Ball Peen Hammer Head: Correct Shape & How To

[TimmoTool]

I have a 50+ year old unbranded 12 oz ball peen hammer from my father’s tool box. As a kid, I can remember hammering things that should not be hammered with a ball peen hammer.

The face has marks (probably from hammering nails)

The face is also mushroomed over on the edges bs having a chamfered or angled edge.

I believe the face of the hammer should be slightly domed in middle bs being perfectly flat. The angle on the edges should also be… 45 degrees?

What is the best way to surface and re-shape this head without taking away too much of the 12 ounces?

A hand file? A belt sander? Wire Wheel?

 

[larry_g]

Me personally I would use a belt sander or a file. If you have a belt sander where you can get to the belt in a place where it is off the platen and the belt can flex a bit that will help you maintain the curvature without making a bunch of small facets. The chamfer around the face does not have to be 45*, just a clean taper.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[yhprum]

I’ve dressed out with a belt sander or a file depending on how rough it was, your call. Justly not to overheat the working surface if power tools are used.

 

[OccupantRJ]

The way Larry describes would be my method. It is known as slack belt grinding. There are plenty of videos on using the method If you have never done it.

 

[Farmer J.]

The instructor at my Son's blacksmith college dressed hammer heads using a Linisher, a belt sander. He moved the hammer head around when applied to the moving abrasive so it didn't form flat spots and left a neat slightly domed face. Then finished off around the edge of the striking face with a chamfer. It doesn't really matter what you use, just don't overheat it or take off more than you need.

 

[mike93lx]

If you are unsure and don't want to run the chance of ruining it, I'd start with a file.

 

[TimmoTool]

What about the small pits on the face of hammer?

 

[Mintgrun]

If a file will cut a hammer face, it's a soft hammer... which the flaring suggests on yours. Some hammer faces are hard enough to chip and a file would definitely not cut them.

If you try a file, take one swipe at that sharp edge and then inspect the file to see if it left a line. Even a 'soft' hammer face can be hard enough to dull a file. It'd be a shame to ruin a good file.

I'm not saying a file won't work. It's just that I've been disappointed to flip them over after use and see that the teeth were shiny/dull.

The suggestions above about using a belt sander apply to smoothing out the face, as well as removing the flared part.

Sometimes I prefer to hold the hammer in a vise with the face pointing up and go at it with sanding discs, so I can see what I'm doing.

I've got a stitched cloth wheel for the grinder that takes an abrasive compound that you mix into a paste with water and smear it over the surface. After it dries, it still has flex, due to the soft wheel. It's great for final-finishing hammer faces and such.