Ball Peen Hammer

[jcp]

it):

Niroc "Knockometer," with the upgraded Osage Osage handle.
I have dozens of Osage Orange (Bois d’arc here) on my property. I’ll search around for a suitable limb to make a handle that’s needed. Thanks for the idea!

 

[RaisedByWolves]

If you never used the ball end then what is the difference of having a claw end that you never use in the shop. I have near 30 hammers. I use the closest one that is around the right size for the job at hand.

I often use the ball end of a ball peen hammer. Even though I very rarely use solid rivets.

Claw hammers are more dangerous so I try to keep them put away both at work and in my home shop.

If you've ever beaten something properly enough that the head leaves the handle and ricochets around a bit, you'll understand.

Right tool for the right job, and a claw hammer is not the right tool for vigorous persuading.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

One of the guys on the crew that framed my house had a hatchet that he used as a hammer... he could sink a 16p nail with one swing...

I kept waiting for him to lose an ear on the upswing, though...

-Bear

Shingle or roofing hammer.

I keep those handy as Melee weapons.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Didn't pay more than the cost of a head, but close – if you look at the hammer hanging on the pegboard in the third photo of my previous post in this thread, you'll see one I bought simply because it is beautiful (oh, it's very functional, too, but like most tools, I didn't really need it):

View attachment 465220
Niroc "Knockometer," with the upgraded Osage Osage handle.

I got mine early this year before Corin had his website (the prices have come down a mite) after learning about them from one of Neil's videos (Pask Makes).

I was going to mention Hedge (Osage Orange) as being the very best handle wood, you'll never break that.

I found an ancient blacksmith made axe head in the woods metal detecting. People told me no was was it as Old as I knew it was (late 1800's) as it still has a portion of the handle in it and you can see where the handle was sawed off to presumably fit a new axe head.

I told them to look out Hedge and get back to me. Hedge is so hard that a chainsaw chain will throw sparks when cutting it and it lasts forever.

 

[matthewsx]

it):

Niroc "Knockometer," with the upgraded Osage Osage handle.
I have dozens of Osage Orange (Bois d’arc here) on my property. I’ll search around for a suitable limb to make a handle that’s needed. Thanks for the idea!

Man that’s pretty, think I’ll have to make something with my bronze hex soon.

John

 

[Larry$]

I 2nd the use of Hedge/ Osage. It's plentiful around here. It was planted in the 30s, to control wind blown dust storms, on the plains. Only use the heartwood, not the sapwood. I've got several hammers that I've salvaged & put Osage on. It also makes a great round carvers mallet. If you are into archery it makes a fair bow. The natives had a word for it meaning Bow wood. It turns nicely and is a nice decorative wood. Don't expect to drive a nail in it! Class dismissed.

 

[ChazzC]

I 2nd the use of Hedge/ Osage. It's plentiful around here. It was planted in the 30s, to control wind blown dust storms, on the plains. Only use the heartwood, not the sapwood. I've got several hammers that I've salvaged & put Osage on. It also makes a great round carvers mallet. If you are into archery it makes a fair bow. The natives had a word for it meaning Bow wood. It turns nicely and is a nice decorative wood. Don't expect to drive a nail in it! Class dismissed.

My Father made bows from Osage back in the 60’s. Hewed them to shape then steamed them and clamped in a fixture. Nothing fancy, just simple single curves (none of the fancy double recurves or pulleys), probably like the indigenous plains peoples used. He also made arrows from cedar dowels and purchased target heads. He had a homemade hot wire rig he used to burn feathers into consistent shapes when fletching them.

 

[whitmore]

My #1 issue with hammer heads in general is what to do with them when they break? Often the cost of a nice new handle is about the cost of a new hammer.

I went to a local “hardwood” lumber yard…..lets say on a local level its cheaper to buy handles, lol

yeah; I've got good stuff in the woodpile, though: arbutus menziesii makes a nice tough handle,
or will when I finish resharpening the spokeshave. Folk with lathes can take shortcuts, I believe.

 

[whitmore]

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