Swinging a striking hammer, rail road swing

[Glenn]

There was a demo in Indiana where a blacksmith (Irnsrgn) proceeded to take 2 hammers, each 3# or 4#, one in each hand, and proceed to whomp the heck out of hot metal someone was holding.  Once he got going it would sound much like a power hammer.  He called it double striking.

[anvil]

A long ago blacksmithing friend from California was a "double striker" as well. Lol, what we do for show and what we do for go are sometimes very different.

[anvil]

A long ago blacksmithing friend from California was a "double striker" as well. Lol, what we do for show and what we do for go are sometimes very different.

Frosty, you must have better eyes than me. i see no fire. But check out how they are swinging. one hand near the hammer and one hand back near the hilt. No matter how hard the swing, those hands are the key to control and safety. Now go back and look at the first pic. I know FTC from here and a few other sites and have great respect for him. However in this case, that two handed grip at the hilt would never happen in my shop. It will wear you out, be far less precise, and an accident waiting to happen. I dont know SJS, other than from here, but when reading his dialogue with FTC, we would have no problems striking for each other cold, first encounter. Interestingly enough, in the dialog between the two, Francis kinda indicates he too agrees with SJS.

It doesnt matter to me how you strike, or what you allow in your own shops. Thats the joy of having your own shop.

Im speaking soly for me and my shop practices. However, it just so happens that the people ive struck for and struck for me in a work roll have all used some variation of the pic I posted. So far no injuries, few missed blows, no dinged anvils or broken handles, so we must be doing something right,

[ThomasPowers]

I've learned that when I teach college students they are not allowed near a good anvil with a sledge! Luckily there is an old oil patch bridge anvil there and an improvised anvil they can beat on...

[bluerooster]

I don't know what you call it; "windmill, railroad swing", or what ever.  But for driving stakes I prefer that circular motion.  The weight of the hammer does most of the work, all I'm there for is to guide it. 

[anvil]

It's a great way to drive stakes,,, 

[ThomasPowers]

Once you are dialed in...

[anvil]

Lol, frankly,  Im not much for the ole windmill swing under any conditions. Ive shod a lot of horses, split a lot of wood, and beat a lot of iron in my shop and i prefer putting in as much energy as the job requires and not an erg(or whatever its called) more.

[bluerooster]

And using proper tools and technique, there will be less energy required of you to do the job.

[Frosty]

People wouldn't use a 360 swing if it weren't the more effective method.  Nobody who worked that hard did anything to make it harder.

About the only place I could see using a 360 swing myself would be splitting a warm dry birch block with a wedge. Giving my preference I split green frozen wood with a 3lb double bit on a boy's handle. The snap does more  to split frozen green wood easily than a heavier axe, no matter how it's sharpened.

Happily I only split a little kindling anymore, if I have to split full blocks I rent a splitter and rope a couple minions into pack and stack rolls. 

Frosty The Lucky.