Who on the forum has and actually uses???jet

What is a "HOFI Style Approved Hammer"?

I am just extrapolating from the Hofi Hammer sticky above and wording used by BigBlu. I may be wrong, I often am. There is just the sound of a fender bender when one reads the two together. The hammer I opened today is shaped like a Hofi- the proportion of the handle to head is Hofi-like. I think I am going to like it. Then, I noticed that the sticky on some kind of second group buy of Hofi Hammers is gone. The tone of Mr. Hofi's dispatch of other hammers hints that he may condone some maker but not another.

If this is "hammer forest fire area," then please delete and I will keep my confusion to myself. I am too new here to be sure about which issues generate heat, so to speak.jet

We're supposedly blacksmiths Jet, we can handle a little heat

Was your new hammer advertised as Czech by any chance? According to Mr Hofi, it's just a cheap copy of his design.

I think that the name Hofi is handled as a brand or a franchise, at least relating to hammers. Some Hofi hammers are forged by Mr Hofi, some are cast to his specifications, some are forged by others, such as Tom Clark.
http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f7/hofi-hammer-real-story-4973/

Mine is from Mr. Curfman. Thank you for clearing it up.jet

racer3j Deans hammers are authorized by Hofi as are Tom Clarks and Doug Merkels. Hofi also teaches the Big Blue hammers. Dean and the rest of the crew are all great folks. Bought mine at their shop.

I got my forged Hofi hammer from Tom/Hofi at a FABA conference. And it's become my MAIN forging hammer.

As far as the Hofi Hammer is concerned, it is the only blacksmithing hammer I own. I have three of them, two cast and one forged. I bought one at the B2Design air hammer school in NC and one at Metalsmith in New York and won the forged hammer on here, it was auctioned off. The biggest thing and the most important thing is to know how to hold the hammer and swing it. I cannot stress that enough. You do not have to beat the xxxx out of the iron, let the hammer do the work. I have taken many classes with Hofi and I am going to Israel most likely this September. I have watched that 72 year old man stand at the anvil ALL day long and then do an hour and a half demo at night during his schools. You cannot do that if you squeeze the juice out of the hammer handle all day. The hammer should pivot in your hand and your grip should be light. There are some don't agree with this but I have seen it work. Once you master the basics that hammer can take you anywhere you want to go. If you EVER have a chance to attend one of Hofi's classes do it. While to many they may seem expensive, think of it as an investment. If you are serious, especially if you plan on making money from blacksmithing, take the classes.