pnut Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Which hammer first? I'm just starting out and have been combing the local flea market, junk shops and antique stores and have had no luck with finding any hammers over a pound or pound and a quarter. I will definitely keep looking but in the meantime the only hammers I can find new are a two pound ball pien, three pound cross pien ,or two and a half pound Walmart mini sledge. I'm not a big guy, 5'8"and 145#. I plan on eventually buying the three pound cross pien but I'm wondering if I should buy the two pound ball pien or two point five pound sledge first. I'm leaning towards the mini sledge at 2.5 pounds because it's the cheapest. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks,. Pnut (Mike) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 2 pound is suggested for starting out. Heavy enough to do a lot of work without injury to the body. Flea market ball pein hammers are cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 Glenn , for some reason there seems to be a drought with regards to ball piens at my local flea market. I'm going to check again this weekend. I couldn't find any over a pound. Someone must have gotten there before me. I can get a two pounder at TSC today though for about ten or twelve bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latticino Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Any of the hammers you listed will find a use in your shop eventually, particularly the 2# ball peen, but some are optimized for different tasks. A 1.25# crosspeen can be a great hammer in the shop, especially if you are working on smaller crossections (like 1/2" square for instance), but for general forging I recommend hammers in the 2-2.5# range for folks just putting together their kit. One issue you may have is that most store bought hammers should be properly dressed before they are ready for serious smithing. This is a 5 minute task with a good belt grinder, but much more difficult if you don't have some kind of powered abrasive tool. I agree with Glen that Flea market or garage sales are a great source for hammers. I've gotten 2# Swedish crosspeens and striking sledges for $5 each that only needed a little cleanup and new handles to be great tools. In the mean time you might consider the following: I don't like forging with hammers that have fiberglass handles. In your shoes I would most likely go to Harbor Freight and get one of their 2# engineer's hammers (like a mini sledge), the 4.5" grinder with paddle switch and some 120 grit flap wheels for same. Dress one face of the hammer relatively flat and the other to a "squashed ball" and voila you have one of the new, hot, rounding hammers that all of the hot smiths are touting... It will be a little soft, but that isn't a problem for a newer smith, as it will teach you to keep your stock hot and lessen the chance a mis-strike will damage your anvil. A cheaper alternative might be to go for a 2# Jackpine forge crosspeen hammer from Nathan Robinson, but then you wouldn't have the grinder (which is a great tool for so many blacksmith support projects). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 Latticino, it's an engineers hammer I was talking about but mini-sledge is the name Walmart stuck on it. Coincidentally it does have a fiberglass handle. The ball and cross piens have wood. I'm leaning towards the two# ball pien just because it's the most comfortable to swing. I haven't been able to work with it but at the store it's the most comfortable. Thanks for the advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latticino Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Go with what is comfortable to swing. I have a friend who is an accomplished smith, and he mainly uses ball peens for the bulk of his forging work. I still like a crosspeen for more aggressive fullering, but a ball peen, especially one with a square crossection flat face, can do a tremendous amount of work if wielded correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Lots of old videos show smiths using ball peens as their primary hammer, especially in Britain. There's historical footage of the great Samuel Yellin forging a section of railing; he's using a ball peen that looks to be about 2-3 lbs. 5 minutes ago, Latticino said: Go with what is comfortable to swing. This, absolutely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fowllife Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 I know it's not usually advised to buy new, but you can pick up a new 2 1/2 pound cross peen, wood handle Vaughn on amazon for around $25. There are several options in the 2 pound range for around $20 as well. I cant speak for the others, but I have a Vaughn and am pretty happy with it. 3 trip to the flea market would cost me more in fuel then spending $20 and having a hammer delivered to my door. Personally, as a newbie myself, I would start with a 2 pound cross peen hammer. I'm actually thinking of ordering a 2 pound Ames myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 Fowllife, I don't like doing monetary transactions on my current internet connection. So I have to go to a store. None of the stores around me have a cross pien lighter than 3# . A cross pien would be my first choice but I can only get what I can find. I think that's the ball pien. Unfortunately it has a round face. The engineer hammer at Walmart has a square face but weighs two and a half pounds. The synthetic handle is pretty short too. When I build up some stamina I'll get the three pound cross pien. Until then It's down to the square headed engineer hammer or round headed ball pien. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fowllife Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 I don't know what you local stores are, but our local Menards, Home Depot, Lowes, Rural King, and TSC all have a good selection of cross peen and engineers hammers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 Fowllife, same stores they just don't stock any cross pien hammers smaller than three pounds. I still need to check harbor freight. Unless I want to order one and pick it up at the store they don't stock them here. HF may have a two pounder but the last time I checked online it said zero available. I'm going to keep my eyes open for some at the flea market but that's a crap shoot at best. Eventually lll find one there but it could be a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Every year I fill a 5 gallon bucket with ball peen hammer heads that cost under US$2 at the fleamarkets around here. I use them for students making hawks or needing a hammer to use. (Or to make dishing hammers like Weygers does in the "Complete Modern Blacksmith". Of course I spent some time finding the local fleamarkets that carry such items; but as that is what I do for fun it's charged to my entertainment budget item. If you are in a rural area I have had good luck asking people at my church for old tools---especially older folks who don't use them anymore and want to pass them on to people who will use them. We have a "coffee hour" after services which is a good time to talk with folks about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 Thomas, I've been actively looking for hammers. I ask nearly everyone I talk to. I live in a semi rural area. I can't understand why it's been so hard to come across a decent hammer. I've found many small hammers but no heavier ones. I tried using a one pounder and it was discouraging at best. Too much effort not enough results. I'm sure I'll eventually find what I need probably for free but that could be tomorrow or next month. Like I said in the original post there seems to be a shortage of heavier ball pien hammers in my neck of the woods. I'm still looking but until then I will have to buy a new hammer and I'm a cheapskate at heart but if you want to make an omelette you have to crack a couple eggs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 There is no perfect hammer for everyone, if there were we all would have two of them. You can fuss with this decision from now until you get a hammer. The general starting suggestion is a 2 pound hammer with a wooden handle. Until you advance a bit in both hammer control and need, a specific hammer head configuration is not needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 Glenn, my mind was made up after the first two replies confirmed what I was already thinking. Thanks for letting me know I was going the right direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYCATS Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Hey pnut. I was at our harbor freight last week looking at hammers. Same story. They only had 3 pounders. Around here I've had the best luck at traderbakers flea market in Carrollton for tools. Its hit and miss I try go about once a week. It's a little bit further drive for you. If I see a 2 pounder next visit I'll grab it for ya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latticino Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 And you were wondering why the local flea market blacksmith tools are few and far between... To the early bird, as they say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 GCKY , thanks yeah the closet flea market to me is richwood but it doesn't have as much as it used to. After the tornado damage they remodeled and it's not the same. I go about two or three times a month to check for tools. You can't get in while they're setting up anymore unless you're a vendor. That's when all the good deals are to be had. Too bad. I'm gonna get a 2# ball pien until I build up some stamina and then get the 3# cross pien that seems to be everywhere around here.thanks and let me know if you run across a two pounder. Stay dry. Hope the water isn't rising where you're at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYCATS Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Will do. Water is rising but I'm on a hillside so just super muddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Grab a 3 pound hammer used if it is in good condition, available, and cheap. Down the road when you need one, you will not be able to find one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 Pnut, You will need any Hammer you can find, at some point in your lifetime. There is no such thing as having to gain a Hammer in a certain sequence. The one you find, is the when you pick it up. It is better to start a day with a smaller Hammer, to be able to warm up your body without hurting it. The macho who ends up going to Physio twice a week quite often caused his own decline by using a 'large' Hammer. I know a fellow who started his apprenticeship in a Blacksmith Shop in Germany, when he was 12. He is now over 80 and is resigned to use a smaller hammer. His everyday Hammer was 8 lbs. he used it for everything he did, little or large. He also starts the day with a smaller hammer, to warm up. He is a slight man, but when he is wanting to move some metal, every bone and muscle goes into his work. No wrist slapping blows. Enjoy your journey, get away from the keyboard and learn from the School of Hard Knocks. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 Take a specific kind of hammer out of your sight picture, ANY smooth faced hammer around 2 lbs. will do just fine. Who cares what the side you aren't using is? I like starting guys on drill hammers for the smooth faces and shorter handles. Short handles make them easier to control and 2 lbs. does good work and seems to be the common weight. I see drill hammers more places than cross peins( engineer's hammers.) One problem finding tools in rural country is they're often still in regular use. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 Yep, I took a $1.00 drill hammer and forged & ground down one end into my first straight pein. My second one was forged from a tire changers hammer(the kind with a rubber pad on one end). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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