Best hammer to start out with

[countermeasure]

That indeed sounds like hard work. I have seen people forge out a bar and the folding it over each other while leaving a punch in the middle and forge weld it. Is that too advanced? 

 

 

[CrazyGoatLady]

I agree with pnut. And those look nice. Looks as though you may be in good hands with your instructor. We like to be as self sufficient as possible also. Blacksmithing goes right along with that. And the bonus is, I love doing it

I've not tried forge welding at all yet, so I can't help you there

I didn't see your comment about Alec Steele. I used to watch him and he's good, but it seems his videos are more in the entertainment realm now. I do agree you need to make a lot of something to perfect your way of doing it. I suggest John Switzer/ Black Bear Forge on you tube. He has lots of videos on tool making you may find very helpful

[JHCC]

39 minutes ago, pnut said:

I couldn't imagine trying to slit or punch and drift a hammer head. [...]  I think you'd need a press or power hammer to do it alone.

I do it alone with a treadle hammer, but I wouldn't even try without.

[pnut]

45 minutes ago, countermeasure said:

I have seen people forge out a bar and the folding it over each other while leaving a punch in the middle and forge weld it.

That is how you make a tomahawk or froe. I've not heard of making a hammer that way though. It could work but someone with more experience than me will have to tell you for sure.

Pnut

[ThomasPowers]

Yes forge welding a couple of pounds of steel would be an advanced project.  

Blacksmithing was NEVER a solitary craft until recent times. A powerhammer and a belt grinder can replace a bunch of workers in a small smithy.

Punching the hole for a hammer handle can be difficult alone, though doing some predrilling can help you get the hole straight and centered---if you can drill the starter hole(s) that way...

As is my custom I visited 2 fleamarkets today; a very nice 2# Vaughn ballpeen was US$4, not bad but I have a bucket of ballpeens bought cheaper already.  I did buy an 8# Woodings Verona Tool Company  RR spike maul for $5.

I'm making small stake anvils from such items.

And note I borrowed the help of another smith *and* his powerhammer to do the heavy forging and twisting on it.

[countermeasure]

Ok, a friend offered to be a striker. What kind of hammer should use and what weight? 

[JHCC]

As heavy as they can swing with accuracy, control, and endurance. 

[Charles R. Stevens]

Honestly 6# for beginners, tho I have a 4# sledge for kids and small women. 8-10 is good for most Hobie work. Top tools will save a lot of missed blows and chipped anvil edges.

I always use the mine drilled rule, if you miss and hit me I get to swing the sledge next...

A reminder, technic is very important. A skills smith will move more steel with a 2# hammer than a beginner with wth a 4# hammer. We have a lady here that. Bet can move more steel wth a 4# hand hammer than many with an 8# sledge.

first. Suggest you use long handles, from your fit closer around the head to the snide or your elbow, second the handles will be thinner than most hand sledges. Mine are about 1x1.25”. Grip more with your pinkey and progressively lighter to your need finger, do not put your thumb on the back of the handle. For the absolute most power, especially with a heavy hammer  you will find your self on your tipi goes with the hammer strat up above your head. For most work that’s over kill, but it will get stock moving in the right direction. 

[lyuv]

Countemeasure, correct me if I"m wrong, but seems you have not hit hot iron once. That's perfectly fine, and looking for your first hammer is a good starting point. But planing advanced projects, and striking station, is jumping WAAAY ahead.

I have been there not long ago (and I"m not far from it now). Blacksmithing is NOT what it seems before you start. For example, hot steel is much harder than it seems on youtube. There are lots of limitations you need to account for when planning the steps for every little project, ect.

I suggest you first get some experience. even few hours, before you procceed planing.

[Les L]

Countermeasure, I am new to blacksmithing also, I took a hammer making class last month, there were eight in the class we formed four teams and took turns being the smith and the striker, each of us making a 2 1/2 lb. rounding hammer. We used 12 lb. mauls. Punching the eyes was the hardest part. It was a lot of work, but was very rewarding with the experience we all learned. This is definitely something you need an experienced smith, with the proper tooling, to teach you.

[anvil]

22 hours ago, countermeasure said:

gonna do a little work on the edges. 

Nice hammers! I would dress the cross peens to 3/8'-1/2' -5/8"wide with a flat face and dressed edges. The cross peens are pretty limited when they are so sharp. 3/8" is a little narrow for me, but sometimes it is just what you need. 

 

21 hours ago, pnut said:

I've been practicing punching holes with a hot punch

Without looking back, I seem to remember you were trying to punch 1/8" material. Try punching something thicker like 1/4" or 1/2". Its actually easier to punch heavier stock. Sometimes punching 1/8" is a real beeech!

[pnut]

I figured that out. I was going to post it in that thread but I figured it wasn't really worth it. Seems like thicker material gives the plug somewhere to go. I could feel the punch bottom out on3/8 flat bar then flipped it. Eighth inch seemed much more difficult than the 3/8 inch. It seemed like the material had nowhere to go on the thin stock.

Pnut

Edited July 29, 2019 by pnut

[anvil]

I think 1/8" material has a tendency to cool quickly and work harden when you punch it.

I find its far easier to punch light stock cold. You may have to choose a differwnt temper for your punch.

[pnut]

UpThe little square punch I posted the pic of is H-13. I haven't used it to punch cold stock but the cold chisel made from the same thing held up nicely. They were tempered the same if I'm not mistaken. I bought them and some hammers made by a member here that doesn't live too far away.

Pnut

[anvil]

Im a little nervous using h13 for cold work. The "h" means its designed to work best with hot iron.

For a "fancy steel, the "s" series is designed for shock. It works well for cold work. Thus S-7 is a good choice.

Plain ole coil spring is a good steel for hot or cold work. Its not as good as the above, but its a free steel and easily dressed in your shop as needed. If I remember correctly, I draw it to a blue when I temper it for cold work. 

Coil spring is a good learner steel. The first learning is figguring out how best to straighten it.

One of my first tools was a cold chisel from coil spring. Its still my go to chisel for many things. My other first tool was my center punch. Also from  coil spring.  Alas, it did not survive my last move. A real loss! A 35 year relationship,, poof gone. Lol, it outlasted my wife and 3 girlfriends!

[JHCC]

I’ve had my anvil since before my wife and I got together. In fact, I made her Sweet Sixteen gift on it! 

[jlpservicesinc]

start with the lightest hammer you can swing that gives you  "NO" pain over the course of a 3 or 4 hour forge session.   The size or weight of the hammer right now is not as important as good form,  and accuracy and no pain..    

You want to start off slowly and work your way into a larger heavier hammer over the course of a few months of daily or at least forging a few times a week. 

 

[pnut]

14 hours ago, anvil said:

Im a little nervous using h13 for cold work. The "h" means its designed to work best with hot iron.

That did cross my mind but the chisel edge didn't show any deformations after use. It's pretty small. I used it to score the eighth inch flat I used to make the twist tongs. I wouldn't go at anything too much bigger than 1/4 or 5/16 with it. I have a hot cut made from it too but didn't want to have to spend the extra time heating and cooling the flat bar off. That's the end I was going to be holding to drift the hole and twist the bits. I guess I could have just plunged em into the slack tub but I wanted to use the cold chisel. I hadn't used it yet at that point. Truthfully I could have cut it with the sawzall the angle grinder or a hacksaw but I wanted an excuse to use the chisel ;-)

Pnut

 

 

[anvil]

Lol, thats the best reason of all!

I think the hardest lesson to learn is no matter what, its just a piece of "iron" and "iron" is  cheap, all things considered.

[Justin Topp]

I’m late but I just want to say that its possible to make a hammer fully by hand and i do it. A good handled punch will help a ton. Ive done small hammers 1.5lbs up to a hammer with a finished weight of 4.75lb by hand. The big one took about 30-45 minutes to punch the hole. It’s time consuming but the hardest part is keeping it still while starting the hole. 

[Mr Moose]

Thanks for saying that GuardedDig2. I was starting to think that I was alone in the belief that if you set your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. The last hammer I made was 4 3/4 lbs of 4340 goodness.  Nice rounding hammer that loves to move hot metal.  As for keeping it still, you could try a saddle to set the stock in with a shank for the hardy hole.

[DuEulear]

Just my oppinion but the absolute best hammer to start with is the one in your hand.

 

after some practice and reflection you can form your own ideas as to weather you need one that is lighter or heavier or rounder or more square.... 

 

enjoy the discovery 

 

Susan 

[Mark Ling]

Ive messes up many more holes when punching small stock than when punching hammers. With proper technique it’s near impossible to screw up a hammer, especially when punching by hand. I’ve messed up maybe a few, of which were done under the power hammer which is much easier for things to get wonky fast. Take a class and put down the YouTube. It’s not a lie when people say they learn more in a class than in a year from seeing all the videos on YouTube of smiths who have been in it less than a year and giving a “how to” and only leading others to failure. 

[jlpservicesinc]

Wise words..   It isn't until you get to know a little something, something that you can see truth through all the mud..    20/20 vision and all. 

It is a difficult path these days with all the Social networking and YT, instagram and the like. 

Finding a good role model can be tough. 

[Jasent]

Personally I really enjoy making hammers solo.  It really isn’t that difficult. Once you figure it out it’s not much different from punching a hole in any thing and then drift it to proper shape and size. Then from there it’s up to you how you finish it.  I’m no expert by any means.  But I do have drive and a lack of help.