Alan McDaniel Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 My FIL died in 2020. He grew up in very rural North Louisiana and was likely skilled in a multitude of manly arts. This hammer was in his attic. It appears to have forged some iron in its day. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 Alsn, welcome abord from 7500' in SE Wyoming. Glad to have you. Yes, it has been well used. It is what is known as a cross pien (or peen) hammer and is one of the commonest types used by blacksmiths. If you want to use it yourself rather than just a souvenier and memory of your father-in-law please grind off the mushroomed portions before use. Any tool that is mushroomed like that is apt to have the mushroomed portion break off and fly around the shop at high speed and because they are sharp when they hit you or someone else they tend to cut deeply and let out the red stuff inside. Still, a cool and well used tool. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 Looks like it had a hard life. What are your plans for it? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 Welcome from the Ozark Mountains. If it were mine, I would retire it and display it in a place of honor in my shop, with a note about the prior owner. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan McDaniel Posted February 11 Author Share Posted February 11 I’m going to leave it as is. It represents a lot of very hard work and will serve as a reminder of just how easy we have things these days. It didn’t get worn like that because it was someone’s hobby tool. It was worn out by necessity in making tools and other items needed for everyday life. When I hold these old tools in my hand I think about all the people who held it in theirs. Hopefully my sons will feel the same about all the things that are passed on to them. My grandmother told me once, “You don’t know where you’re going until you know where you came from”. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan McDaniel Posted February 11 Author Share Posted February 11 9 hours ago, George N. M. said: Alsn, welcome abord from 7500' in SE Wyoming. Glad to have you. Yes, it has been well used. It is what is known as a cross pien (or peen) hammer and is one of the commonest types used by blacksmiths. If you want to use it yourself rather than just a souvenier and memory of your father-in-law please grind off the mushroomed portions before use. Any tool that is mushroomed like that is apt to have the mushroomed portion break off and fly around the shop at high speed and because they are sharp when they hit you or someone else they tend to cut deeply and let out the red stuff inside. Still, a cool and well used tool. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." I leaned about chips of hammer steel when I was ten. I had my dad’s claw hammer an was chipping at some concrete. He walked by and told me that I was going to chip the hammer and walked off (which was uncharacteristic since I didn’t have a new knot on the back of my head)… I kept chipping away and then felt something sting the knuckle of the ring finger on my right hand. I looked at it and there was indeed some of the red stuff coming out. I put the hammer back in the tool box and tried my best not to leave a blood trail (that sort of thing was all to common for my mom and dad not to notice)… 50+ years went by and I broke a bone in my hand and had to get an e-ray… Dr. asked what the spot on the x-ray was and my memory started coming back. It was a chip. At first I thought it might be a piece of rock but I tried one of those little magnets and it stuck. I have that hammer too (I don’t use it) and the missing chip can be seen on the bottom edge. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 Don't do that, you'll put your eye out . . . Ralphi. My friends and I used to take our Father's hammers and strike sparks off pavement with them. The more I think about it the more amazed I am I've lived this long and with most of my factory original parts. The older I get the farther and harder the ground gets. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 Frosty, I've also noticed a geological phenomenon that during my lifetime the gravity seems to increased over time which makes the ground harder and the hills seem steeper. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 I've found that if I fall down, I look around for stuff I might need to do while down there. Like Thomas said we are well past our bounce back date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 Deb doesn't buy it when I say I haven't gained weight, gravity has gotten stronger, then SHE groans getting up off the couch. Beats the alternative. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 Also, there are two things that happen to us as we get older, First, you start to lose your memory and I don't remember the second one. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 We'd better think up something else to talk about, or we'll start talking about our ailments. I have come to appreciate a good nap, those keep getting better. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 On 2/11/2024 at 6:45 AM, Alan McDaniel said: I’m going to leave it as is. It represents a lot of very hard work and will serve as a reminder of just how easy we have things these days. It didn’t get worn like that because it was someone’s hobby tool. It was worn out by necessity in making tools and other items needed for everyday life. I would argue that leaving it as it is actually DIShonors its history and legacy. If a tool isn't used, it isn't a tool; it's a "collectible". Clean it up, put it to use, and wear it out again. Let it live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 While I don't know about "dishonoring" the tool or smith, leaving it as is and not using it is pretty much the same thing as putting it in a coffin because its old and dead. How can it teach the next generations about hard work if it just lays there? Might it not represent that they do not have to work hard these days? So, in part I have to agree with John. Making a wall hanger out of it might not be dishonoring your Grandfather but it certainly isn't honoring him. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubterraneanFireForge Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 If you hang it or hammer with it, it makes me think of my grandfather’s tools that he left behind. I didn’t get much of a chance to meet him before he passed but many of his tools are in working or nearly working condition. I can connect with him tho we are worlds apart by using his tools. This is part of the reason it’s important to buy and make good tools because the tools you use will be the tools your children use and maybe your grandchildren if you are lucky. That’s a beautiful hammer that’s what I want mine to look like when I pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan McDaniel Posted February 20 Author Share Posted February 20 I’ve got a truck load of tools. I’m wearing out my own hammers. That one is to show my sons and grandsons and perhaps give them insight into the level of HARD WORK that their predecessors endured just to make a living. To make a hammer look like that one I suppose takes getting up early and going to bed late and swinging that sucker every hour in between... Alan Regarding gravity… I have found that it is extra strong directly under my Lazy Boy…. Sometimes I have to pry myself out of it... Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 OH that mean old Mr. Gravity! He got me pretty good day before yesterday, I was carrying ashes from the wood stove out to spread them in the driveway and slipped on an icy spot. My forehead hit the ice before I realized I was falling. The really disturbing thing was the clang as my head hit. Did a number of my glasses, put a lump and bruise on my head and bruised a couple few ribs. Don't worry guys I'm okay my head broke my fall! The clang was the pan of ashes hitting next to my head, I didn't figure that out till the next morning. Happily my ribs are feeling a lot better every morning, they're just twinging now. Boy did I get off easy! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Hence the saying "faster than falling on ice". One day during an ice storm, I saw Debi doing a whole ballet while trying not to fall on ice. By golly she made it without falling, probably because of all her Karate and dancing lessons when younger. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 This wasn't the first time, last Feb I fell and broke my leg picking up after curling. It wasn't as fast as this time but DANG it hurt. Years earlier I slipped stepping down out of a dump truck, one foot on the grippy step in the fuel tank the other on a frozen puddle and I swear I flipped, flopped and flapped on the ice for a couple seconds. I managed to hit my whole body, ALL sides in front of 5-6 guys on the crew. Who all clapped and cheered when I got back up. I was younger and my bounce by date hadn't passed. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 One time when I was still on patrol with the PD just after an ice storm, I got a call of a minor traffic accident at an intersection with a slight grade. The city hadn't yet chatted that intersection as it was a secondary road. I pulled up below the vehicles and proceeded to try and walk up the 15 or 20 feet to the wreck and fell on my keester, got up and both guy's, that I knew were chuckling. I asked them why are y'all out here driving on this ice. One of them said "gotta drive ya can't walk on it". We all had a pretty good laugh over that reply. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Yeah, that's a standard icy weather saying here. There used to be a weather man who said, "Drive careful out there, it's too slick to walk." Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.