I liberated a rusty jackhammer bit (about 24") from my father's scrap pile with the idea of making hammers and heavy punches. I soaked this bit in vinegar and wiped away the rust to discover it is hollow.

I presume it was a water-cooled bit - not much good as stock for hammers & punches - right? Hammering-out the hollow effectively creates an internal 'shut' - right?

My imagination is in neutral on this one .... need your thoughts.

You could cut a short section (4 or so inches),forge weld one end shut and form the shut end into an axe edge, slit a hammer eye into it and foge the other end into a bowl and presto changeo you've got a pipe tomahawk.

Sounds like a good barrell for a pipe rifle:D.

Maybe usefull as eye punches or rivet sets- just expand the hollow bit on the front end a bit.

I have some "not hollow" shanks from jack hammer bits, I think they are listed on the junk yard steel chart as s5. Are the solid ones good for hammers and the like? thanks

Monkey tool?

Well as far as content they may only be 1050, big discussion recently on what has been used for these by folks who have actually been in the business, search might help!

Junkyard Steel lists are generally very general suggestions and should be taken with a mountain of salt!

I have some "not hollow" shanks from jack hammer bits, I think they are listed on the junk yard steel chart as s5. Are the solid ones good for hammers and the like? thanks

Well I do know this is very hard - how hard I cannot say. Before I realized this is hollow, I thought it would be good stock for a hammer ... .

On 1/10/2008 at 11:05 PM, Jose Gomez said:

You could cut a short section (4 or so inches),forge weld one end shut and form the shut end into an axe edge, slit a hammer eye into it and foge the other end into a bowl and presto changeo you've got a pipe tomahawk.

That's a good idea. how would you drill out the handle and still leave enough for support?

You slit it, not drill it.

 

I've done it that way; used my screwpress and a S1 chisel to do the slitting.  Definitely the one I was using was NOT S5 just a plain old straight carbon steel from the mines out here.