dntfxr Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 I've got this piece of scrap that I was informed is made of 1060. It's an old railroad coupler pin. I've been thinking that it wants to be a pair of hammers :). So I'm thinking at least one will be a Japanese/ dog's head type hammer for bladesmithing. Not sure what size I should make it though, any suggestions? I included some pics of the dimensions. Might try a small rounding type too? This will be my first try at making a hammer so any suggestions or help are greatly appreciated. Also I made a drift or a DSO at least lol. As it is it's got a long taper and rectangular in section. I plan on grinding the flats and corners quite a bit tomorrow. Any suggestions on it are appreciated too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 While you have your drifts and punches at a dull red heat, lightly chamfer the corners with your hammer. Less grinding, more fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 If you make another drift or punch in the future, forge the working end to a round taper and then forge to a capsule shape. Forge a square taper, go to octagonal, round, and then capsule, or hex to round to capsule. You also might want to have about 7 inches to hold with your hand while driving the drift or forging the hammer with the drift in it unless you're using tong. The drifts get pretty hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dntfxr Posted March 29, 2014 Author Share Posted March 29, 2014 Thanks so much guys I will use that advise. I'll round the section a bit with the hammer at this point, but next time I'll go through the steps and draw it through the different sections. I realized partway through that the holding end was gonna be too short but to get the girth large enough I had to upset the original round drill rod stock on that end. I should have upset 2" away from the end really. At this point I'm not sure exactly what I'll do to make the "handle" longer, maybe weld on a bit of rebar. BTW Brian, I'd love to come to some of your classes one day. This stupid day job thing makes it real tough to take off a week at a time though :-/. Do you do day classes? I'm not very far away so that may be feasible for me soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 I do day classes also but not for hammers and the tools to make hammers. If you're close,just come on by. Anyone is welcome to stop by and watch or get in the forge. That won't cost you a thing. Daniel Lea just posted a video on YouTube today showing how to make a drift for making hammers. I don't know how to link it here, but it's definitely worth watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dntfxr Posted March 29, 2014 Author Share Posted March 29, 2014 That would be awesome man, I've always loved to watch a master of their craft work if I'm not in their way. Very nice of you to offer. I still want to do the week class but I'll have to try and plan it several months down the road. I'm just down I-20 so in the meantime I may show up if I get a break. I'll check out the video too. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 I wouldn't consider myself a master. I haven't settled in one spot yet, still looking. I can show you a few things, but most likely you'll be watching someone else doing the very same class you're interested in. There is also a group of guys around here that get together and make hammers and the tools to make hammers and other handled tools. You should think about coming to the monthly meeting at the Ag. museum in Jackson, also. There are several people here around this area that can make all those tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grafvitnir Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Hi Brian! I just watched that last night. Here it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dntfxr Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 I've never been to the Ag museum, I'd love to make that trip and meet some folks. And thanks for the link to the video, I should have watched it before I proceeded today lol! After I got some honeydo's done I got out to the shop and and hammered the corners of the drift down a little then cleaned it up on the grinder. Probably not the easy east way to do it but I decided to just grind a vee tip right on the drift and use it as a chisel too. Ok definitely not the easiest way to do it lol! But I got it punched through, even centered it pretty good. I was really wishing I had a striker today, a couple times I looked over at the drill press but didn't give in ha! My hold-down worked good though. I didn't get it finished this eve but I'll get it done in the next couple days hopefully. I even used my little one brick forge, very long soaks! It's on it's last leg, the cracks are gettin pretty large.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dntfxr Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 I also figured out that making knives is easier than making hammers! (Well except for finishing anyway) ha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dntfxr Posted March 31, 2014 Author Share Posted March 31, 2014 I found some time this evening and got it drifted, shaped and heat treated. :) It went a little easier today. I took the corners down a little more on the drift, and discovered that rubbing soapstone on it really seemed to help it go through the hole much easier. For anyone wishing to learn from my mistakes, take the advice of the pros and go with the oval shaped profile instead of rectangular. It also helped when I quit cooling the drift every heat, it was just sucking too much heat from the hole. Fortunately the angle for the handle turned out about right which I was concerned might not work. When I started on it yesterday I staggered my slits opposite from one another by about 1/4". If I do another I will have a proper slitter for sure! The drift held up fine, even the chisel point was fine until today when I banged on it trying to get it out. All in all it was a learning experience but I am happy with the result. It finished at 2.7lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJS Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 Actually many of the cutlers and file makers hammers that I have seen have an angle to the eye very much like what you have. I suspect that the anvils were set slightly higher for bladesmithing and the angle worked out ergonomicly to leave the hand and wrist in a more neutral position than with a normal hammer... Also it can be used to essentially set the bevel with the hammer, while you are basicly striking flat. Considerably less strain on your wrist and hand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dntfxr Posted March 31, 2014 Author Share Posted March 31, 2014 Yes thank you Shane, I wasn't sure if it would turn out right but best I can tell with a straight edge it will be the desired 82-85 degrees. Having never drifted a hammer before I was unsure if my staggered cuts would work but I got the results I was after. Now to figure out what to use for the handle. I have some black walnut but I'd have to laminate 2 pieces to get the thickness I want. I also have some persimmon, black locust, and bois darc trees on the place. Hmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dntfxr Posted March 31, 2014 Author Share Posted March 31, 2014 Any suggestions on handle material? Of the trees I mentioned I'm not sure I'm patient enough to wait on them curing, so that leaves me with straight grained black walnut. Would it be suitable, or should I just get a piece of hickory? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJS Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 I would go ahead and try the walnut, you may find it brittle, but it might last many years you just cant tell till you try... You can cut some of the bois darc and let it cure while you are using the walnut handle till it breaks;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dntfxr Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 Took your advice and went with the black walnut. The tree was cut probably 25 years ago from my great grandparents home place and I got what few boards were left a few years ago. Been saving them and since it's my first hammer it makes it kinda special to have a piece from them with it. Btw it balances great in my hand and rebounds better than any of my other hammers. The weight forward is very different but it feels like I will have great control working on blades and bevels. I know I burned it pretty bad in my hotspot/aka onebrick forge, oh well I'll call it character. Thinking about sealing the handle with natural tung, but I kinda like the feel of it how it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Of the choices you had Walnut would have ranked dead last for a tool handle IMO. I prefer to use green wood for making handles! You can dry small handles pretty quickly in the microwave! Don't do the final fitting until after drying, to allow for some shrinkage/distortion. That type hammer is probably going to serve you well for many years with the handle you have on it though... keep this in mind for your next ones! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dntfxr Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 Thank you, I will keep that in mind for next time. I didn't know fresh wood could be used but I will remember that for any others in the future. I didn't get much feedback and had almost talked myself out of using the walnut, but since it is laminated and not a real heavy hitter I said what the heck. Hopefully it'll hold up :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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