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Hammer time!

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four.cycle

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Oct 19, 2015
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Location
Tacoma, Washington
Sorry... took me a while to remember where the photo was... finally found it:
sleipner-vidar-south-vidar-north-munin-woden-091402.jpg
L to R: Sleipner, Vidar South, Vidar North, Munin, Woden (from mouth of Hee Hee Creek) 09/14/02 BK
;)

Sorry that image is so small... I should re-scan some of these shots.
 

Eric Brown

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Joined
Jun 14, 2024
Messages
714
Hammer I just bought new from Union Manufacturing Company for adjusting plane blades. Very nicely done. I think they are closing out production on these so if you want one, now is the time.

IMG_6661.JPG
^ That looks pretty serious there, Eric. (y)
It doesn't take much to move a plane blade. A light tap. This one is well made. Soft steel to reduce any damage and yet heavier than the ones with plastic or wood tips. Brass would have been good too, but more expensive.
 

coachwash

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Feb 9, 2024
Messages
77
Location
Gulf Coast Texas
Needs some help identifting the maker of this 14oz ball pain hammer. There is a light emblem of 3 interlocking ovals (see picture). I can not make out any lettering. Any help is greatly appreciated.
 

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LesserSon

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Feb 7, 2016
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PA USA
If the three ovals were on pliers, I wouldn’t hesitate to say Utica, pre-1912. But I don’t think Utica made hammer heads. I DO have a hammer somewhere with similar three ovals on it, but concluded they were hand struck with an O or 0.
The nonstandard proportions for a ballpein, and embellishment of the double encircling rings makes me think may be non-USA and/or pre-20th century.
 
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Beerhippie

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Oct 13, 2023
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Far NE Oregon
I used a cali framer daily for many years building homes and later doing commercial construction. It doesn’t take long to learn the limitations of wood handled hammers.
That's why I--and many others--kept an Estwing Blue Bomber on hand. Full length stand-up framer w/ripping claws, solid steel. Wouldn't want to drive nails with it all day, but great for demo work. The Hart framer was for driving nails.

The Estwing is still in my carpentry bucket at the shop, as there's no way anyone can damage it. Hart framers are retired to a place of honor on the wall.
 

KnurledNut

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That's why I--and many others--kept an Estwing Blue Bomber on hand. Full length stand-up framer w/ripping claws, solid steel. Wouldn't want to drive nails with it all day, but great for demo work. The Hart framer was for driving nails.

The Estwing is still in my carpentry bucket at the shop, as there's no way anyone can damage it. Hart framers are retired to a place of honor on the wall.
Oh yeah...I'm well aware. I bought a Big Blue brand new and after using it on one build I was done with it. Way to much hammer for regular use. It did get used hard though and they are certainly tough. I ran Estwings for years starting out due to well-intentioned advice, but I eventually learned that wood was the way to go.
Here's an old picture of a few of the Estwings I carried. Big Blue is dead center. Most of these hammers have helped build at least one house back when they were my daily drivers. My favorite was probably the one with the hammertooth just to the right of Big Blue. I think it was a 24oz. That one got quite a few miles doing concrete form work too. The red one is the first generation Estwing released with a wood handle. I didn't really care much for the head geometry so after the original handle broke and I replaced it with the one pictured, switched to Vaughan and used them ever since.
I still have my original Hart Decker but never tried the Framer.
The roofing hammers eventually got replaced with wood handle AJC Mag-hatch.
My wrist and elbow have thanked me for moving on.
Estwings are durable but I have seen claws break off, heads chip, shafts bend and grips split.

55512289258_b1a6966d3b_b.jpg

This stouthearted Vaughan is what I currently use and has been with me for many years. I painted the head Chevy orange at one point in its life. One of the best framers ever made IMO:
55512598915_41799fd9f3_b.jpg

I liked these so much I bought a new one, rehandled it with my choice of grain and color and mirror polished it with full intentions of making it too nice to use.
:beer:
55512614955_ac24797754_b.jpg
 
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Beerhippie

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Far NE Oregon
A few of my Estwings:

53003775822_f612e511d3_b.jpg

Blue Bomb, bottom, was also used for a year or so until I figured out why I was the only guy on the site using a steel-handle hammer. Roofer had many years and acres of roof under it. Cord wrap on the grips was from working in the rain and snow--much easier to keep a solid grip than rubber (vinyl?).

My Harts, after a clean-up and buff:

53824657230_467d74cc7b_b.jpg

I used those for some twenty years off and on.

Now retired:

53823422922_d79e7ba05a_b.jpg

The little, smooth-face framer" was my trim and finish hammer. 25 oz Cali axe-handle--Ol' Two-Swat--was my daily driver for most of the time I spent cutting boards and driving nails.
 

KnurledNut

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Blue Bomb
Oh yes, I see what hammer you are referring to now that I see your picture. That one had a standard pattern Estwing head with a extra long handle. I thought you meant the one they actually call Big Blue that has a very distinct california framer head on an extra long handle, as I pictured above. Both beast mode hammers!
 

Beerhippie

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Oct 13, 2023
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Location
Far NE Oregon
Oh yes, I see what hammer you are referring to now that I see your picture. That one had a standard pattern Estwing head with a extra long handle. I thought you meant the one they actually call Big Blue that has a very distinct california framer head on an extra long handle, as I pictured above. Both beast mode hammers!
I don't think Blue Bomb was any kind of official name--just what everyone on the jobsite called them--probably because they were mostly used for demo work and stripping forms.
 
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