My first forged hammers.....WIP

[LaPetiteForge]

Started these two hammers yesterday, the larger one from a billet approx 2.3Kg of SS10/200 and the second is En8 (1040). Punching a hole through the large one took me the better part of two hours with my little 1.5Kg cross peen. I now have to dress the faces, the fuller areas and then the cheeks again, but need a striker for these. Quite happy so far with my first attempt. I know Ash or hickory is usually used for handle material, I have a few lengths of cedar, would that be good?

 

 

[ThomasPowers]

The cedars I am familiar with are prone to breaking easily.  You want a tough stringy wood.  Some of the fruitwoods work well---like crabapple.  Is there a local wood traditionally used for bows?

[LaPetiteForge]

Thanks 

[MilwaukeeJon]

On 11/13/2017 at 2:51 PM, ThomasPowers said:

The cedars I am familiar with are prone to breaking easily.  You want a tough stringy wood.  Some of the fruitwoods work well---like crabapple.  Is there a local wood traditionally used for bows?

Cedar is a relatively light wood and, as Thomas notes, rather brittle. It rives beautifully but is pretty easy to break across the grain. 

As an aside, in the 18th century, apple and pear were the most common woods used for handles on teapots and coffee pots. Will have to try on a hammer. 

[swedefiddle]

Good Morning,

Look for a hard wood in old Pallets. We get lots of Pallets with Western Maple, They work well.

Neil

[ThomasPowers]

Bow woods generally work well too. (Hence the Osage Orange AKA Bodark == Bois d'Arc)