Looking for information, rumors , for sale etc. for a 600 lb board drop hammer for closed die forging  reproduction early 1900’s leather tools.

Knowing where in the world you are located may help with replies.

Sorry about that. I’m located south of Tucson Arizona. Looking for information on board drop hammers in the 600 lb size and would have been used for making small tools and instruments. Anyone know of any in the U.S . I saw one was for sale some time ago on eBay and appeared to be in a very old blacksmithing or machine shop. I’m making leather stamps and tools from F.K Russell, McMillan, Osborn from late 1800’s to the 50’s and 60’s. Many of the old tools like gomph were made pre 1924 when the factory was lost to flood. Osborn of course is still in business but even they succumbed to production methods that resulted in cheaper less desireable tools. Originally I surmise a single company forged tool blanks that could have then been formed , forged and machined into different tools , as 3 different companies had the same forging.

im looking to reproduce these old tools on a limited basis via the closed die process using a belt or board gravity drop hammer should I be able to find one in the 600 weight. 1000lb hammer may be beyond my ability to move and install.

Good Morning PP,

Welcome to our world and welcome from the Left Coast.

If you put your location in your avatar, we will see it and know which part of the world you are making a shadow. Nobody or almost nobody will  see location in the above note. You don't want to put your address, just the part that says 'Tuckson'. LOL

Those tools look interesting, are they for working a stitch line? They look like they would be easy to Forge. You could use a Drop Hammer, but that is quite a hog for space. I can see 3 jigs on your workbench, to make them.

Enjoy the journey, Neil

Welcome aboard, glad to have you. The typo in the subject really piqued my interest. I LOVE a good straight line or typo.

I'd never even consider a board drop hammer, let alone for a small piece like that. The vertical clearance necessary is crazy, we're talking factory building high. They were line shaft type tools. 

Were I making those I'd use a hydraulic forging press. If holding heat were a problem I'd consider H-13 dies and induction heat the dies to a dull red. Induction heat the part and give it a smash. If I needed more than one die it's not difficult to make multiple process dies. 

I see two obvious steps, upset and form the tooling then bend the shank.

I'd consult with a professional die maker for the design details and have the dies made.

Frosty The Lucky.

Looks like tools for slicking the edges to me.

I don't recall mine having that kind of bend in them but I haven't seen them in probably 40 years. I really enjoyed working with leather too.

Frosty The Lucky.

I have a belt drop hammer for impression dies.  Trenton forge (Dane) said a 600 lb hammer would be appropriate. I can forge them one off but am looking to do them in quantity. I figure a 4 part die being one breaking, two forming for two different widths and one for the bend. Not knowing how they made them in the old days I can only form my opinions based on pictures, methods, etc from vintage photos. There was a 600lb board drop hammer on eBay some time ago . Probably 15 feet high hammer up or tip up?