Dave Leppo Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I have a potential client who needs his Stone Hammers dressed and tempered. He has several OLD hammers that are 3 to 4 pounds, and similar in shape to a straight or cross pein forging hammer. He has had them done by someone, and now complains that they are too soft, and the working surfaces quickly mushroom. What are your various opinions on the final heat treat of Stone hammers? My idea is to harden the whole hammer; quench in water. Then temper the whole hammer in the toaster oven to 450 deg. Fahrenheit. Then, with the pein setting in a pan of water and dabbing the face with a wet rag, heat the eye with a torch till it is blue. He Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave English Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 It all depends on the carbon content. McRaven in Country Blacksmithing has a chart that shows that 100 point carbon stone hammers should be tempered to a straw color but 150 point stone tools require the next color, bronze which isn't listed in Sim's book, The Backyard Blacksmith, but would be near to brown on her chart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 (edited) I would not quench in water until after you try oil and see where that leaves you, It may be enough. Some alloys won't like water, and if the hammers(s) are in one of the groups of oil quenching steel, they will let you know in a bad way. Not all hammers are made of the same material. even from the same maker. Edited March 4, 2009 by steve sells Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" by Alexander Weygers has extensive info on forging and heat treating stone carving tools. What's even more valuable than that his main mode was to make his carving tools wherever he found something he wanted to carve. He built his smithies from whatever was at hand and used whatever materials was at hand to make the tools he needed at the time. So, there's a darned complete guide to IDing steel and doing performance testing to determine uses and treatments. One of my all time favorite books. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arbalist Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Coming from you Frosty thats a pretty good recommendation so I've just ordered a copy from Amazon! looks like it's going to be a good source of information judging by the index. Thanks for the tip. Vic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Aw shucks. I think the thing that really appeals to me about Weyger's book is how many times I've put a field expedient forge together from whatever was close enough to pack to the fire. He and I did things differently but we have a little kindred spirit kind of thing going. While it's always a treat to see a well equipped smithy what really draws me are the improvised ones. There are people in the world right now making some fine tools, equipment and other various things with little more than a couple hammers, piece of pipe, a goat stomach, skill and imagination. Those guys inspire me. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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