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I Forge Iron

Forged my first hammer


Tubbe

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Hi.

 

For quite some time now I have wanted to forge a hammer. During the winter I finally got hold of some suitable steel, 40x40mm 1045 / C45. Prepping for the hammer I made a larger eye punch, drift and tongs that could hold 40mm bar. Link to this >here.

 

Started with a piece of 40x40x110mm. Here the eye is punched and drifted.

20130919_HammerWIP.jpg

 

I forged down a peen and it went quite well. My power hammer flatter broke on me so I left the hammer marks from that, but that don't bother me. The pictures below shows my grinding of both peen and face.

 

20130922_HammerWIP.jpg

 

 

I hardened and tempered it, using a heated drift to draw the temper to a dark straw color on the face and peen. As a final temper pass I "baked" it in the oven at 240 deg C for about 1,5h, although maybe not that necessary for this type of steel.

 

For the handle I reworked a piece of an old sledge handle, unsure but I think it's ash. Rubbed some linseed oil on for a final touch. Total weight 1.4 kg including handle (head 1.2 kg).

 

20130924_Hammer.jpg

 

Ready for action!

 

 

 

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your toolmaking is inspiring Tubbe, thank you for sharing and the great process pics!  I actually kinda like the fuller lined texture on the pein, looks a little more interesting than just a flat surface, works with the outline of the side and makes it look a little like the old WWI tanks too :)

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  • 2 months later...
  • 1 month later...

Steven, the punching was done on the anvil from both sides. Nothing special there. During drifting I forged the cheeks, and to protect them (when driving the drift) I used simple 3/4" blocks on each side of the eye. Not sure if that answered your question?

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Tubbe,

 

Thanks for the reply. I have seen that some people use a concave shaped bolster block that they put the hammer head into when they drift to protect the curve of the cheeks. Sounds like you supported the hammer head in front of and behind the hole so that the bottom of the cheeks were supported above the anvil face. Yes?

 

Thanks,

Steven

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