whitebear Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 does anyone have any experience with the new Czech hammer from blacksmith depot? i just bought one i thought heck it was $15 why not. Son Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainsFire Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 ask hofi, its his design.. I was looking at it to, and in all but the handle shape and im sure quality it is Identical. I wonder if it really has anything to do with the czech.. check it out.. Czech hammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitebear Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 well czech is jsut the style of head. it had more of a hofi style to it becasue of the short rectangular handle. but the head is czech. where as i belive the hofi hammer is a spesialized head designed by hofi himself. Son Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragons lair Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Whitebear Thought the same waited 7 weeks for one. Forged one piece. Went to blu hammer for one of theirs about 6x the price but 10X the hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 You can buy a REAL HOFI hammer through IForgeIron. Contact me directly for details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Hofi has just modified the Czech style and is responsible for getting it here to the USA. Tom Clark also has the same basic style hammer and he got the style form Hofi who got it from Czech.... Dragons lair, you are correct in the difference of quality! I would put Hofi's or Tom's WAY over any others out there of this style. BUT, these cheap hammers are ok for learning the technique with. Now that's a whole new ballgame. Check out Hofi's BP on the technique. Excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sstreckfuss Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 I bought one recently too more or less to try out the design, I will let you know my impressions when I get around to using it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Hofi has provided the following Blueprints on hammer technique and construction. BP1001 Hofi Hammer Technique BP1002 Hofi Hammer Technique BP1003 Hofi Hammer Eye BP1012 Making Hammer Handles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitebear Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 i have a hofi hammer. i was really jsut wondering the differnce in action and forgeing quality between the rather expensive hofi and the relativly cheap BD czech. Thank you all very much for the inputs!! Son Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primtechsmith Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 I bought one of those hammer a couple of years back....it was ok. It found its way into Iron in the Hat the following meeting. I think the reason the hammer is so cheap is because it is not finished...The handle needs to be taken out and put in more securely...and it is quite soft. The hammer was very dead and the face was getting messed up forging hot material...but then again I may have gotten a bad one....good luck. I use a Tom Clark....it is some what a Hofi style. I bought one from him and not Hofi because I met Tom and Tsur at Quad State and I had some cash.....best purchase I have ever made. Peyton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragons lair Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 The one I got is cast not forged.The eye is angled l/r and not centered. Face is not dressed very well. Dropped lightly on anvil it will not bounce the same twice. Will probably redo the face and replace the handle. BLU Hammer has 4 sizes and are forged on site The old sage is true we get what we pay for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddog Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 I have the czech hammer, a hofi hammer and several Tom Clark - The finish and the quality on Clarks hammer is far superior to the Hofi, the czech is several steps below that. You can always rehandle a hammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenneth Byrd Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 How do I contact Tom Clark ? What about the 2 pound hofi style hammer that is made in Europe that is on E-bay for 19.99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 You may wish to ask WHERE in Europe they are made, as that price is very low. The IForgeIron HOFI Hammers are made by Hofi in Israel. He is an active member on this site, as are many of his students. If you have any questions, try to catch Hofi in the IForgeIron chat room (usually about 8-10 pm eastern time) or contact him directly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firebug Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 (edited) ApprenticeMan, The reason the handle is short on the Hofi hammer is because IF you are holding the hammer correctly you will not hit the anvil face with the handle as it pivots in your hand. If the handle is made longer it will strike the face of the anvil as the hammer pivots. If you read the above mentioned blue prints by Hofi you will see where the hammer should be held at and how the hammer should PIVOT in your hand just before it strikes the steel. This creates an extra pivot point which normally doesn't exist and also creates more speed. The extra speed (velocity) creates more forging energy much faster than increasing the WEIGHT of the hammer would increase forging energy. So with increased speed you get more energy to forge with as appossed to using a heavier hammer. If you can forge more efficiently and faster with a lighter hammer it is easier on your body. Remember SPEEEEED (velocity) is better than a heavier hammer swung at a slower speed. If you put a longer handle on the hammer you are defeating the design AND the technique of using more pivot points to create more velocity which creates more forging energy. Using this extra pivot point in the hand allows the hammer to rebound after releasing the downward energy into the steel. We use this recoil or rebound to assist us in raising the hammer. This is one reason why you should not put your thumb on top of the handle. When you do this you kill the rebound and the assistance it gives in raising the hammer back up to strike again. The other reason is because it does severe damage to your nerves in your arm and neck. There is a tremendous amount of energy tranmistted up the handle of the hammer and if you use a tight grip with your thumb on top of the handle that energy is transferred to your body. Using the Hofi style hammer and forging technique WILL save your joints and you will move the metal faster as long as you are using correct form. This is all based on science and body mechanics. Believe me it works!!! Edited August 3, 2008 by firebug wanted to add something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philip in china Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 A serious enquiry Glen. How much to send a hofi to me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 Philip, see you rmail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 Czech Hammer - Hofi Hammer, the difference ----> click here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 From the email The Habermann style and many other styles of hammers one can see on the stand that was photographed at Hefshtyn Casel at the conference. One can see in the photo’s all the styles and tools forged by this small company. One can call every tool on the display ''czech'' tool but it is not it is only forged in the Czech Republic. Again there is no Czech hammer !!! The one that the people are referring to is a copy of the original Hofi hammer. They started to forge the Hofi style hammer 4 years ago at least 14 years after I designed my hammer. Mr Clark, Tsur Sadan, Dean Curfman, Doug Merkel are all my students that studied from me how to forge the Hofi style hammer. I personally do not like polished hammers or polished shiny face of the hammer not only because of the look but also because a polished face hammer is not forging good. When one forges with the hammer, one gets the natural polish of the face which is the best. I will only ask the people to read again every thing I sent and wrote about my hammer to make the things clear again. Hofi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Louisiana.Smith Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 I definitely am going to study Uri Hoffi and consider getting one of his hammers. Glen, are you still making them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 I ordered hammers directly from Hofi in Israel. Each hammer was paid for before they left his shop. This way he had full control of his standards on his hammers. Suggest you contact him directly, and place an order for a real Hofi hammer through him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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