3baygarage
Well-known member
Can anybody identify this hammer? I’ve seen it before. Ugly ice hammer?
7-1/2” long, the head is about 2-1/8” long. Why the lump on top?
7-1/2” long, the head is about 2-1/8” long. Why the lump on top?
Hammer time!
- Thread starter Outlawmws
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
I don't know anything about it, Threeb, but based on its small size, its unusual shape, the cosmetic faux wood grain finish, and your allusion to a household utility (I was thinking toffee myself...), I'm pretty confident that offset "lump" is supposed to add to its decorative appearance as a tree branch. Maybe it's for tapping maple syrup trees. 
EDIT: I just googled "ornate decorative tree bark tap hammer" and this eBay sale immediately popped up. It doesn't identify mfgr or purpose, but it does confirm my interpretation of its appearance.
EDIT: I just googled "ornate decorative tree bark tap hammer" and this eBay sale immediately popped up. It doesn't identify mfgr or purpose, but it does confirm my interpretation of its appearance.
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3baygarage
Well-known member
I believe you're right, it's just part of the tree design. Pretty neat. Have to wonder about the strange theme. It spared a tree, being all metal. I found a few for sale listings offering no further clues or COO.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Yeah, just a cut off "knob". Whether it's for crushing ice in a tureen or a brick of toffee or something else, the whole woodland thing is an odd motif. I keep trying to correlate it to a utility and keep coming up blank. Report back if you ever figure it out.
WisJim
Well-known member
Three Stanley ball peens, the largest is 4 oz. I use these quite often; it's nice to have a variety when hitting something small or delicate.
3baygarage
Well-known member
It could be like one of those Perfect Handles. That would be a neat project.Try not to use maple for new handle...
AntiqueBen
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I just ran across this thread & thought I'd post a Hart hammer I've had for a while. I'm not sure, but I'm guessing this might be an early version? Anyone know anything about dating Hart hammers?
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AntiqueBen
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Here is another hammer I believe to be a Hart, but it's not marked. I might be confusing Hart hammers with the California Framing hammers?
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Beerhippie
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I bought my Harts new in the early/mid '90s.
I'll bet yours there with the cast-in branding is older. Maybe much older.
IMO, these were some of, if not the, best framing/construction hammers around. I know my big, 25 oz hammer-handle, waffle-face stand-up framer drove many tens of thousands of 16d sinkers! I considered the smaller, 16 oz smooth-face to be a finish hammer. It hung a lot of trim.
I honorably retired mine:
as I'll never again swing 'em for a living.
There are actually Hart hammer collectors, and Harts bring more on the Bay than I paid for 'em new.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
I should add, the Harts had a mirror-polish finish when new--looked like plating, but wasn't.
AntiqueBen
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Once you hold one of these hammers, most everything else seems sub-par at best. The quality not only shows in the hammer itself, but the handles are awesome & have a super tight fit.
I assumed there were collectors of these when I saw a few on eBay going for $800 or more
I'm interested in understanding the differences between old vs new to determine the age. I haven't researched yet, but I'm sure the info is out there somewhere.Beerhippie
Well-known member
Gawddammit, you're making me want to haul mine down off the wall and take 'em out and swing 'em around just for old times sake! I wonder if there's a nail around here needs swattin'?Once you hold one of these hammers, most everything else seems sub-par at best. The quality not only shows in the hammer itself, but the handles are awesome & have a super tight fit.
I assumed there were collectors of these when I saw a few on eBay going for $800 or more
Yep, first time I picked one up, I knew I'd own it. Local lumber yard stocked them for a while. IIRC, the Stand-Up Framer was around $65 in '90s dollars. An Estwing woulda' been around $45.
AntiqueBen
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Take'em off the wall & hit something
Beerhippie
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It'll likely be my thumb....Take'em off the wall & hit something
Beerhippie
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Again....
dutchgray
Well-known member
They have massively increased in value over the last few years and NOS condition has really gone crazy.Once you hold one of these hammers, most everything else seems sub-par at best. The quality not only shows in the hammer itself, but the handles are awesome & have a super tight fit.
I assumed there were collectors of these when I saw a few on eBay going for $800 or more
But they are a high quality tool and if you actually want a steel California style framing hammer, or have been using "Hart's" for years and don't want to change then you either pay up or buy something else.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
I guess I'll just hang onto mine until I need to cash in my "retirement account".
My hammer drawer in the new box
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Finished up a new/old one today. I picked up this hammer head over six months ago:
It's been in the background of a lot of benchtop pics since.
Determining that Stanley did not paint hammer heads yellow, I stripped it down and saw that the original paint was black. I shot it with a couple of coats of Rusto Black Engine enamel and baked it for an hour.
I picked up a likely-looking NOS hickory handle at a second hand/surplus store today, so let's get 'er done!
I fitted the handle to the head on a belt sander in a vise, hand-sanded the handle to 400 grit, gave it a few coats of BLO (it'll get a few more) and:
2.5 oz. Stanley Job Master lives to peen again! It's now my second-smallest small peen hammer.
It's been in the background of a lot of benchtop pics since.
Determining that Stanley did not paint hammer heads yellow, I stripped it down and saw that the original paint was black. I shot it with a couple of coats of Rusto Black Engine enamel and baked it for an hour.
I picked up a likely-looking NOS hickory handle at a second hand/surplus store today, so let's get 'er done!
I fitted the handle to the head on a belt sander in a vise, hand-sanded the handle to 400 grit, gave it a few coats of BLO (it'll get a few more) and:
2.5 oz. Stanley Job Master lives to peen again! It's now my second-smallest small peen hammer.
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GarageHobbyist
Well-known member
Nice! I probably use my 4 oz Plumb the most out of all of my hammers, followed by my Stanley 8 oz. I still need to find a 2 oz I like.Three Stanley ball peens, the largest is 4 oz. I use these quite often; it's nice to have a variety when hitting something small or delicate.
woodkill
Member
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ Of course, silly... everybody knows you're supposed to use roofing nails!
Patrickm82
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I once had to remove 2- 16 penny nails from a ball peen hammer what a pain in the ****! And like yours they were doing absolutely nothing.
Beerhippie
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There's some irony to someone who can't hit a nail with a hammer driving nails into a hammer.6 nails and 4 screws and the handle was still loose!
AntiqueBen
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Here's a heavy BP hammer I've had for a while. I haven't weighed the head yet but it feels like at least a 48oz. It's heavy. When I found this hammer, someone had drove 8 nails into the top of the hammer handle. Must have been a quick fix that ended up permanent. I thought it was so hilarious, I just left it that way.
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four.cycle
Well-known member
^ Well, thank God that he at least had to good sense to use roofing nails, which is the only proper way. 
jeffmoss26
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Found this Klein hammer at Ross the other day. 10 bucks!
woodkill
Member
Be careful when you are driving hammered!Found this Klein hammer at Ross the other day. 10 bucks!
Josh Dekubber
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Nice looking 56 oz
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Stanley Jobmaster 3.5 lb ball peen hammer
Vintage Stanley Jobmaster 3.5 lb beast of a ball peen! Hung on a new hickory handle, very tight with step wedge. The ends were mirror polished, body was cleaned up with a wire wheel. Handle was...
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GX460DIYguy
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Got this snap on 40oz ball peen today. Gonna have to keep an eye out for a handle, but the original will work for now. I guess the snap on version used the blue point part number, but came with the nicer handles and has snap on on the side instead of blue point? Gonna clean up the head tonight and
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Aw, hell, that handle looks fine to me!Got this snap on 40oz ball peen today. Gonna have to keep an eye out for a handle, but the original will work for now. I guess the snap on version used the blue point part number, but came with the nicer handles and has snap on on the side instead of blue point? Gonna clean up the head tonight and
Beerhippie
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This is a handle that needs some work:
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ you definitely want to re-handle that beast before you start swinging it at something.
GX460DIYguy
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Yeah it’ll probably last a long time, but I do want to have one for the future. Never know when I’m gonna swing it at something on one of the farmalls and break it when I miss
Beerhippie
Well-known member
I'd gladly pay $5 just to have that one for a wall-hanger--but look at the prices on the hammer beside it--$50 for the Bell Sys, $48 for the... whatever. They want $35 for that old hatchet. I know where it is and can look at it any time I want to, 'cause I know it ain't going anywhere.
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ Not you.. . I was referring to @GX460DIYguy 's new acquisition.... I don't think you'd want to be swinging 40 ounces of ball peen with a sketchy handle.