Greene and Tweed "Defense Hammer"

[RTM]

Any thoughts on what faces you guys like best? I have a 1-1/4" rawhide that I rarely use, and just grabbed a 4# 2" face Defense Hammer. Looks like I can get a variety of Garland faces which may fit. Thinking the soft plastics.

 

[budget76]

reviving a very old thread, since I just wound up with a #3 defense hammer myself missing faces.

Thinking I am going to make some faces out of some scrap oak, maybe scrap Corian, or if I can luck into it Delrin type material. For those that have made a face any special tricks, or just make it a tight fit to the opening and beat it in? Should be a fun little project, which would be much easier if I had a lathe

 

[steaks&anvils]

budget76,

If you want to buy them, Mcmaster carr has a good sellection:

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

Garland is also a great resource.

Also, for your home build, use the pictures/sizing to guide your design?

 

[budget76]

thanks for the link. more $$ than I'd want to spend on a "free" hammer I don't really need, but I may go that route if I struggle to cobble together some ends at home.

Kind of figuring I can size it close with a hole saw, then use the belt sander to get it as a tight fit. We'll see when I get a chance to play with it

 

[steaks&anvils]

thanks for the link. more $$ than I'd want to spend on a "free" hammer I don't really need, but I may go that route if I struggle to cobble together some ends at home.

Kind of figuring I can size it close with a hole saw, then use the belt sander to get it as a tight fit. We'll see when I get a chance to play with it

I have a handle/head that needs faces. I payed $2 for mine. I also haven't wanted to spend the money for faces.

I have wondered if an old bat or croquet mallet head would be a good donor?

You might be able to melt and pour copper, lead or aluminum into a "soup can" mold?

Careful on plastics, some types can shatter when used as a big hammer. They seem soft until used to bang on things.

Might try a rolled leather belt for a soft face? I have no clue what shellac to use for that though...

 

[RTM]

These are a little cheaper, and a small business. Note you must buy two on some.

Garland Rawhide face 1" to 2 3/4"

Soft Face hammers and replacement faces available in a wide range of sizes at The Hammer Source!

hammersource.com

 

[budget76]

I have a handle/head that needs faces. I payed $2 for mine. I also haven't wanted to spend the money for faces.

I have wondered if an old bat or croquet mallet head would be a good donor?

You might be able to melt and pour copper, lead or aluminum into a "soup can" mold?

Careful on plastics, some types can shatter when used as a big hammer. They seem soft until used to bang on things.

Might try a rolled leather belt for a soft face? I have no clue what shellac to use for that though...

you just made me realize I have some scrap baseball bat hunks sitting in the woodshop that are maple or similar, that'd probably be good for this purpose. I may try that tonight

Agree on plastics. I actually whipped up a quick insert out of 3/4" corian last night and got it secured in, it was a tight fit. I may not keep it there, but it makes it usable in the short term. It definitely will chip at the edges I know that for sure


I have ZERO use for this hammer (right now), so spending $$ on it isn't in the cards at the moment. it's more of a fun "fix something 2-3x as old as I am"

 

[RTM]

That hammersource link I provided above can give you some good options for what can work. I would be terrified of using a Corian one as I would expect huge chips quite easily. I've seen turned wood faces of various grades of wood, from maple up to Lignum Vitae (don't know where he got the chunks to turn) One guy rolled his own rawhide, another poured his own lead faces.

 

[steaks&anvils]

I have seen articles on using dog leather chew toys for "leather hammer faces". Interesting, but not very practical.

RTM is right, using commercial websites is a great way to get ideas for building your own stuff. I have a box of old tool catalogs I use for "research" and I keep web links to sites that have good tool cross over ideas. Example, brass musical instrument repair site that has cool dent removal tools.

 

[CHRIII]

About 40 years ago a friend who worked at a local plant that manufactured cardboard boxes gave me this hammer he had used at work. I never paid much attention to it other than note it has leather heads.

After reading this thread, I looked more closely at it. The top of the head has "BASA HAMMER" at one end and "NO 2" (as near as I can make out) so I presume it is a Greene and Tweed. The bottom of the head has "Made in U.S.A."

Apparently someone had gotten tired of replacing wood handles and welded what appears to be conduit to the top of the head.

 

[budget76]

That hammersource link I provided above can give you some good options for what can work. I would be terrified of using a Corian one as I would expect huge chips quite easily. I've seen turned wood faces of various grades of wood, from maple up to Lignum Vitae (don't know where he got the chunks to turn) One guy rolled his own rawhide, another poured his own lead faces.

yep, i think i'm going to pop the Corian back out and just do some hardwood on both sides. more useful to me and less risk of chipping. Corian I had kicking around and was a quick proof of concept

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The top of the head has "BASA HAMMER" at one end and "NO 2" (as near as I can make out) so I presume it is a Greene and Tweed. The bottom of the head has "Made in U.S.A."

Note that Garland also calls their soft blow hammers, including their split-heads, "BASA", and may (maybe even probably) use the same numbering system, as well. I don't think I ever worked out exactly how or why Garland seemed to pick up where Greene, Tweed, & Company left off, or if I could even distinguish a Greene, Tweed & Co "BASA" hammer from a Garland "BASA" hammer without the markings. Just saying, if you can't see the actual markings, it may not necessarily be a Greene, Tweed & Co. Although it certainly has the look of oldness about it!

 

[pelletman]

I think I have more of these too. Need to replace one face on this. Is there anything I can do to condition the rawhide in it? Seems hard, but maybe it is supposed to be like that. My rough measurement was 1.5", anyone know what size I should be using? 1.5? 1.75?

 

[Beerhippie]

In lieu of turpentine, I’m curious if mixing BLO with mineral spirits would yield similar results?

That's what I use for raw metal preservative. I cut the BLO 50:50 with mineral spirits. It sets hard overnight, and very little "build" to it.

Finish on this shovel that lives in my roof rack was applied a year-and-a-half ago: