“Beat Up Hammer Collection” Here’s Mine, Let’s See Yours

Kirk T · Feb 11, 2019

Years ago my father started a “Beat Up Hammer Collection”. Once in a while I would find one to contribute. He is 84 years old now and not beating the bushes for beat up hammers anymore. I am always looking to add a rough one with a lot of character to the collection. Here are a few in the collection. If you have any let’s see them, or send them to me ;-)

Jolomite · Feb 11, 2019

Hey Kirk! Wow, this is an interesting collection. I guess I hadn't really appreciated the merits of the beat up, worn out, hammers laying around. They do show off some hard work that was accomplished; by any means necessary. I will keep my eyes peeled at the flea market the next time that I go.

-Joe

KDoug · Feb 11, 2019

I've never seen a head on a hammer mushroom like the ones you posted. I'm guessing some of those could have been homemade?

Kirk T · Feb 11, 2019

Jolomite said:
Hey Kirk! Wow, this is an interesting collection. I guess I hadn't really appreciated the merits of the beat up, worn out, hammers laying around. They do show off some hard work that was accomplished; by any means necessary. I will keep my eyes peeled at the flea market the next time that I go.

-Joe

I think my father saw each hammer as a story in someone’s life. As I handle each one of those hammers each has a different feel, some seem to fit with balance and others are awkward. My mind starts drifting to places and how they were used and obviously abused. Dad always like the ones with the most character! It’s been fun and very inexpensive to collect them.

Kirk T · Feb 11, 2019

KDoug said:
I've never seen a head on a hammer mushroom like the ones you posted. I'm guessing some of those could have been homemade?

That is possible, the one that surprised me the most is this one. Extreme mushrooming with no pieces missing. Personally I think this is a case of someone using a claw hammer for blacksmith purposes.

d.mcfarland · Feb 11, 2019

KDoug said:
I've never seen a head on a hammer mushroom like the ones you posted. I'm guessing some of those could have been homemade?

A properly heat treated hammer head should not mushroom. However, no chance they are homemade.

bwringer · Feb 11, 2019

Kirk T said:
That is possible, the one that surprised me the most is this one. Extreme mushrooming with no pieces missing. Personally I think this is a case of someone using a claw hammer for blacksmith purposes

I can't get my head around that one, either. A claw hammer used for blacksmithing would normally just chip and break. It's just not ductile like that.

:headscrat

Is there some combination of heat or sloppy manufacture that could remove the temper like that? I'm no metallurgist, but.... dang. Huh. :wtf:

jumbojak · Feb 11, 2019

bwringer said:
I can't get my head around that one, either. A claw hammer used for blacksmithing would normally just chip and break. It's just not ductile like that.

Is there some combination of heat or sloppy manufacture that could remove the temper like that? I'm no metallurgist, but.... dang. Huh.

It could a hammer that was rehandled after a barn fire, or a claw hammer that was intentionally softened for use on metal. I wouldn't swing it at this point though.

Kirk T · Feb 11, 2019

jumbojak said:
It could a hammer that was rehandled after a barn fire, or a claw hammer that was intentionally softened for use on metal. I wouldn't swing it at this point though.

I know they are few and far between, hard to find like that. Dad found his first one in that condition 40 or 50 years ago and he collected them one at a time through the rest of his life and he’s 84 now. He found them at farm auctions, estate sales, etc. He said he remembered getting one of them at an antique store in Fort Garland, Colorado on a vacation. I know that no two of them came from the same place and years would pass before he would come across the next one. They were probably very old hammers with poor heat treating to start with and ended up seeing a lifetime of pounding an anvil in blacksmith use.

Lucky13driver · Feb 11, 2019

The first one is just interesting check out the handle the second has just had a rough life.

Kirk T · Feb 11, 2019

Lucky13driver said:
The first one is just interesting check out the handle the second has just had a rough life.

Those are interesting hammers with alot of caricature, After looking close I think I see Claws on one of them, at first glance I thought it was a cross peen. The other appears to have started mushrooming.

KnurledNut · Feb 11, 2019

Lucky13driver said:
The first one is just interesting check out the handle the second has just had a rough life.

The one with the claw is a linemans hammer.

Here is a modern Klein version:
https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/straight-claw-hammers/linemans-straight-claw-hammer

Kirk T · Feb 11, 2019

KnurledNut said:
The one with the claw is a linemans hammer.

Here is a modern Klein version:
https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/straight-claw-hammers/linemans-straight-claw-hammer

Interesting and good to know! Somewhere on this forum in the last few days I saw a hammer with a hole through it. It peaked my interest because I have one like it. While reading the thread I learned it also was a linemans hammer for screwing in an L shaped piece.

davethorik · Feb 11, 2019

Kirk T said:
Those are interesting hammers with alot of caricature, After looking close I think I see Claws on one of them, at first glance I thought it was a cross peen. The other appears to have started mushrooming.

A couple interesting hammers for sure. The first one has the suction cup grips made by center drilling the handle, I believe it is factory. Mushrooming is due to it being a non sparking ball pein made of either aluminum bronze or beryllium copper.

KnurledNut said:
The one with the claw is a linemans hammer.

Here is a modern Klein version:
https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/straight-claw-hammers/linemans-straight-claw-hammer

The Klein is a rebranded Vaughan, I think they are the only ones to still make this style of linemans straight claw hammers.

Kirk T · Feb 22, 2019

I came across this poem today, it seemed to fit right in here

“Last eve I paused beside the blacksmith’s door,
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;
Then looking in, I saw upon the floor,
Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.
“‘How many anvils have you had,’ said I,
‘To wear and batter all these hammers so?’
‘Just one,’ said he, and then with twinkling eye,
‘The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.’
“And so, I thought, the Anvil of God’s Word
For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;
Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The Anvil is unharmed, the hammers gone.”
—Attributed to John Clifford

tym · Feb 22, 2019

The collection shall henceforth be called "The Hall of Hammered Hammers."

jeffmoss26 · Feb 22, 2019

Reminder for myself to post a pic on Monday of one of the hammers we use at work.

Kirk T · Feb 24, 2019

jeffmoss26 said:
Reminder for myself to post a pic on Monday of one of the hammers we use at work.

I only have to wait one more day

don long · Feb 24, 2019

Here is my contribution to this interesting thread

2019-02-18 14.25.12 by don long, on Flickr

2019-02-18 14.25.02 by don long, on Flickr

I have a hammer collection too but mine are all brass.

I'll look through my tools for some old hammers with history on them to post up

DFB · Feb 24, 2019

Can't rightly say I have a "collection" of beat up hammers but I do have this old tried true Harbor Frieght sourced soft brass head hammer I bought decades ago long before the color catalogs.

What total piece of **** it is. The head is held on with nothing more than a large wood wedge which barely secures it as the hole is extremely oversized compared to the handle. I even tried using a silicone based adhesive and even resin epoxy over time to help. Many times I had thought of just trashing it

But that said it been my favorite go to heavy soft head hammer for years and I actually use it all the time! :lol:

Just have to keep securing the head on reg. basis

Kirk T · Feb 24, 2019

don long said:
Here is my contribution to this

I have a hammer collection too but mine are all brass

That’s quite a thumper! The brass hammers would be interesting to see

Kirk T · Feb 24, 2019

DFB said:
Can't rightly say I have a "collection" of beat up hammers but I do have this old tried true Harbor Frieght sourced soft brass head hammer
Just have to keep securing the head on reg. basis

I like the patina on that handle. Would another wood wedge and a steel wedge or two across it do the job?

mudflap · Feb 24, 2019

Love this thread..subscribed. I dont have anything to contribute, but i like old worn tools. They are like the old trucks i buy and fix up. You look at the dents and dings and wish they could talk..would love to sit back with a cup of coffee and hear their story.

ZRX61 · Feb 24, 2019

Dog **** (smaller than a horse ****) that had a crack in the head:

https://scontent-lax3-2.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/75354_4619314573653_1435841413_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-2.**&oh=823175c572a970ab8a55a4f2701ba7ee&oe=5D2024C4

https://scontent-lax3-2.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15454_4619322253845_651538887_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-2.**&oh=4c2fac8d2d2636d6470be1e3debfae71&oe=5CDB5EFF

But it got fixed...

https://scontent-lax3-2.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15882_4619343494376_1812473530_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-2.**&oh=48b42788bff7c34b4caca05ecfbe37d5&oe=5D1D04C2

Kirk T · Feb 24, 2019

mudflap said:
Love this thread..subscribed. I dont have anything to contribute, but i like old worn tools. They are like the old trucks i buy and fix up. You look at the dents and dings and wish they could talk..would love to sit back with a cup of coffee and hear their story.

They have enough caricature to capture your attention and enough mystery to keep you pondering. :wtf:

Kirk T · Feb 24, 2019

ZRX61 said:
Dog **** (smaller than a horse ****) that had a crack in the head:

But it got fixed...

https://scontent-lax3-2.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15882_4619343494376_1812473530_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-2.**&oh=48b42788bff7c34b4caca05ecfbe37d5&oe=5D1D04C2

Nice repair. Is that a body hammer?

don long · Feb 24, 2019

Kirk T said:
That’s quite a thumper! The brass hammers would be interesting to see

Here you go Kirk. Some of my brass tools on display in my garage

2017-12-11 15.50.50 by don long, on Flickr

rick carpenter · Feb 25, 2019

davethorik said:
Mushrooming is due to it being a non sparking ball pein made of either aluminum bronze or beryllium copper.

Here is my 2-1/2 lb Berylco H322 engineer's hammer. I bought it all chipped up without a handle and put on a 9" shortie. There's no evidence of mushrooming on this one, just the chipping.

rick carpenter · Feb 25, 2019

DFB said:
Just have to keep securing the head on reg. basis

There are quite a few threads here on re-handling -- properly 're-hafting' -- hammers and axes. I enjoy it, it's fun. You can often find a good selection of handles at non-bigbox hardware stores.

DFB · Feb 25, 2019

rick carpenter said:
There are quite a few threads here on re-handling -- properly 're-hafting' -- hammers and axes. I enjoy it, it's fun. You can often find a good selection of handles at non-bigbox hardware stores.

Ya thanks I did do one before, it was posted here on TGJ under a thread called "Let's see your refinished hammers"

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=385876&highlight=Bell+hammer

A Bell Telephone lineman's hammer it is I believe. All I had was the head left. Found it in old wood tool chest my grandfather on my mother's side of the family had.

Ya it was decent project especially sourcing the handle with the correct length AND proper diameter to fit the head. still it took a little shaping IIRC

There was also a ball peen I refinished in there too (but not a handle replacement).

I have a lot of hammers in all kinds of weights probably over 2 dozen, claws, rips, sledges, peens, deadblows, copper, brass though most don't qualify for this thread :lol:

But I did just recently break the 16" wood handle on nice 4 ib sledge I have had for years. I was working on straightening out a slightly bent vise handle and it fell off the bench and broke in two when it hit the concrete floor. :wtf:

Must have had a crack in it from driving steel fence posts. Guess it was better to have it break then and there than when I was swinging it

I glued it, nailed it thru with my Milwaukee Cordless, and duct taped it for the time being

what a hack job :lol_hitti

troy schuller · Feb 25, 2019

DFB said:
Can't rightly say I have a "collection" of beat up hammers but I do have this old tried true Harbor Frieght sourced soft brass head hammer I bought decades ago long before the color catalogs.

What total piece of **** it is. The head is held on with nothing more than a large wood wedge which barely secures it as the hole is extremely oversized compared to the handle. I even tried using a silicone based adhesive and even resin epoxy over time to help. Many times I had thought of just trashing it

But that said it been my favorite go to heavy soft head hammer for years and I actually use it all the time!

Just have to keep securing the head on reg. basis

DFB If your still using you go to brass hammer all the time try either soaking in a bucket of oil it will help the wood swell up and keep the head on the handle

troy schuller · Feb 25, 2019

I also collect hammers in the three years that I have been doing so I have over 200 that I have found or bought at pawn shops, flea markets, yard sales, estate sales and friends give them to me I never pay more than $5 for one its my Motto to say. most of the hammers that are on the broken, rusted pitting or chipped mushroomed out get hit on the belt sander and grinder I reshape or alter the hammer. into a useful hammer for blacksmithing. my favorite is taking ball peens and turning into a straight or cross peen hammer. And they get a new repurposed handle,or a handle NOS or never used I got on the cheap I also been known to make them free hand with a draw knife and chisels and belt sander. dont know how to post pics yet but I will as soon as I figure it out.

troy schuller · Feb 25, 2019

Your second hammer is a Bell Systems lineman"s hammer I have one that is in near perfect condition except the handle is crooked as all get out.

oldgoaly · Feb 25, 2019

One of those bottom of the box finds, haven't done anything with it. Especially trying to use it! To say the handle is loose is an understatement.

oldgoaly · Feb 25, 2019

A couple I "fixed up" a hot cut and a raising hammer

DFB · Feb 25, 2019

Suggestions on better securing that brass hammer have been noted

ZRX61 · Feb 25, 2019

Kirk T said:
Nice repair. Is that a body hammer?

Yup

Kirk T · Feb 26, 2019

oldgoaly said:
One of those bottom of the box finds, haven't done anything with it. Especially trying to use it! To say the handle is loose is an understatement.

There’s a beat up old hammer with a lot of character!

jeffmoss26 · Mar 16, 2019

Finally remembered to grab some pics.
The big lead hammer I found at the hardware store. The small hammer is from my day job.

Ton ton · Jul 8, 2021

Necro bump for old hammer love.

“Beat Up Hammer Collection” Here’s Mine, Let’s See Yours

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