Newbie here, so this may be a silly question.  I picked up a job lot of old “hammers” on ebay. One or two nice antique hammers, but a bunch of what I think are top tools. Here’s three of them almost identical each with a groove on the end.  The groove is about 1 inch to 1 1/4 inch long and about 1/4 wide.  Can anyone tell me what they are for? 

Top tools difinetly i have seen tools like this used like a flatter to remove hammermarks when making your own round stock and also for making half round/collaring stock.

du

Ah, right, so, perhaps for turning square stock into round stock?

 

I think this may be some kind of stonemason's hammer, but I'm not sure.

Could grind one into a straight pein. 

JHCC is right, The Trow and Holden catalog lists them as stone trimming hammers, used by being swung, never struck. (My experience with breaking rocks only applies to getting them out of the field so I can use a tractor, so YMMV.)

You can sell them, or re-purpose them into something more useful. Or, take up building dry stone walls in your spare time.

11 minutes ago, John McPherson said:

re-purpose them into something more useful

More precisely, into something more useful to you. They might well be extremely useful to someone who does that kind of work and might well be willing to pay you more for them than they would be worth to you re-purposed. (I don't know what you paid, but if you look at what T&H is charging, that will give you an idea of what these things can go for new.)

Can be used for making indentations for ornamental twists.  (adjusting the depth of the center would help...)

Thanks everyone!  I’ll repurpose them, in coming months. 

A raised groove grooving  tool. Great for detailing cap rail as an example. Another is to make a raised groove on your flat collar stock.

If you are going to turn them into top (struck) tools, be sure to soften the struck end. Don't want shrapnel flying around.

Steve

Stash, a soft faced hammer can also be used

I don't believe they're used for stone work.  Those thin edges would be work to nothing in no time flat, even on something like soapstone, and I've never seen those hammers worn even a little bit.  I use them all the time for working on steel because they're "ready made" stock for turning into fullers of all sizes.  I usually cut some of the struck end off simply because I don't need all that mass for the little work I use them on, but you don't have to do that.

Grind the lips off and you have a nice 1/4" fuller.  Cut back a bit, and you can make a set of 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" fullers.  Sharpen the edge and you've got a very nice hot cut.  Do some forging and you can make them into curved chisels.

I have seen them listed as hoop setting hammers used by coopers, but I've never seen a cooper using a handled tool for that, especially one with such a robust design and no curve to the groove that'd better set on the hoop.  Seems to me, the straight groove would either leave dings in the hoop or would be worn away by the hoop in short order.

Thanks VaughnT, that’s good thoughts.  I have looked again at them, and I’m pretty sure they aren't hammers, because by and large the handles are not robust enough. Good enough to hold it in place but not to swing it.  They must be top tools, indeed I have another two similar here that have clearly been struck many times, both with that thin groove at the non striking end. The seller on ebay suggested they were thrown out from a French museum, but other than that he knew nothing. Your analysis that they aren’t hoop setting hammers makes sense too. The larger of the two tools in this image is stamped “Talabot” which I understand was/is a French tool manufacturer. It has model Number 49, but i cant find an old Talabot catalogue to get me further. I enjoy a good mystery!  In time I’ll choose the most suitable and make a hot cut. I’ll probably keep the Talabot as is as a curiosity.  

 

I have a similar tool, bought at an antique store but I've never used it. I believe they are "veiners", top tools for making a raised linear bead