Have a chance to buy a Kerrihead 30lb power hammer, ever heard of this brand is it any good?

As I recall a bit more complex design; so wear/condition is a bit more important as are your skills in orphan equipment repair and maintenance.  You don't mention how you want to use it; so hard to tell you if it would be good for that use.  IIRC "Pounding out the Profits" mentions their use for tyre welding and plowshares.

Do you mean Kerrihard?

My 30 pound Star is more than adequate for the work I do. Just be aware any replacement parts will not be available and you will have to make them yourself or pay someone to make them. You also haven't mentioned the price and condition, which would figure into if it's any good.

Knowing where in the world you are located may help with answers. I suggest reading this. READ THIS FIRST

It looks like its been run through a complicator a few times

 

If you do a search (like recommended in the Read this First thread) you will find 36 threads about the Kerrihard.

Doesn't hurt to ask, if you do not want to tell what you think don't answer. 

It will be use to make small to large knives an a few sword. Yes I can make a sword. Sitting the distal taper by hand is tiring on me now. 

The sword is a type 1A falchion.

 

1 hour ago, L Driggers said:

if you do not want to tell what you think don't answer. 

OK but since no one has answered that has first hand experience with the Kerrihand and you didn't clarify that the hammer you are interested in is actually a Kerrihard which has been discussed in the past, I guess we can't help you if you are too busy to do a little research.

Giving necessary details for good answers when asking questions hurts even *less*!  I figured the name was a typo and as many of us have long and not illustrious histories in typo generation...

 What is the weight and alloy on that Falchion? (Long history of single edged blades in Europe: langseax, falchion, grosse messer, etc and then there was the estoc which might be called an zero edged blade in some cases.)

5160 steel, length 25in, width 1 3/4in at base, 3in at belly, distal taper 6mm at base tapering to 1mm at point. The pommel is 3in dia forged welded to gather and hollow. Weights in at 3lbs. You can see it has a zero edge. 

I like the kerrihards I have used. They are very compact, and the several I got to use were small hammers that had been pretty heavily abused. Neat hammers with a lot of personality. Being a small hammer it will be limited in capacity, but still very useful. Size is a bonus if you are limited in space or power. They did make a bigger model, a 75 i think. They dont seem to be very common, and replacement parts will have to be fabricated. The up side is the parts aren't hard to make or repair and overall it is a tough machine. I have very nearly bought one on several occasions, despite not really needing it- I just like the crazy mechanism.

A 30 pound kerrihard in my opinion is noticeably more powerful than a 25 pound little giant and in the same class of hammer. Gross weight under 700 pounds makes it pretty decent to move without serious rigging, and it will run on a 3/4- 1 hp motor so will be just fine on a 110 v lighting circuit. A 1/2 plywood buffer over a concrete floor would be quite adequate for mounting( just some 1/2 inch drive in anchors, or maybe 3/8...) or lagg it down to so.e 4x4 or similar timbers if on dirt. Cheap and easy to install and run. Probably good to 1 1/4 material. It would easily work 3/4-5/8.

Jason thanks for the reply. If it is still there by this weekend we're going to go pick it up. The person who has it came down to $2000.00 over the phone. He runs a machine shop it has been rebuilt. Selling it because it belong to his bother, who died right when they finished rebuilding it. He doesn't have a use for it since his bother died..

 

I have a similar Kerrihard that has been waiting to waiting to be put back into service for about 5 years. Check the pockets the "t" bolts go into on the head on mine they are almost worn through and need repair and are probably one of the harder things to repair/replace. Its been several years but the last time I checked Little Giant still carried replacement springs for them if you ever need one.

There are also several videos out there of people using them if you haven't come across them yet.