saintjohnbarleycorn Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 I picked up a couple of #8lb. heads. So I thought I could make a hammer out of one. I brought it up to orange heat and then banked the fire over it and let it sit overnight. My idea is that I would remove at least half of it to make a hammer. My logic may not be correct though. It is a usa made one probably about 20 years old or so it that makes any difference. I thought that If I annealed it I could maybe saw some with a bandsaw and grind the rest to shape. Is this a nutty idea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Funk Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 If properly annealed you should be able to cut with a band saw. Since it is relatively thick section you will be cutting you will most likely have problems with chip loading slowing the cutting process but it still should work. What kind of a hammer are you trying to make? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrynjr Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 An 8# hand hammer seems very heavy to me. But with my shoulder / neck problems, my 2# seems heavy at times! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted January 17, 2008 Author Share Posted January 17, 2008 I want to make a 45 degree offset peen, and cut it down to around 3 pounds. What I noticed in other new hammers is the mass is mostly around the eye of the hammer not in the head or peen part. If I can cut it slowly and get rid of the mass around the front and back and then maybe forge some of the peen, after cutting it at the 45 angle, it might work. Having never done anything like this before It might be a total flop! I will probably work on it in bits and pieces, the cutting of it anyway. thanks for the replies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 a 4 lb double faced, or sledge, hammer ground down to a diagonal pein would get you close to 3 lbs. An 8lb might get you a 6lb one, but less than that you'd be wasting an awful lot of the hammer and your time. Get a 4lb to make your 3 lb diagonal and save the big ones for sledges.....you'll need one someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted January 17, 2008 Author Share Posted January 17, 2008 thanks, one of the reason I am doing this is I bought 4 at $2 a piece. I also have 2 10#lb. and one #20lb., and two #8lbs. that have handles and I use. I was thinking of cutting off a couple of pounds to start with from the front and back, so from your suggestion I should start with about 4 pounds or so. Thanks I will see this weekend how the bandsaw works. A file will cut it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrynjr Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 If making them into smaller hand hammers doesn't work out, you might be able to turn them into hardie tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonjic Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 I recently posted these pics on another forum, but they are quite relavent to this thread so Ill put them here aswell.... Ive found a couple of manky old hammers, so re-squished them into blacksmiths hammers, - The little ballpein (2 lbs) is now a diagonal pein, the 7 lb sledge is now a straight pein drawing hammer (though it will only be used for the odd few mins, it would disable me otherwise!) The sledge took about 10 mins to get warm in my little 1 burner venturi home made gasser! No tongs big enough so welded them to bits of bar! , I was just playing really as a distraction from proper work. They need H.T yet, but today I was in the local engineering supply place, and they gave me 2 suitable hickory handles free ) (though the cost of the stuff I bought for work was eyewatering!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete46 Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 Playing As A Distraction From Proper Work; Never Turns Out Like That For Me! But I Keep On Play'n ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt87 Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 That must be one xxxx of a gasser you got there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forgeman Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 nice hammers. forgeman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted January 18, 2008 Author Share Posted January 18, 2008 Nicely done, I also have a bunch of ball and peen, you have given me some good ideas. I was kind of dubious of squishing all that steel in a 8 pound, but seeing that you have done it, its more encouraging. By the way how many heats did it take to do the large one, and what size hammer did you use to do the majority of the banging? thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonjic Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 the big one done in one heat, but I have kinda an abundance of forging kit (hammers and presses) knocking about - I squished it on a 12 ish ton hydraulic press You might need a mate with a sledge to do a ball pein one quickly, but shouldnt take to many heats - would probably be more fun than using power tools ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted January 18, 2008 Author Share Posted January 18, 2008 Thanks john, you are right that is the way to go, I will have to figure out how to get some help or look for someone with some more "manly" tools, ha ha. thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonjic Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 matt87, the story of my little gas forge is prettywell documented here...not so hot gas forge - British Blades :: Custom Knife Making ive welded a fair bit of 'mascus in it, and it heated the 7lb sledge head up to near what I would call a welding temp (on a pretty mingy gas input) in 10 mins. If nothing else the thread shows the differnce between an efficent burner and a nearly good enough one. (ive had the metal nearly melting when its been lit for an hour or so at moderate pressure through a 0.040"tip ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Funk Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 I agree wi.th the earlier post on starting with a 4 lb hammer to make a 3 pound hammer. I have modified multiple hammers feel that based on my experience it seems reasonable. If you want to modify a sledge, modify into a straight pein sledge. They are very useful for some stiking work but very hard to find on the market. I made one several years ago. I started with a DeWalt abrasive saw and it was to slow so I pilled out the gas axe and roughed it out, ground to final shape and re-heat treated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted January 19, 2008 Author Share Posted January 19, 2008 Thats a good idea funk, I have a couple of other ones and I will do that with one. The gas axe i think is the oxy/acet right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skunkriv Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 When cutting heavy stock with a chop saw it helps if you alternate between a new blade and a much smaller, worn one. As soon as the blade is making full contact change to the other blade until it is making full contact. Repeat, repeat. I have done this cutting sledges and also cutting the radiused face off of stock LG power hammer dies to make flat dies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted January 19, 2008 Author Share Posted January 19, 2008 is it to keep the thickness of the blade as large as you can? thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skunkriv Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 No. You are changing the radius of the blade so you are not making a full cut. As soon as you are making a full cut you change the blade again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted January 19, 2008 Author Share Posted January 19, 2008 Ok I see what you are saying. The hammer weighed in at 3#lbs. and 4 oz. with the handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Funk Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Skunkriv, Good idea on changing the blade size periodically to change the points of cutting contact on blades! I tried tipping and repostioning the hammer head too reduce contact but it just did not work to reclamp etc. That would have helped as cutting a 3" Octagon on a sledgehead, as full cutting contact was just too much for the saw light duty chop saw. stjohnbarleycorn Yes a "gas axe" is a ox/ac or ox/propane torch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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