mjenki Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I was recently asked to forge some chain, and I posted a pic of my progress... to which my sister, who lives in Rugby England, responded with some pictures of the Black Country Museum and one of the blacksmith shops there. In the photo there is a double handled sledge. I have heard of these... but I have never seen one in use... does anyone have a video or know more about them? I suspect that it is mostly lifted and dropped....or was it used with a master and apprentice one providing power and the other aiming... I don't know anything about it... figure someone here might... care to shed some light on the subject?ThanksMatt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JME1149 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Thanks for sharing the pictures, I've never seen or heard of a two hander. By the looks of it, I'd guess that is easily a 30 to 40 pound sledge and would take two people to swing it. Talk about the original power hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 The head of that sledge look to be about the size of my 30 lb, but mine only has one handle. It is definitely a lift and drop hammer. I will measure it and post a pic later. I want to know more about the Oliver hammer setup with the chainmakers anvil in the back by the forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 If I remember there was a discution about sledges with multiple handles a year or two back but cannot remember which section it was in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I have seen but do not have pictures of black country crews using double and tripple handled sledges . I have a couple of chain makers anvils including one that is the same as the one in the picture with the oliver attached to it. The black country museum is on my list as I want to remake an oliver for my anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 BasherIf you get to that museum before I do, please take lots of photos and measurements of the Oliver and jigs associated with the chainmaker's anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Well the earliest power hammer I've seen documentation on was pre 1000 A.D. so perhaps a later special case tool...I have not seen another one and have visited a number of museums in the US and Europe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I find the low steel bench Iof interest, as I have a 1" plate with holes at the corners. It was originally fabricated as a pole base and would duplicate it easily. Any ideas what it is fore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I have seen pictures of other double-handled sledges, I did not save any of them though. Cool stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Ah! found one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottMitUns Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I have no info on the double sledge but I am fairly certain that I have watched a video of a smith making chain at THAT forge and anvil. It was on the web somewhere but I have no idea where. RWD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjenki Posted February 19, 2015 Author Share Posted February 19, 2015 (edited) So the picture posted by BlackFrog implies one of the smiths has to swing off-handed / switch hitter? That's pretty cool. Edited February 19, 2015 by mjenki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I've noticed that my offhand is a lot better trained after just hobby smithing; I'd bet if you did it as a career you might just become a switch hitter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 My big 30 lb sledge hammer for comparison. Head length = 10 1/2", Diameter of the face = 4". Single handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 nJ, that's an anvil on a stick! Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 John M Comparing your picture, using a brick for a length guide, it appears to be about the same size head as the one posted above. I wonder if 30 lb was a stopping point for this use? I know there was a 50 lb sledge sold on ExxY a few years ago, but I cannot even think of who could use that. It was a one handle version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I've talked to some old guys who did CCC work putting roads through the mountains and they told me that they used a 32# sledge for a 12 hour day breaking rocks. Slackers were dropped from the program. Separate people and discussions so a bit of a check on memory growth issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Actually, looking at the wear pattern on the handles and the chain end rings on the swage block, I'm pretty sure it is the same hammer. I know that I have seen other double and triple handled hammers, I just can't find any of the photos now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forgemaster Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 We have made a 2 handled sledge, not bad to use but you need to have someone else on the other side who is going to pull their weight, if you have a bludger on the other handle you soon know about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 On 2/20/2015 at 6:43 AM, forgemaster said: We have made a 2 handled sledge, not bad to use but you need to have someone else on the other side who is going to pull their weight, if you have a bludger on the other handle you soon know about it. Working in unison must be vital. I have a blacksmith colleague who is awful to try and carry anything heavy with. It is because he does not sense the centre of gravity of the weight between you, and is constantly trying to take more than his share which means the weight is always thrown to one side unnecessarily…the opposite to your bludger or someone "swinging the lead" but equally uncomfortable! Interesting that the two men in the photo have slightly different stances, They presumably are compensating for differences in body size/stature or whichever is leading, Their lower arms have quite a different angle at the elbow... Alan On 2/19/2015 at 1:59 PM, Black Frog said: Ah! found one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 On 2/19/2015 at 3:13 PM, mjenki said: So the picture posted by BlackFrog implies one of the smiths has to swing off-handed / switch hitter? That's pretty cool. There are a few of us, who are naturally "Wrong-Handed". . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 I find the low steel bench Iof interest, as I have a 1" plate with holes at the corners. It was originally fabricated as a pole base and would duplicate it easily. Any ideas what it is fore?That top plate looks like it may have started out, as the top half of a Die Set, ... in which case, the holes would have been essential to it's original purpose, ... but not necessarily to it's present use.Just guessing ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcostello Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 AT 32 lbs. How many of Us would be slackers? If You could last a month or two You would have an awsome build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borntoolate Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 As for video I saw one, just today, can't post, it was on netflix. There is a series called Peaky Blinders. Season one Episode one at about 21 minutes there are two guys swinging a two handed hammer. It's kinda lame. Looks like they are hammering the dirt. Just after that there is another guy swinging a big sledge, not very elegantly, also hammering dirt. I guess they were so poor they just forged the dirt. Not a very good example but that's all I got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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