hammer for the jury

[FieryFurnace]

"Trip" AKA Chase, left yesterday after staying here for four days. Since I had all the hammer making tools out anyway, I decided to make a hammer today. This hammer is going to be one of five pieces I submit to the Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen for review by jury, to try to get allowed into the organization.

 

I figured that, part of what defines the blacksmith as the king of craftsmen is his ability to make his own tools. So, hopefully the jury will think so too.

 

The hammer is made from 2-inch solid 4140, cut into a 4-inch billet. It has the most pronounced cheeks of any hammer I've made.

 

It is of course the Brian Brazeal inspired blacksmith's rounding hammer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[781]

looks great to me congradulations

[bigfootnampa]

A right cheeky hammer there bloke!  Have you finished the dressing?  It looks as though you might not be done with the off face yet?

[Frank Turley]

If they don't let you in, I would sue.

[Ridgewayforge]

I don't see your touchmark; is there a reason for this?

[trinculo]

SInce Trip was gone, did you make it with your power hammer or did you have another striker?

[FieryFurnace]

I did it on the power hammers. The only thing that really goes slow, is the punching. Even with the extra 20-pound weight on my 60-pound air hammer it took like 6 heats, which is CRAZY!

 

No touch-mark, the reason being it's a blind jury.....any and all marks must be removed or covered. I center-punched the side of the eye that the handle goes in, and left it at that.

 

Not sure about the polish. It's got an extremely worn 80-grit polish on it right now, and is perfectly ready for any and all forge work. I might brighten it up a wee-bit for show though. But like I said, it's ready for work as-is.

 

I'd about agree with that sentiment Frank Turley!

[VaughnT]

For working, it's a great hammer, and I'd be proud to have it in my shop.

 

However, in this instance, you want to showcase your abilities.  As such, I would polish the faces to a mirror shine and replace the handle.  Driving that metal wedge in and splintering the end of the wood really detracts from an otherwise solid build.  I would pick a bit of wood that had a nicer grain and some stain/polish to make it pop.  This is for show so you gotsta dress to impress, as they say.

 

Of course, you know your audience better than I.  Maybe this is the quality of work they routinely see and expect?  Do they have a classification for tools or working pieces?

[trinculo]

Do you use a cupping tool on the PH as well?

Do you have cheeking dies?

 

I would love to see some pictures of your hammer making tooling for the Power hammer(s).

 

Nice looking bunch of hammers you've made recently.

[Pug}{maN]

For working, it's a great hammer, and I'd be proud to have it in my shop.

However, in this instance, you want to showcase your abilities. As such, I would polish the faces to a mirror shine and replace the handle. Driving that metal wedge in and splintering the end of the wood really detracts from an otherwise solid build. I would pick a bit of wood that had a nicer grain and some stain/polish to make it pop. This is for show so you gotsta dress to impress, as they say.

Of course, you know your audience better than I. Maybe this is the quality of work they routinely see and expect? Do they have a classification for tools or working pieces?

I agree with this, This is going in for an art group you better clean it up some...

Perfect tool though!

[John McPherson]

Always consider your audience: I think that is a wonderful hammer, finished to an appropriate level, but to anyone outside this forum it is a crudely finished lump on a stick.

 

If you really want to impress a jury, make it like a fine blade. Go for a full polish pattern-welded billet with filework and a rosewood or walnut handle with silver inlay.

[Chuck in Ms]

And I agree with Mr Pugh.
The hammer head itself is great but the handle sticking through is what distracted my attention.

[Pug}{maN]

Mr Pugh

Yes somebody finally got it!

[Francis Trez Cole]

Dave very nice hammer have you taken the time to talk with other members of the guild and see what they are doing? I kind of ran down there list check it out I would put forth a few pieces you are talented. what you put forward should represent all your skills.   

[FieryFurnace]

I appreciate all the comments and critique. There are some interesting thoughts on the handle.

 

One of the things on the guild's checklist is functionality of pieces that are supposed to be functional.

 

In order for the hammer to be functional it needs the steel wedge. So what to do? I'm thinking about knocking out the oak handle, replacing it with walnut like McPherson suggested, and pre-cutting a slot for the steel wedge like I do on the wooden wedge. This would allow more control of wood displacement when the steel wedge is driven through. I'll also clean up the wedge and make it nice a shiny.

 

The faces will also be polished. As far as pattern-welded billets and silver inlay, I neither have the skill or materials for that as of yet.

[bigfootnampa]

Show em one of your little trees Dave!

[Trip]

Looks good Dave!!!!!! I agree though, that you ought to do a little better polish on the faces, a mirror finish would be awesome, but time consuming.

 

6 Heats to punch the eye!!!! WOW bet you were wishing for a good striker huh??? ;) LOL  

[Francis Trez Cole]

if you glue the wedge into the handle you do not need the metal wedge until it gets loose.

[Fe-Wood]

I have to agree with what other have said about fit and finish. This hammer is to be judged as well as used. Make it pretty and the best example of your considerable skills!

 

Why not glue the handle in, in the fashion of Mr. Hofi? It is a valid form of attachment and can look really good! In a recent conversation with one of CBA's level 3 judge/instructors, I made the argument that as Blacksmiths we are always looking for better and easier ways to do a job. I have been gluing my handles with Polyurethane adhesive for 3 years with excellent results. I routinely travel from very humid to very dry locations and have not had a hammer head come loose yet!

[Ridgewayforge]

It would be less distracting also to sand/grind the handle so that the top is flush with the top of the hammer eye.

[VaughnT]

The handle absolutely DOES NOT need a steel wedge to be a working hammer.  Whoever told you that was just being silly.  I have plenty of hammers and axes that do not have any steel wedges in them, and not a single one has ever come loose.  The key is properly wedging with a wooden wedge that's wide enough at the top to really spread the handle. 

 

Also, I've seen a lot of axe hangers re-use an old handle that's rather chewed up by cross-wedging by using a wooden wedge like you used the steel wedge.  The cruciform created by the opposed wedges was very sexy, imo, and is something that's different enough to catch the eye without looking untoward.  Using odd woods that take a stain differently than the handle does will really make the wedges pop out at you, and this is a good thing.

[FieryFurnace]

The handle absolutely DOES NOT need a steel wedge to be a working hammer.  Whoever told you that was just being silly.  I have plenty of hammers and axes that do not have any steel wedges in them, and not a single one has ever come loose.  The key is properly wedging with a wooden wedge that's wide enough at the top to really spread the handle. 

 

Also, I've seen a lot of axe hangers re-use an old handle that's rather chewed up by cross-wedging by using a wooden wedge like you used the steel wedge.  The cruciform created by the opposed wedges was very sexy, imo, and is something that's different enough to catch the eye without looking untoward.  Using odd woods that take a stain differently than the handle does will really make the wedges pop out at you, and this is a good thing.

 

 

Agreed! I'm working on some other stuff today, but sometime this week I'm going to rehandle it using black walnut with two perpendicular wooden wedges made from white oak.

[VaughnT]

Ooooh!  That's sure to look very nice.  Can't wait to see it.

[Albert A Rasch]

Dave,
 
Having never even contemplated that there would be a juried show for smithing tools, I will defer to the others on that in particular. Having said that, I have attended shows for blackpowder rifles and the accoutrements like hawks and knives. I would most likely judge your hammer on the same basis as a 'hawk.
 
First,is it a hammer and does it appear functional? yes.
Ok, next is fit. do all the parts fit together well?
Is the handle properly inlet into the oval?
does the top of the handle fill the slot properly?
Are the wedges in place and secured? etc.
Ok now to finish: Is the metal finished, and in this case are the faces mirror, frosted, or finished in an equal fashion?
Are all the facets balanced?
Is the design balanced left and right, top and bottom?
If the handle protrudes, is the wedge the same depth as the handle front to back, is the fitting seamless?
is it a contrasting wood?
Is the metal wedge square or otherwise balanced in its placement?
did the smith take a few minutes to flatten and polish the metal counter wedge?
and add a file design to it?
Is the handle curly this, that, or the other (curly hickory would be a plus here!)?
is the end grain finished to the same level as the rest or at least the same as the top?

That's just some ideas off the top of my head.As some of the other guys said, it's a showcase of your talents, make it shine.
 
Now, I think it's a mighty fine hammer as it stands, but it's not  "Show Hammer!"
 
I went and reread your post, and I noted this, which slipped by me upon first reading: Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen for review by jury, to try to get allowed into the organization. I f that's the case, I would definitely take into consideration everything said. This is more of a peer review to allow you to bear their stamp of approval as a guildmember. That's even tougher than a show.
 
Take your time and produce the best set of tools you can. Without going Liberace on your work, add the nuances and small touches that differentiate your tools from utilitarian pieces. Borrow ideas from other crafts like gunmaking, blade and hawk smithing. Think of it as a set of ceremonial smith's tools for the guild.
 
Now I'm getting ideas... as if I didn't have other things I would like to accomplish before I set out to make a ceremonial set of inlaid, damascus hardy tools...
 
Best regards,
Albert

[John McPherson]

Take a look at Brent Bailey's work: not frilly/gilded/filed/inlaid baroque work, just clean, functional designs and understated elegance.

 

http://www.brentbaileyforge.com/