I wanted a nice Cross Pein hammer besides the 3 1/2# that I use, but did not have the money to buy a big dollar hammer and wanted to make my own. I was looking for something just under 2#. I happened to have a spare/junk 2# Engineer hammer laying around from harbor freight. So I cut some steel off of the one face so that I would be a little under 2# and be able to forge the cross pein without it being too long.

Next time I'll use some known steel and make it from bar stock. But for a first hammer, I was fine with using what I had around, it works very well. Not sure what kind of steel they use but I'm guessing that the carbon content is very low. I did a water quench and did not need to temper it. It's a little softer than the J Sharp hammer that my buddy loaned me.

 

This was a fun project for a day off of knife making and well worth the few lbs of propane.

Here are some photos of how it started and how it finished up. I love it!













Thanks for lookin!

Matt P

Very nice, and not so easily done.

that will give you years of service

Nice re make, I had to case harden a HF hammer after I put alot of effort into it and it wouldn't get hard at all. I look for old American made hammers at flea markets and thrift stores. They're just as cheap and the steel is good for a re make or not....

I've read various reports of success/failure reguarding people trying to modify & reharden HF hammers.

 

I had one of the older styles with the epoxied handle until the epoxy let loose and the head went flying - made in India. The faces were quite soft. I used it for driving pin punches and cold chisels. The newer one I bought  recently to replace it has a wedged in handle seems a little harder - made in China. I think there 4lb hammers are still marked made in India.

Looking sharp and crisp.  Well done.

 

 

 

 

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www.sawblade.com

Very nicely done

I purchased a bunch of HF hammers of varying dimensions. Many were turned into fuller tools and for that they work in the untreaded  manner rather well, considering the cost of about $3.00 each. I took another and turned it into a cross pien. It is ugly as all getout but hardened good enough to be an adequate pein witha rather rounded pien.

 

 

Carry on

exellent work! it looks very impresive, and its exactly what you wanted.

That is really nice Matt. A lovely little hammer. I might have to give that a go myself.

Cheers

Wow! I'd like to keep that! Wonderful...

 

 

 

 

 

www.bandsawblog.com

Thanks fellas! Ive been using it daily. I actually stopped using the 3 1/2# except for heavy work. I really like it.

Did you cut the material off at an angle or just a straight cut off one side?

I've got a lump hammer back home that never gets used, it would be nice to make it into something a bit more useful.

All the best
Andy

Looks good I believe you have made yourself a very nice hammer.

most of the store bought hammers I have found are in the 1045 - 1060 range and can be tempered to suit your purposes...too soft is not good for the everyday hammer.  Get 'em cheap...make 'em to what you want.......heat treat to temper....piece of pie

 

Oh...nice work on that hammer

have done a couple of these,they work just fine.

Thanks fellas. I made a matching hammer but a bit smaller from a cut off section of a pick axe.

Those are both nice hammers! Now you got me interested in making one of my own!

Good work!

And, they feel even better in your hand because your hand sculpted them.