Another heavy hammer mod

[JHCC]

Following the successful mod of The Beast, I decided to take advantage of an unusual occurrence. I'd loaned my splitting maul to a friend, whose neighbor ended up breaking the handle and who decided to get me a new maul rather than just replacing the handle.  I moved the new handle to the old head (a 10 pounder) and modify the new head into an 8 pound straight peen. So, here goes. 

Here's our starting point:

New head marked for cutting:

First cut:

Peen rounded off:

All done, with a new ash handle. 

(RR spike for scale)

[Lou L]

I like that idea!  I see axes and and sledges for sale cheap at flea markets all the time,. Now I have a new reason to pick up every one I see.

[51 Papy]

JHCC

It will move metal as long as you can swing it.  I had to heat treat mine.  It was way soft.  Other than that it's a brute.

[SLAG]

Thank you

for a great idea.

SLAG.

[JHCC]

3 hours ago, 51 Papy said:

JHCC

It will move metal as long as you can swing it.  I had to heat treat mine.  It was way soft.  Other than that it's a brute.

51 Papy,  a little softness as insurance against a missed hammer blow isn't a bad thing!

[JHCC]

By the way, grinding this was the first time I used the chain hold-down. Worked pretty well.

[51 Papy]

JHCC

I agree too hard is worse then too soft but...it was way soft.  I use mine a lot in short intervals.  Hope you enjoy it!

Papy

 

[gote]

Old axes sometimes had steel edges welded into softer heads. If you cut off the edge you might find that the rest has too little carbon to be properly heat treated. In such cases they probably make better hot cuts with the edge intact.

[JHCC]

3 hours ago, gote said:

Old axes sometimes had steel edges welded into softer heads. If you cut off the edge you might find that the rest has too little carbon to be properly heat treated. In such cases they probably make better hot cuts with the edge intact.

In general, yes. In this case, it was brand spanking new, so not an issue. 

I actually own an old sledgehammer (also about 6-8 lbs) with a head made entirely from wrought iron. I put a short handle on it and use it as a soft hammer. 

(I got this one at a junk shop in Maine, and had been planning to modify it into a straight peen before I realized that it was unsteeled wrought iron.)