natenaaron Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Is this a work of art? no. Is it cheap? yes. I need to start somewhere and this was on sale. I just need to know what I need to do with it to make it as useful as I can. Since I have no idea where to start can someone please help me. 3lb hammer. Says "Master Mechanic" on it so cheap Pien looks a bit sharp so I am thinking I need to blunt it with a bigger radius Do I need to get rid of the edge on the face and maybe round it a bit. The face has a very slight round to it so it is not perfectly flat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Break the edge on the face. I've used sand paper in my palm and worked the hammer face on it while watching TV when I didn't have power tools. If you have a belt grinder slack belt it. Shining it up won't hurt a bit, the more polished it is the less energy will be used making the steel move laterally on the face. When you strike down and the steel moves laterally it slides against both the anvil and hammer faces. The pein wants work, wider radius and rounded ends and giving it a bit of curve helps as well. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Sort of depends on what you will be doing with it. For me I would want to get rid of that bevel on the face and make it a smooth transition. Also as you mentioned I would like the peen to have a much larger radius---however if you are using it for things like texturing leaves than a narrow peen is good... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 You don't want the face flat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natenaaron Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 I checked it with a file and it is hardened so I don't want to lose that. I can hand polish the face without getting it hot, No problem there. On the pien, pein, peen (no idea how to spell that) Since I am a rank beginner and will be making rank beginner projects, such as leaves and such should I leave the pien the way it is to start or break the radius to learn how to draw the metal out? I suppose a chisel can be used to make the veins of a leaf. Where I am going- just ornamental stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odblacksmith Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 All of the above is good advice and since you are just beginning i would treat it like an anvil, use it and if it doesn't do what you want (leaves hammer marks and such)then dress it slowly until it and you can do what you want.As i read and type this your rank is "Advanced Member" which should show you are asking good questions and maybe even showing good skill (i have no idea how the rank system works) but you are on your way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natenaaron Posted January 10, 2016 Author Share Posted January 10, 2016 Thanks Odblacksmith but I am feeling pretty dumb right now. Knocked my ITC100 off the bench onto the pile of freshly swept up dirt/metal/other shop nastiness. . More is on order Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahoo2 Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 A hammered flat surface is really a series of extremely shallow overlapping divots. that is where you want to be at. I would suggest trialing your hammer on the anvil surface with a piece of softwood, you need to see how accurate you need to be with the angle of the hammer face to avoid hammer marks. A hammer face that is completely flat is impossible to use even with a radius-ed edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.