piglet_74 Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 So my Jackpine 2.5lb hammer came in today and I opened the box while standing in the kitchen. I said to myself but also out loud "I wonder if I have to dress this hammer?" My wife standing by the counter says "Like with little pants?" Had me laughing good. Back to the hammer though, The edges look a little sharper than what I've been putting on my cheap home depot ones. I don't want to start a flame or anything, I'm just wondering if it's common knowledge or something that the end user must dress the hammer to their liking or should I use it and see how I fair. Thanks in advance, Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alwin Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 You usually have to dress your hammer, and it is always your right to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 You should've replied to your wife with something similar to, "Of course not. Bib overalls not pants!" That is assuming she was joking, if she was serious keeping silent probably means you get dinner. Most hammers will come sharper than optimum. It's a LOT easier to soften the edges if too sharp than to sharpen them up if they're too rounded. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I haven't seen a factory/store bought hammer yet that didn't need dressing....they need to have the spiral marks and sharp edges on the face removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piglet_74 Posted February 20, 2009 Author Share Posted February 20, 2009 Thanks for the replies. Actually she was smirking but I'll have to let her know about the bib overalls. The hammer was from blacksmith journal, made by Nathan I believe. I searched on it here before I bought it and people seemed to like it but I didn't notice anything about dressing it. It's a Czech style so it's very square which I couldn't find in places like a home depot etc so that's why I went ahead and picked it up. It looks fairly finished, in all but a few spots. Like you guys said though, I can take off material but putting it back requires removing more. Thanks again and it's getting late so I'll go ahead and put it in its PJs for the night Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Hofi hammers come dressed perfectly as did Tom Clark's. They also have been instrumental in teaching how to use a hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbob Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 (edited) Thanks for the replies. Actually she was smirking but I'll have to let her know about the bib overalls. The hammer was from blacksmith journal, made by Nathan I believe. I searched on it here before I bought it and people seemed to like it but I didn't notice anything about dressing it. It's a Czech style so it's very square which I couldn't find in places like a home depot etc so that's why I went ahead and picked it up. It looks fairly finished, in all but a few spots. Like you guys said though, I can take off material but putting it back requires removing more. Thanks again and it's getting late so I'll go ahead and put it in its PJs for the night Rob. I bought a couple of them for my son for Christmas ...the only thing I could see that needed done was the handle is too long and too fat . a file and saw and sandpaper will take care of that I flattened the handle out and we a watching for the dirt marks to see where the handle need to be cut. also the 2.5 jackpine when held up next to my 2.6 Tom Clark is almost the same the only difference is the Jackpine is shapped more like a Hofi on the Peen(round) the Tom clark is flatter Edited February 20, 2009 by jimbob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptree Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I have 4 of Nathan's Jackpine hammers, 3 are diagonal peens and all were usable as recieved. I dressed a little just because I wanted to:) I did modify the handles to fit my disabled grip. He m,akes a first rate hammer with a reasonable price and I can not reccomend them enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I will agree with Ptree on his post about Nathans Hammers. One thing I have heard about the "flatter" pien on some hammers is..... the reason it's got a slight flat spot across the face of the pien is so that it does not leave as deep of hammer marks as it is moving the metal. Like I said that is one reason I've heard for that flat area - so take it for what it's worth and use your hammer first before you dress it unless of course you know exactly what your doing in the first place. I will dress a hammer to blend in the areas where the grinding meets in different directions (like the corners) ever so slightly just enough to make nice and smooth. - JK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I don't have a hammer made by Nathan, but every other hammer I have seen (except my own) need to be dressed before use. A flat spot on the pein to me means it needs to be rounded more for use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodeye Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Nathan's hammers are very nice indeed - you should enjoying it for a long time. Usually I give my new hammers a couple of workouts before I do anything to them. When I do decide to dress them a bit of modify the handles I tend to do it very carefully and a little bit a a time until its "just so" Woodeye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBrann Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I usually give hammers a test drive, then dress and shape the handle to fit. If there are really bad things.... spiral/ machine marks... they go before the test drive.. Once in a while i find that hammers from china are HSOs.. Yes I buy cheap crap sometimes... but.. if I get a hammer for $5.... and hate it..... I can "turn it into something useful" (change pein... turn into a punch... door stop) and have no guilt. I have found that you never know what will become you favorite hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piglet_74 Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 You guys are totally right. After arguing with the water heater today, I decided I was going to relax and play with some fire. The hammer just works right out if the box. I had a hard time leaving a mark in anything I hit. Very cool. I also tried to pay attention to my blows more. I tried to grip less firmly and start higher and let the hammer do its thing. This hammer seemed to make that easier to do. It didn't feel like I was going to miss when I started my swing shoulder or head high. BTW Jimbob, I think your right about the handle. It hit the anvil 3 or four times. I have to look into taking off a smidge. I made a better fire than normal today too. I had nice large pieces of coke making a "hive" and keeping everything nice and hot. I learned to crotch punch. I took some 1/2" sqr and punched a hole and drifted for 5/16 rod. Then I made a scroll on the 5/16 rod with a hole for a rivet and it lined up with the other hole in the 1/2". Hard to visualize. I'll post a pic if I get it together at some point. All in all a good day. Thanks again for the responses. Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Mulholland - Tetnum Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 A flat spot on the pein to me means it needs to be rounded more for use. RT i thought that was from missing the work with pein oh and of ya get a hammer from some one like that look at their forhead they likely have a bright red divit roughly the size and shape of the hammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unkle spike Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Even if you order a blacksmithing hammer from reputable source it will still need some dressing to suit your hammer style. Never turn down a cheap hammer at a Flea Market. I have a ball pein that I got for $2 that the round on the pein is all scarred up, but it makes a really nice texture when peining flat stock. Also you may need a "visitors" hammer. We used to have our guild meetings at one of the members shop, we could use any hammer, EXCEPT the ones with a white spraypaint spot on the side. Give them one of your cheap hammers, some quarter inch stock and they "shouldn't" hurt themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piglet_74 Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 Good point. I let my nephew use the ball peen and some 1/4" sqr to play with. He had a blast. He mostly likes the fire though. :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quang0 Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 If it's sharp, dress it. Just don't cross-dress it, people will talk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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