neg Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Okay, I live in florida where blacksmithing tools are almost non-existent at flea markets. Everything I have and know about are really only things I had to make out of necessity. I picked this up really cheap, and I wasn't about to leave it since it's a Heller (my favorite hammer brand :P) and it's so uncommon to find any good tools around here. However, in my year and a half of blacksmithing, I have never needed one of these. I see that it's struck with another hammer and the end of it is similar to a cross-peen, but can somebody tell me exactly what you'd use this for? I've tried searching, but when you don't know the name of the type of hammer it's really difficult to find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I would say its a tool off of a fire/rescue truck. Used to break windows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNJC Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Can't say I know what it is, but I'm fairly sure that it is meant to hit and not to be hit. I write that because things that are made to be hit generally have a fair amount of metal there for the purpose, this thing just has its eye and no more. It looks a bit like a tinsmith's hammer or a silver smith's raising hammer for difficult places / shapes, but I need to see it from another angle to be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neg Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 Well the end of it is mushroomed a bit, so whoever owned it was definitely striking it... and it is made by heller, who made blacksmith and farrier tools. Here are some more pictures at different angles: Oh, and I forgot to mention that it's large.The head is 8 inches long, from end to end. The handle is 16 inches long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oof Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I would use it like a pickaroon. :rolleyes: mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 When I first saw that I was wondering if it was a pickaroon till I saw the broad tip; then I wondered if it was a cut down pickaxe till I saw the eye. So I dug a bit "NO. 50 HELLER BROS. BLACKSMITH TIN SMITH BODY LONG NOSE HAMMER" Of course that one has the bulbous nose missing from yours but the Heller #50 and the shape seems to indicate that yours once had such a nose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neg Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 Yep, that's definitely it. Thanks, Thomas. It's a shame someone cut the end off of it. Think it'll still be useful for anything? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Yep, that's definitely it. Thanks, Thomas. It's a shame someone cut the end off of it. Think it'll still be useful for anything? Sure it is. Weld a bulbous end back on it or dress the end that is left. It can be used to work inside necked vases, armoring purposes, etc.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 weld a ball to the end, a cylinder, whatever you want, maybe make an adze from it!---just be sure to use appropriate per/postheat and rod... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Lots of potential there! The long reach of the head would be great if you ever want to sink a deep bowl. You could weld on any number of shapes as Thomas pointed out, or just clean up what's there. If you're more keen for woodworking or think you might want to sell it or give it away, I'd say to cut a bit of the length off and make a small adze. You can always tell a tool meant for striking by the amount of meat you have opposite the working end. As little as that has, you know automatically that it wasn't meant to be hit with a hammer because it would deform the eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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