Heatwave Blacksmithing Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 I won a couple of auction bids for antique tools this past weekend and got two unique hammers. The larger one I think is a cobblers hammer or shoemakers hammer. The little guy I am not sure about. The face is round on one side and square on the other side. The handle gets down to 5/16 round which is so thin that it bearly controls the head. If it is used for swinging then it is not a powerful hammer. Is it also for shoe making? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 The small hammer is likely for repousse work. They like those hammers to have a whippy handle. They must also be quite small as lots of tappety taps are the way to work in that field. I’m not sure what the large one is, but I don’t think it’s a cobbler’s hammer. It looks more like for body work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 The little one is for silversmithing, search on: silversmithing hammers images Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 The big one is not a cobbler's hammer. The head size (too large).and shape are not suitable for that purpose. SLAG. p.s. I repair shoes for myself and family, for a hobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 The large hammer is a type of sinking hammer in pretty rough shape. In general it would be a "finishing" hammer of the "long neck" variety. The square face would be for finishing the inside of a deep vessel of space, the cross pein end is the forming end. The whole thing would've been polished to a high shine. The small hammer could be any number of tin knocker or silver smith hammers, Chasing hammers tend to have a round knob on the end of the handle so it pivots like a hinge. It allows a crisp blow with an absolute minimum of arm movement. Hammers GOOD, Frosty LIKE hammers! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatwave Blacksmithing Posted June 5, 2019 Author Share Posted June 5, 2019 The small hammer: A silversmithing hammer! Thanks Thomas. I assume that it would work for all of my goldsmithing projects as well. The larger hammer: I can accept that it is not a cobblers hammer. At the same time I am not convinced that it is a "dishing" sort of hammer. The face is square with sharp edges and would leave a rough textured surface. When I make bowls, it is with a round face and radiused edges. Is it a geologist hammer for splitting rocks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 As a Geologist I can say I have never seen one like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 Citizens of I.F.I., The rectangular hammer head is intriguing. If it were more oval or round like it could pass for a type of geologists hammer. (the more common geologist hammer, (or prospector's pick,) ends in a pick). The hammer head is strange in that it is rectangular. Were it round or somewhat oval it would resemble a masonry hammer. But the head is strangely elongated. Surely, someone has seen and knows the function of this implement. BUT wait!, the SLAG just had a thought. (rare, I know, but enlightenment sometimes happens). I checked out a seller called the "Hammer Source" and looked at their on-line catalogue. Under 'specialty or trade hammers". Have a look at Vaughan ABL 24, called a 'steel brick hammer'. Also look at the Vaughan ABL18, 'bricklayers' hammer. It looks like the ABL24. These hammers look very similar to the hammer, in question, (above). It is time to get back to cooking my Malaysian dish 'de jour', chicken & lentil Dalcha. Regards to all. SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 My first thought was a cooper's hammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 Dishing hammers come in all shapes and that one is years laying in the wet cruddy from being in using condition. Body hammers serve the same purpose in a shallower setting and any set comes with square faces. Try a web search and look at the pictures. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatwave Blacksmithing Posted June 7, 2019 Author Share Posted June 7, 2019 Since we can't figure out what exactly the large hammer is then I think that works to my advantage. I can advertise it as a "rare, unique, one of a kind, thumpy hammer with an oddly long neck." That should be worth twice as much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 Good Morning Heatwave, You are giving up kind of easy/early. Frosty has the correct answer. It is for dishing or raising sheet metal. Body Shop, Bodymen use it for straightening sheet metal panels and it also is used for Repousse' work. A Hammer is a lump on a stick, it can be used for any number of different applications. There is no such thing as using it for only one application. It could also be used as a bottle opener (any Port in the Storm). Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 I would keep it and forge it into a handled punch or drift. As far as for it's original use I think it looks like a hammer for working stone or brick/block. I'm only guessing though so take it as such. What it used to be doesn't matter as much as what it's going to be. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dasher Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 It does look a lot like a "skutch" hammer for masonary work, but I reckon it is a bit light, perhaps for carving stone, statues etc maybe, a good quality skutch would be more than useful on steel except for the length of the outboard on both sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTMichaud Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 They're hammers. You use them for hammering. They both would make for interesting smithing/decorative work. As for their original purpose, my guess is both something along the lines of body work or tin smithing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Scutch hammers are usually used by brick masons and the ones I have seen look just like that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatwave Blacksmithing Posted June 12, 2019 Author Share Posted June 12, 2019 Oh no! I think that we have cut the value of my hammer in half by identifying it as a vintage mason or bricklayer hammer. I had to research what a "scutch hammer is and that lead to bricklayer hammer. Bricklayer's hammers have that same odd long neck. Thank you all for pointing me in the right direction even if I can't call it a rare, unique one of a kind hammer anymore. I think that I can safely clean it up and put a new handle on it and make it a more functional tool which I might never use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 Brick layers need the long curved neck to reach their scutch if they have an itch. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 You are not required to abide by what it was used for. I have used a hammer with a long curved neck to set rivets in the top of a spangenhelm before. I *know* it wasn't used for that originally! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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