NEW Delivery Yesterday - I am excited.

[ArmySoldier72]

Somewhere is the hammer i bought to learn blacksmithing.  (I have not found it since we moved over here)

but I did find another cross peen hammer in a junked out, abandoned Bailer up on top of our dry ground.

I was not comfortable with how it was performing and i thought it might be a little to heavy for a beginner trying to learn hammer control.

So i made an order over at KEN's for a package set.. and it came.

 

a 1.75 lb hammer.

I got the rivet tool, just because I was going to be making 4 sets of tongs in the near future.  (thought it was a good idea)

So I set off on my other task for this weekend... get the VICE mounted 

so I can get these made. 

My workbench, vices, and everything is still in boxes. 

 

I must say swinging a balanced hammer and a lighter one is a HUGE difference. 

 

ARMY.

 

PS I am guessing the found hammer is 3-5lbs.  I will have to weigh it.

[ThomasPowers]

My favorite four pound crosspeen has a very short handle so it "feels" lighter than my 1500 gm  Swedish cross peen with a standard hammer.

I picked up a larger ballpeen hammer head at the scrapyard today; it's in the Quad-State bucket already!

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

I’ve never tried the kens tong blanks myself but I’ve heard good reviews about them, can’t wait to see your finished take on them!

[Frosty]

Looks like a pretty good starter set Army, can't have too many tongs. Keep your eyes open for a 2lb. Drill hammer, I always start folks with one, they're heavy enough to do serious work but not so heavy as to cause injuries like a too heavy hammer can. The shorter handle makes control easier so they're good hammer skill builders. I keep one on my ready hammer rack it's my go to hammer for more delicate or precise work.

Looks like you're getting kitted up nicely.

Frosty The Lucky.

[ArmySoldier72]

thank you,

I picked these up after I saw one of the channels I subscribe to do a review on Kens blanks.  John at BBF (I think) 

Vice is in place so today I start the first set.  I think the flat jaw tongs first.

The set has a flat jaw tongs, bolt tongs, scroll tongs, slot jaw tongs and V bit tongs.

Some look like they need a little more skill to create than I am comfortable with, BUT 

they are metal I can keep refining them as time goes on.

 

Frosty, When i google Drill Hammer, it looks to me like round face on both ends, is that right?

heck even HF sells a 3lb one.

I will keep my eyes open.

 

ARMY

 

[Frosty]

A drill hammer is a short handled smooth faced hammer like a small single jack sledge. They were originally used to drill blasting holes in mines where there wasn't room to swing and you needed to strike accurately. I picked up a 3lb. drill hammer at a yard sale but the extra weight robs some of the benefits of accuracy and not tiring a beginner as quickly.

One of the important things to learn about blacksmithing is when you're getting tired and need a break or to knock off for the day. Fatigue robs accuracy and worse, increases the probability of soft tissue injuries. Learning the craft shouldn't include rotator cuff and elbow problems down the road. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

9 hours ago, TWISTEDWILLOW said:

never tried the kens tong blanks

Debi made a set of bolt jaw tongs, in about an hour & a half. They came out very nice, I think we had that pair in the bucket at your hammer in BOA meeting.

[ThomasPowers]

Learning to stop *before* you make the non-recoverable mistake is an important step in learning to smith!