I work with strikers on a regular basis, and have made many things that I would not attempt on my own. I've made hundreds of hammers with different strikers, 12 years old to 88 years old, male and female, and most have never struck hot metal with a sledge. We're ussually working with 2 inch and under medium carbon steels and sometimes larger after they gain experience. We normally use a 12 to 16 pound hammer for this size work, and I would not suggest using anything smaller unless you're forging 1 1/4 and smaller. I also use a striking anvil that has not been hardened for safety reasons, and I don't let just anyone strike on my anvil. People will miss when learning to strike and a soft anvil is not as apt to throw the sledge back in their face nor break shards off. When you are making tools like this, striking is more like splitting wood with a sledge and wedge. If you have ever split wood, you know that it doesn't take long to know how to swing a sledge. A missed hit is a missed opportunity, witch means you have to take another hit to bust that log. People learn rather quickly and learn to let the hammer do the work. Just take a look at Alec Steele. He only weighed 88 pounds and was only 13 years old when he first came and threw a sledge. Now he weighs 110 pounds and can use any of my sledges with ease, even the 30 pound sledge.

 

I demand a photo of your 30# sledge!!!

Working with a striker, >use signals

Never liked the idea of a no-experience type swinging a sledge around me.  Even with handled tools, I much prefer to either do without or do the work myself.  Of course, that's just my comfort level talking.  Like you, Ivan, I'm an introvert much preferring my own company to that of others.  Best advice I can give you, invest in a rolling mill, power hammer or hydraulic press.  You get a great return on your investment as it allows you to move up a level and do the projects that a good striker would.