Excellent video about modifying an inexpensive hammer

[JHCC]

In which Alec Steele modifies a $7 Harbor Freight hammer into a halfway decent rounding hammer. Good demonstration of making good use of inexpensive tools.

 

(N.B.: I modified a 3lb True Temper engineer's hammer precisely this way when I restarted smithing, and it's still one of my go-to hammers.)

[CrazyGoatLady]

I watched this video earlier also. It turned out good. I have a HF ball pein that I use occasionally. I didn't do nearly as much to it as Alec Steele did to the one in the video. But it's not a bad hammer and was cheap

[ThomasPowers]

About 40 years ago now I picked up a similar hammer from the flea market for around US$1 and have used it so much that the doming of the face has now worn flat.  I still use it that way and go to another hammer when I need the dome.

I originally thought he was going to forge the HF hammer into the "fancy" version as I've seen that done a lot.  Nice to see an "entry level" mod done on the cheap!

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Good video on handle upgrade and dressing the face. I also thought he was going to forge the head into a rounding hammer, kinda disappointed though.

[JHCC]

I understand the disappointment, but I’m glad he demonstrated something practical and effective that’s within the shop capacity and skill set of someone just starting out. 

[Ramsberg]

That's a good video, thank you for sharing it.

My version of that for beginners, is to remove the handle, then anneel it by heating it and letting it cool in ashes. Then do the shaping in a significantly more intimate manner with files. That quiet and slow process, where one is staring at their work in the vice, helps one get to know the metal better and helps avoid massive mistakes being made in an instant with an angle grinder. It's also safer.

Then, when done, harden it, which is good practice for the beginner and temper it by forging a thick rod to fit the handle hole, cleaning up the hammer so you can see the heat colors and heating the rod and putting it inside the handle's hole to spread the temper's heat.

Together that's a complicated series of activities, but individually, taken slowly, they're doable for beginners and tremendous learning experiences.

[ThomasPowers]

As a progression I would see the video as the first way to do it, then Ramsberg's as a slightly more advanced way. Heating and forging to shape and heat treating as the 3rd method. Then forging from new stock and finally doing something like JLP's Wrought Iron with Steeled faces or a pattern welded version.  Each way would teach you something as you progress and make use of skills learned in the previous ones.

[Ramsberg]

That sounds like a perfect progression to me!

[Frosty]

It's been a while since I watched one of Alec's videos, I forget what an intense young man he is. Good to see him demonstrating how to make a more useful tool with minimal necessary tools and shop skills. 

Frosty The Lucky.