ION Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I was at my local flea market the other day and I found an 8oz. ball pein hammer with the indentations of "-O.S.A.C-" Is anyone familiar with this name? Pic of Hammer for Reference... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knots Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Are you sure about the "O" . Looks like it could be USAC to me. If so that should narrow the list a bit. Could be WW2 military surplus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ION Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Looks pretty old for military surplus Could be, I had to rub some of the rust off just to see the U/O. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 US Army Cavalry, maybe? From back when that meant on horseback. I have a @WWII OD green US Army Blacksmith/Engineer case that I found at a yard sale, but no tools were in it. There were special traveling tool kits and forges for the different service branches from 1890(?**) up until the 1950's. Then they became surplus. The last farrier employed by the military keeps up the caissons for Arlington National Cemetery, although some specialized units have returned to using horses and mules in the sandbox. **There were certainly specialist tool kits before that date, but I do not know how or if they were marked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 In the US military Surplus only goes back a bit over 100 years; however in places like the UK it goes back *centuries*. Funny but I have 2 7# sledges marked with the broad arrow and date stamped: one 1943 IIRC and the other 1982 and how the 1982 sledge turned up in Southern NM at the flea market within 30 years of issue must be a story in itself... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ION Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Well if its worth something or if its a piece of history, I might not reforge it but keep it as a piece of history. Not everyday I come across something with a name attached to it nor with a possible story. Got it for 3 bucks at my flea market this past weekend. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knots Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 8 oz is a good weight to have. I would think it to be a keeper since the handle seems undamaged and is a good old american tool. There are plenty of unhandled , unmarked hammer heads around to reforge. One of my favorite reforged ball peens is a square or diamond shaped punch that I use to mark locations on forged work pieces. Turns out that a square punch mark shows up strongly on red hot iron where a round punch mark just blends in. Pretty amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ION Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Indeed it is. The handle up near the hammer itself is splintered a bit from wear and tear. would you recommend replacing the handle or do you think its still okay enough to use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 It's most likely OK so long as it's not cracked. I have a 3# hammer with a broad head on it marked 1943(NOS) at one of those surplus stores on Central Ave on the way east out of Albuquerque, NM @$2 each. I may have ruined the collectability of the hammer as I put a high shine on the faces so it wouldn't mar the metal. I also threw the original handle away, it was totally round, didn't fit the hand at all well. It's nice to find a brand new sixty-seven year old hammer covered in cosmolene sitting in Albuquerque for $2, such a deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Anymore out there? (north side of the street right?) I'm headed to Albq this weekend and the following weekend too! (Fly out to Austin from there) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.