Arthur210 Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 So I am dressing my first hammer (a small 2.5 lb drill hammer) based on what I have read in various threads. Despite all those description, I am a bit unsure whether I am doing this correctly, so I'd like people to comment based on those pictures. Note that I can't test it yet by beating on hot steel, as I don't have a forge yet. But I'm going to an event next week where I will have the opportunity to do it so I'd like to show up with a useable hammer. Initial configuration of the hammer: After my attempt at dressing it: Should I sand it some more or does it look fine like that? Considering that this is a small drilling hammer, is it worthwhile to make the other end of the hammer into a cross pein? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Heat up some metal and start forging and get some use out of it - Looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Looks like a good start. Now, turn your attention to the handle, and get those stickers and the glossy finish off. Those can give you blisters right quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 You could turn the other end into a cross pien but that would be a lot of grinding. You might just round the other face a bit to get your own version of a rounding hammer. Find yourself a cross pien at a flea market for cheap and add that to your arsenal. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Bon Soir Arthur, Hammer dressing? Try these videos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y29SkaF5R9I together with Andy's other tutorial on the subject https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y29SkaF5R9I (view the last one first, then the first one) Or Mr. Joey Van Der Steeg's video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y29SkaF5R9I Incidentally, both smiths are members on this forum. Many English blacksmiths use ball pein hammers. You can read about how they are used if you consult the UNESCO series on blacksmithing. (the 3 volumes are downloadable from the net). Those three booklets cover a vast amount of blacksmith methods, and they are very well done. You can also see their use in the COSIRA series of books. They are also net-available and downloadable. Try, http://bamsite.org/books/books.html Check this reference for all the COSIRA books (especially the Blacksmiths Craft series). The ABANA organization has a vast, well illustrated, collection of written tutorials on basic blacksmith techniques. Check that out at https://abana.org/controlled-hand-forging/ Also available are project notes on copious subjects at, http://blacksmithing.org/resources/howto/ This should set you up for beginning smithing and could take a decade if you want to read and master all of it. (not recommended by SLAG). Happy hunting and bonne chance, Salut, SLAG (I go the extra mile for a gentleman that follows me on I. F. I. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur210 Posted July 31, 2017 Author Share Posted July 31, 2017 4 hours ago, JHCC said: Looks like a good start. Now, turn your attention to the handle, and get those stickers and the glossy finish off. Those can give you blisters right quick. I started working on the handle that right after I posted my first pictures, before you even replied. 4 hours ago, Stash said: You could turn the other end into a cross pien but that would be a lot of grinding. You might just round the other face a bit to get your own version of a rounding hammer. Find yourself a cross pien at a flea market for cheap and add that to your arsenal. So far I haven't found a cross peen hammer at any of my local flea markets, so I decided to go ahead and make one on that hammer. Took quite a bit of grinding (as you said it would) and the result is a fairly blunt peen, but I think it will be useful to me to get more experience. Here's a picture of the handle: And a close up of the peen: 3 hours ago, SLAG said: Bon Soir Arthur, Hammer dressing? Try these videos. <snip> Happy hunting and bonne chance, Salut, SLAG (I go the extra mile for a gentleman that follows me on I. F. I. ) I'd seen the first videos but not the other two. Very useful! Can't find the UNESCO series, but the COSIRA series, ABANA site and FABA site all look very interesting. I'll certainly take a look at these. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 Arthur, No wonder you could not find that reference. I got the name wrong! Let's start this again. It is the FAO Agricultural Services Bulletin 88/1 https://books.google.com/books?id=Y9lBNN3u1xQC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ViewAPI#v=onepage&q&f=false and, 88/2, http//www.fao.org/3/a-ah635e/index.html I tried this u r l and did not get a response. Which is strange because that is where I got it and printed it off, for myself, in the recent past. (last summer?). Mr. Thomas Powers has cited that reference (or something like it), on another thread, in the past here. Perhaps he can help us. and 88/3. These booklets were prepared for an audience that would be in rural Africa. They would have few tools and not many resources. The author, is an English master smith. Mr. J. B. Stokes is an excellent teacher and the drawings are superb. He uses simple tools that are probably available in rural Africa. For example, he uses a ball pein hammer throughout the lessons. Hope that helps. SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 Blunt peens are generally better than sharp peens, so you're good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur210 Posted July 31, 2017 Author Share Posted July 31, 2017 10 hours ago, SLAG said: Arthur, No wonder you could not find that reference. I got the name wrong! Let's start this again. It is the FAO Agricultural Services Bulletin 88/1 Excellent. Got all of them now. Will be reading some more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 My favorite peen looks like a piece of 1" stock welded on the end of the hammer, (it wasn't the head is forged), so that one looks a bit sharp to me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Mine is a 3# jack withe the end radius end full with... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Looks good use it. You're only going to waste time and possible mess up a perfectly usable tool if you keep modifying it without knowing how it works as is. If you think about it, a square hammer head with nicely radiused edges is already a cross pein and straight pein if you strike with the edge. You may not have had to do any of that grinding. Don't worry you didn't ruin the hammer just us it for a while before doing any more. Okay? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 I like a full width "rocker" face too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Yes sir, over the horn it moves a lot of steel with out big divets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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