Thread: Hammer Time!

This one is a short handle (12") and weighs in at 28oz face is also slightly rounded, but the edges have far less of a radius.

Too much of a rounded face will produce "dents" in what you are forging. Too flat, and the hammer is very unforgiving if you don't hit square. Not enough rounding on the edges will produce ugly dents if you don't hit square. There is a sweet spot as far as the shape of the head of your hammers, coupled with your level of experience forging. I have two hammers I made at a workshop that I need to do some reshaping on. And, hammers can be (are?) a personal thing to every smith.

A heavy hammer is not the problem, the ground hammer interface needs time, practice, exercise. If you keep at it your arm will strengthen, but strength is not necessarily control. The heavy hammers work harder on the elbows, think tennis elbow, because your grip has to be stronger to control the rotation of the handle when the head hits.

To paraphrase Uri, work smarter, not harder, watch a very experienced smith. Some of the best smiths I know are not the typical giant muscular fellows depicted in poetry. They let the hammer work and merely direct the effort.

The grip is looser, the hammer simply falls into the work and the only grip is just enough to control the face of the hammer. There is not a lot of eccentric motion in the hammer handle. That snap that guys driving nails use is not what I like to see in smithing. The more wrist motion, the further the grip is away from the head, the more I can predict that elbow is going to be shot in no time at all. Guys who look like they are trying to crush the material are working too hard and wear out too fast.

My hope is to one day let the hammer fall to the work, and merely need to assist it in its return to its upright position. Letting rebound energy do most of the heavy lifting. I know this will take lots of time and practice, but its a worthy goal to shoot for!

Cmon guys, Lets see some photos of your favorite mashie niblics!

Originally Posted by Mike Blue

A heavy hammer is not the problem, the ground hammer interface needs time, practice, exercise. If you keep at it your arm will strengthen, but strength is not necessarily control. The heavy hammers work harder on the elbows, think tennis elbow, because your grip has to be stronger to control the rotation of the handle when the head hits.

To paraphrase Uri, work smarter, not harder, watch a very experienced smith. Some of the best smiths I know are not the typical giant muscular fellows depicted in poetry. They let the hammer work and merely direct the effort.

The grip is looser, the hammer simply falls into the work and the only grip is just enough to control the face of the hammer. There is not a lot of eccentric motion in the hammer handle. That snap that guys driving nails use is not what I like to see in smithing. The more wrist motion, the further the grip is away from the head, the more I can predict that elbow is going to be shot in no time at all. Guys who look like they are trying to crush the material are working too hard and wear out too fast.

Mike is a smart man, I went from good elbow to tennis elbow in a short period of time. I have been unlearning my bad hammering habits. I have learned a lot from more experienced smiths. I wish I would have started out watching and learning from more experienced smiths, instead of flailing away.

Charlie

I spent a day at the forge learning all I could. The instructors checked out my hammers, and said the faces were really well done. Smaller hammer is for punching square holes, and not actually for forging. I figured out very quickly that the larger hammer is too heavy for me at this time. I simply do not have good control of it. I need to customize the handle, and try again. The instructor used it for a while, and deemed it a really good tool, with excellent rebound characteristics.
If you want to look at what I made, check out the post in "The Conversation" Bitching and Moaning!
I tried really hard to watch my form and posture. The blisters are already forming!

Originally Posted by Magpie

I figured out very quickly that the larger hammer is too heavy for me at this time. I simply do not have good control of it.

How much does it weigh, and how do you hold it?
If you hold the end of the handle, your are swinging it using wrist and lower arm muscles, which will tire you quickly.
I've also noticed that many older smiths use handles that are thinner than regular handles. Especially heavy modern hammers seem to have thicker handles. Trimming them down might help too because thicker handles means the fingers are opened wider, and more 'squeeze' is needed to keep the hammer from flying away.

Originally Posted by Bruno

How much does it weigh, and how do you hold it?
If you hold the end of the handle, your are swinging it using wrist and lower arm muscles, which will tire you quickly.
I've also noticed that many older smiths use handles that are thinner than regular handles. Especially heavy modern hammers seem to have thicker handles. Trimming them down might help too because thicker handles means the fingers are opened wider, and more 'squeeze' is needed to keep the hammer from flying away.

Absolutely correct Bruno! This hammer is about 40-44 oz and the handle is far to thick at the mid where I need to grasp it. The teacher also suggested thinning the handle where I hold it, and taking the "round" out of it so I wont need to grasp with as much force to prevent twisting. The teacher used my hammer for a bit, and he loved it, but said he would do these things for it even with his larger hands. I must admit, it makes me feel better knowing that even a full time smith with better grip and larger hands than I felt it was in need of "adjusting" (its not just me!)