Thor Size 3 Copper Hammer

[Tap Tap Bang]

I was looking through my father's shed today and found this hammer.

 

From what I could find it may be pre 1970 as they changed the stamp to just be 'Size 3' in 1970.

Any advice on the best way to spruice this one up as I think it will be a handy hammer. I was thinking of using a wire wheel then put on some linseed oil.

 

Also found these bolt cutters. Made in the USA so must be good quality hey? 

Is there a way to improve the cutting jaws as they are a bit rough? 

[Frosty]

Please put a subject on your posts of post to an established thread. Just posting in really large general section like "Hand hammers" makes it very hard to find your post. I had to go through 3 pages of old posts before finding yours and I have notifications set so I see new posts in my email. Unfortunately posting without a subject just dumps it in with the rest.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

About the only thing I would do is file the rolled edges of the hammer head and BLO on the handle. Sorry to say not much can be done with the bolt cutter jaws without adding material by welding with the correct electrode and grinding them back sharp. If you know an experienced welder they could do it.  I fixed a pair just like those that way.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

[George N. M.]

Since the hammer is cast copper and soft I would do as Irondragon suggests and file back the mushrhrooming on the faces.  I am sure that the faces are dinged up and I would smooth them out by filing or grinding and perhaps polish them a bit.  That's all.

I agree with Irondragon that the only way to salvage the bolt cutters is to diassemble them and replace the jaws or have them build up by a welder and ground back to shape.  He or she would definitely have to use very hard rod to build them up since in use they are subject to very high stress.  I'd also look to see if repacement jaws amight be available but I would be very careful about the geometry of the bolt holes on a replacement.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

It's been a long time ago but I think the electrodes I used were Stoody Stoodite 21 rods, preheated the jaws and quenched in oil.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

[Nobody Special]

Copper and brass hammers are nice for struck tools, as they are softer than the drift/punch/whatever, so they tend not to deform them as much. Unfortunately, they get pretty dinged up and mushroomed in turn. I've also used them to straighten twisted pieces, especially hitting them onto wood, but that doesn't work as well as a wooden or rawhide mallet.

[Tap Tap Bang]

Apologies Frosty I thought I filled in all the info lines ( new to the forum). I looked and searched for an existing thread but couldn't find a relevant one. Do you know of one that would be relevant? As I'm sure I will find more tools along the way.

The surface rust is the main thing I want to improve on the hammer so I can preserve it. The faces are actually pretty smooth. I read old posts suggesting that the copper inserts eventually wrap around the head which protects it. Replacing the inserts is a pain from what I read and it's recommended to just buy a new hammer. As it seems like it's very old I would have a go at replacing them but that is a long way off. Having one end as rawhide would be ideal.

With the bolt cutters I did find old posts regarding replacement jaws on other sites but not sure if they are still available. I will do some more searching. Im sure they will still cut, it may just take a few goes. Otherwise they may just end up on the wall as a decoration. 

[Frosty]

Sorry, I didn't mean to come across like you were doing something "wrong." I really meant to make a suggestion to make your posts more accessible and easier to find. There is quite a learning curve on Iforge it takes everybody time to get a handle on it. I've been aboard 17 years and am still learning things. 

The idea for helping new folks avoid old mistakes is so you make new mistakes. We love new mistakes we all get to learn something new that way. 

If you can separate the various metals, copper, brass, iron, there are a number of effective chemical treatments to turn rust, corrosion, etc. back into clean metal. For iron / simple steels a phosphoric acid treatment works nicely though it WILL cover the iron with a black phosphate (I think) surface layer that is pretty stable or you need to take precautions to prevent it forming. There are common treatments for copper alloys like, "Brasso." I am blanking completely on the jingle we were having fun with recently. John? 

My glucometer is beeping at me I'd better go have a snack. Back later.

Frosty The Lucky.