
However, if you are only fourteen, I would not recommend using quite so heavy a hammer as you are. Looking at some of your videos, you seem to be struggling with it a bit, and as your muscle and skeletal development are not yet complete, I would urge caution.

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I just wanted to note ... that one does not have to be big or strong to swing a heavy hammer..... It is all about the technique. Without proper technique, swinging a four (plus ) pound hammer CAN damage you, especially if you do not have the size/muscle to over compensate the strain being put on you! ....... Case in point about proper technique vs. hammer weight ability. I am 14 ( though only just ;) ) years old, exactly 5 foot tall , i weigh 90 lbs and i am not overly strong. I can swing four or five pound hammers all day every day very efficiently, which proves that, doing it right lets anyone do it. Yes, it may sound pretentious of me to imply i am doing it the correct way... But surely i have not proven to you that it is possible i am considering the facts i have just told you. The way i have found to be most effective is Brian Brazeal's method. Which i employ and which helps me forge things extreemly efficiently. sorry about my teeny rant there :) just wanted to pitch in a little info on my thoughts about hammer stuff as a little addition to Jason's post :) alec

This post really kind of reminds me of myself. I am 13, 6 foot and 150 pounds. My step dad is 6'3 310 pounds and for general forging i use a 5-6 pound hammer and i use it really well (not a ding on my anvil yet after using it 6 days a week for a year). But my step dad was using my old anvil with my favorite hammer(a big no-no!) and you could just see him struggle and with every hit he either hit the steel half way and put a ding or just plain out missed. So it doesn't matter if you use a 6 pound hammer or a 1 pound hammer, it matters only if you move metal and how efficent you are at doing it.
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i use a 5-6 pound hammer and i use it really well (not a ding on my anvil yet after using it 6 days a week for a year).


Do you not go to school?

I don't like to sound condescending, but you boys will do damage to your bones and ligaments that you won't feel (and regret) till much later in life.

-Dan
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Why I like having a hammer that went through a fire and so has a dead soft face---students can use it and NOT damage my tools with it! I'm thinking of tempering a few more hammers WAY back for that reason.

And the part about damaging yourself when young and having to live with it later---well when we speak about that we tend to speak from *experience*! Joints and backs will come back to haunt you!

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