straight v. cross pein

[EWCTool]

I am looking for a six pound peddinghaus straight pein hammer, and I found out that they were discontinued and no longer available. I continued my search and find it hard to find any good straight pein hammers at a decent price.

Can anyone refer a website that sells a decent six pound straight pein hammer, it would be appreciated.

As for me I prefer a cross pein for my lighter hammers and straight pein for the larger hammers when I really want to move metal. I have found that I am able to move more metal faster with a straight pein, but for finer more delicate work I like a good cross pein hammer. Since I can not find a good heavy straight pein, I make my own from splitting mauls. It takes a lot of grinding, and a decent hammer can be produced, but the balance of the hammer is not quite right.

Which pein style do you prefer and why?

[VaughnT]

I recently bought a straight-peen that I found locally after seeing it on ebay. They didn't know what make/use the hammer was for, though it is thought to be a stone-cutters hammer.

Here's one on ebay..... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Blacksmith-Stone-Masons-Hand-Sledge-Carving-Cutting-Hammer-Tool-/150849635198?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item231f56c37e#ht_908wt_1006

Great sledge in the 6lb range. I really like how the face is so narrow (probably about 1"x4") because it really focuses the blow. You can get into a tight shoulder with ease and I think I'd like to make a lighter version for more routine work.

Definitely worth a look, in my opinion.

[781]

Nathan Robertson at jackpine forge or Brown brazeal would make you one both will be at ABANA in 2 weeks.
I prefer a square flat face with round edges and a rounding hammer as the other face. Use the edge of the flat face as a pien that way you have 2 cross 2 straight a flat face and rounding all on same hammer aka Brian Brazeal.

[eddie]

Brent Bailey in California will make you a straight pein sledge

[knots]

How do you use a 6 lb hammer. For striking ? Sounds a little light for striking. Are you inquireing about a hand hammer or a sledge hammer ? Sort of sounds like you want a 6lb hand hammer.

[IronAlchemy]

While it would be fun to setup and make one, they seem to be available from what I can see. Angele (Angele.de) sells a straight pein, 3 kg. You might try John Elliott at Blacksmith Supply. He imports a number of the Angele products.

- Doug

[Francis Trez Cole]

here is a source for you they carry a wide selection

http://www.hammersource.com/Blacksmithing_Hammers-page-4/

[Frank Turley]

In 1963, I got my first anvil at a San Pedro, CA, shipyard where a scrap dealer was going out of business. As I was driving off, the owner hollered for me to wait a minute. He then gave me the the larger of the two, pictured straight peen sledges. I got the smaller one from eBay. I have not weighed them, but I would guess the large one is 12# and the smaller one, 8#. The large one is 7.5" long and the other 6.5" long.

I'm submitting the photos, because I don't think this straight peen style is all that common. I don't know the manufacturer. If hammers can be aesthetically pleasing though, I think these are the ones. I like the big fullered area demarcating the cheeks from the peen.

[rthibeau]

usually, straight peins are easier for drawing out and cross peins are easier for spreading or widening....a diagonal pein will cover both uses. Define "good price" because if you have someone make you one it's likely to cost $100 or so at least. Myself, I have many hammers and use whichever is convenient for the task at hand.

[MOblacksmith0530]

Those are some interesting looking hammers Frank. How is the balance they look to be heavy on the flat face end of the hammer. I am planning on making a striking sledge soon and haven't decided on a round peen, straight or cross peen yet. I want it to be in the 8 to 10 lb range.

[jgirard13]

have you checked out centaur forge? id look in my catalog for you if i could get the old lady to tell me where she hid it (put away as she calls it) im sure they have sledges in that weight but if you have a hulk hogan arm and a hellava lot of energy then guess you could cut the handle down (I could maby do 10 swings before my arm fell off) good luck

[Timothy Miller]

In 1963, I got my first anvil at a San Pedro, CA, shipyard where a scrap dealer was going out of business. As I was driving off, the owner hollered for me to wait a minute. He then gave me the the larger of the two, pictured straight peen sledges. I got the smaller one from eBay. I have not weighed them, but I would guess the large one is 12# and the smaller one, 8#. The large one is 7.5" long and the other 6.5" long.

I'm submitting the photos, because I don't think this straight peen style is all that common. I don't know the manufacturer. If hammers can be aesthetically pleasing though, I think these are the ones. I like the big fullered area demarcating the cheeks from the peen.

Those are back east hammers circa 1890's all you need is a bowler hat and a handlebar mustache.

[Elemental Metal Creations]

I second Nathan at Jackpine forge. I had the opportunity to try some of his hammers in his hammer making class at the BAM conference this year. they are very nice. I believe he had some straight peen hammers in the 6lb range for sale there.

[VaughnT]

I'll second ebay!

I bought my hammer for $20, though it needs a new haft. Still, that's very cheap for a 6lb straight-peen sledge. The rectilinear face really focuses the impact of the hammer blow and allows you to get into a tight corner. I don't know what these hammers were originally designed for, but they work great for pounding the devil's bone!

[Timothy Miller]

That's a stone hammer that is very warn. It did its work primarily on the edges of the face. The edges of the face were very sharp at one point

[knots]

I'll second ebay!

I bought my hammer for $20, though it needs a new haft. Still, that's very cheap for a 6lb straight-peen sledge. The rectilinear face really focuses the impact of the hammer blow and allows you to get into a tight corner. I don't know what these hammers were originally designed for, but they work great for pounding the devil's bone!

Called a Mash hammer. I have one for stone work. Thought about using it for iron but it is to heavy for use as a hand hammer, at least for me.

[Frank Turley]

Those are some interesting looking hammers Frank. How is the balance they look to be heavy on the flat face end of the hammer. I am planning on making a striking sledge soon and haven't decided on a round peen, straight or cross peen yet. I want it to be in the 8 to 10 lb range.

Bowler hat notwithstanding, I have found the sledges wonderful to use. I have an occasional striker/helper, a journeyman who worked five years in Germany making faux armor and real armor. He very much likes the lighter of the two hammers. We don't use the peen much.

"A man with a mustache is never alone."

[Timothy Miller]

When I lived in the Huston Vally I would see hammers of that pattern from time to time in scrap yards and junk shops I regret never buying them up.

[Dan P.]

I'm submitting the photos, because I don't think this straight peen style is all that common. I don't know the manufacturer. If hammers can be aesthetically pleasing though, I think these are the ones.

A straight peen sledge is quite common here in the UK, usually in the form of a "swing sledge", which has a vestigial peen. But your two beauties there are quite different; almost looks like a sort of cheese fuller on the back.

[ThomasPowers]

My favorite straight peen is probably less than 3 pounds but has the wide peen like Frank's do, looks like someone welded a 1" dia rod to the end to make a nice wide peen (but was forged that way.)

I've seen a person take an double jack hammer and in 1 heat use a hydraulic press squish it to a straight peen---and the squishing produced a quite rounded end so little grinding was then needed.

You are doing blacksmithing, Right? Why are you grinding over forging?

I have found 2 straight peen sledges; both marked with the British Broad Arrow at fleamarkets over the years, one has a date stamp from the 1940's and the other from quite recently. Perhaps they are more common in the UK? (the older one was from a fleamarket in Columbus OH, the other Las Cruces NM, US$10 for the more expensive one.)

And Nathan makes great Hammers!