Hammer time!

[Outlawmws]

catsteve suggested this be expanded for everyone to post their hammers, like some of the other "Show me your ____" threads, and that could also include refurb projects or custom made hammer as well. So post em if ya got em!



In another thread, I had an offer from bigcaddy for a "big" ball peen hammer head. The discussion was on my "collection" of BP's that went from 1oz (Yep, One ounce!), to 20 oz. with few gaps. I guess BC wanted to see more Gaps appear, and yesterday it arrived in the mail.

The sucker was even bigger than he thought it was: 48 oz! 3 Lbs! 48 TIMES bigger than my smallest hammer, more than double the (Former) largest PB I had, heck its bigger than my black smith hammer by 1/2 Lb!

Thank You bigcaddy! Loving getting another hammer, and now an expanded goal for the 24, 32 36 and 40 oz. hammers!


It's was a little rough in a couple of spots (It's lived a hard life...), Apparently the former owner (pre BC), thought you used all surfaces of a BP hammer...

Here it is as received, with a more normal 16 oz and the diminutive 1 oz. for comparison:

On top of it all they had obviously been using another big hammer to hammer the head back onto the handle, and peened the top opening over.

But it was an easy fix with a high speed burr:

Of course it needed a new handle, and I had 2 in stock, one of which was this 18" Stiletto for 32-48 oz machinists hammers:

I also hit in on a 1" strip belt sander to remove the worst of the high spots the abuse they had given it.

Finished pics and the collection to come!

 

[Outlawmws]

And as finished:

I still need to go get a steel wedge to finish, but its tight already...

And the collection with the new one at the top of the food chain:

Thanks again bigcaddy!

 

[blacK20]

I guess you have a love for hammers eh What's the electrical tape wrapped around the handles for? I've seen alot of people do that but never figured out why.

 

[Outlawmws]

The tape can save a handle from getting broken or cracked of you happen to miss, especially on an edge... (They actually sell pads for axes, mauls and sledges...)

And yes, the hammer count with this one and another 14 oz BP I picked up today stands at 79; 16 of those are BP's

 

[woody 73]

Woody, woody, woody stop looking....I must add more hammers to my collection.Now you have done it why do I look at all those killer hammers.

 

[Outlawmws]

Speaking of killer hammers, I wonder how many smashed fingers and such those represent over their collective lives?

 

[1982fxr]

that is one sweeeet collection!

 

[mitusa]

That is a nice handle.....where do you get them? Around here, handles seem to be rather pricey, and not very good.

 

[Jim C.]

That is a really nice collection of ball peen hammers. I have an old BP that belonged to my grandfather. It was made by Keen Kutter. It's definitely a little bit smaller than my Craftsman 4 oz. BP hammer. It looks like it might be 2 or 3 ounces. A 1 oz hammer is really tiny. You don't see too many that size. Nice collection, and good job fixing up that 3 pounder.

Jim C.

 

[Outlawmws]

That is a nice handle.....where do you get them? Around here, handles seem to be rather pricey, and not very good.

I get most of them at flea markets, once in a while at a yard sale. This one looked dirty/greasy, but had not been damaged, and most importantly had the grain going in the direction it's supposed to go, so I snagged it. I had a dozen or so spare hammer handles I've picked up that way, and I just make sure that A. it's a good deal, and B. the grain is in line with the swing. I don't worry too much whether I actually have such a hammer (I didn't have the big machinist's BP Hammer for instance, but I had 2 that would fit. (I think these also fit engineer's hammers)

 

[Outlawmws]

That is a really nice collection of ball peen hammers. I have an old BP that belonged to my grandfather. It was made by Keen Kutter. It's definitely a little bit smaller than my Craftsman 4 oz. BP hammer. It looks like it might be 2 or 3 ounces. A 1 oz hammer is really tiny. You don't see too many that size. Nice collection, and good job fixing up that 3 pounder.

Jim C.

Thanks Jim, I know the Keen Kutter name, and may have something around here by them... these are a lot of different brands, plus maybe a third are "no name" hammers.

 

[jeffmoss26]

You are the hammer king!!

 

[Amitygravel]

Very nice collection Outlaw.
The big one must have lived a dual life as an anvil. Nice clean up on it.
I find it hard not to take any new to me hammer to the Burr King and buffer for cleanup.
They deserve a new lease on life.

Craig

 

[catsteve]

Nice hammers outlaw.

Is there any interesting turning this thread into 'the hammers of garage journal', similar to the 'Vises' thread.
The 'vises' thread is pretty comprehensive when researching about a vise. i for one would like something similar for hammers.

 

[Outlawmws]

Nice hammers outlaw.

Is there any interesting turning this thread into 'the hammers of garage journal', similar to the 'Vises' thread.
The 'vises' thread is pretty comprehensive when researching about a vise. i for one would like something similar for hammers.

I'm good with that, I'll add a comment in the 1st post...

(Myra will be in seventh heaven... )

 

[metaldad]

nice collection, outlaw.

 

[metaldad]

You are the hammer king!!

i dont wanna hijack..............
and my pic needs updating

 

[Outlawmws]

Thanks Metaldad.

A question for everyone: Has anyone seen, or do they have a BP bigger than 48 oz? (3 Lbs) I went looking on line and could not find any bigger on the current market, but I'm betting someone made a 4 or 5 pounder sometime...

 

[metaldad]

Biggest one at McMaster Carr is 48 oz
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-ball-peen-hammers/=gt3hqf
S/K, Klein, are at 32
Estwing doesn't have a ball peen on their site.
Vaughan has a USA 48 that's reasonably priced:
http://www.vaughanmfg.com/shopping/Products/48-OZ-Commercial-Ball-Pein-Hammer__TC848.aspx
Garland Manufacturing (USA) - does make some replaceable head mallets in the 6.5#. range.
http://www.garlandmfg.com/mallets/split.html

 

[Outlawmws]

Yeah, I have a couple of the replaceable head mallets (nothing that big though) but for BP's I got nowhere. Engineers hammers get bigger, but that is just a one handed sledge...

 

[premierplayer]

Wow, 48 oz! nice.

I've got a few hammer drawers, and a few favorites that see all the use. Not sure why I've got all these others

The broken 24 oz engineers has since been rehandled and made it's way into the main box at home. What a sweetheart.

 

[metaldad]

well,,,,,,,,,,, since someone else did............. this is olde. need to update to include new arrivals.

 

[woody 73]

Woody, Woody, Woody they are killing you with all those hammers! Darn why do I keep looking I better have my head examined and not by a doctor with a hammer in their hands!

 

[BobsurUncle]

I have a few hammers. But this one is probably my favorite. I have a beautiful hickory handle for it, just got to put it together.

Looks just like your ordinary 16oz True Temper hammer head, right?

Nope.

 

[Outlawmws]

Something I neglected to mention on the little one ounce BP was it's brand:

"Western Giant" - Just a bit ironic...

 

[woody 73]

Darn you have done it now... You have corrupted me I don't own any 1,2,or 3 ounce hammers and it is going too kill me untill I can locate them!

 

[catsteve]

These are two of my most used.
A Bailey 32oz. Real nice hammer, good feel. I didn't think i would every have to use a bigger ball pein, so i'm not sure what i would do with a 48oz.
Its next to a 12oz Marion.
Both forged in the USA.

 

[Outlawmws]

Darn you have done it now... You have corrupted me I don't own any 1,2,or 3 ounce hammers and it is going too kill me untill I can locate them!

Sorry woody!

 

[Outlawmws]

Does this help woody?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-oz-Mini-Ball-Pein-Peen-Hammer-Steel-Metal-Jewelry-/120670702466?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1888cb82

2 oz.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=ball+peen+hammer+2oz&_sacat=0&_odkw=ball+peen+hammer+1oz&_sadis=200&_adv=1%7C1&_sop=12&LH_SALE_CURRENCY=0&_osacat=0&_trkparms=65%253A12%257C66%253A2%257C39%253A1%257C72%253A5841&_dmd=1

(Couldn't find any threes...)

(Not mine yada yada...)

 

[Outlawmws]

These are two of my most used.
A Bailey 32oz. Real nice hammer, good feel. I didn't think i would every have to use a bigger ball pein, so i'm not sure what i would do with a 48oz.
Its next to a 12oz Marion.
Both forged in the USA.

That Bailey is incredible! But you need to go HIT something with it!

 

[Outlawmws]

I have a few hammers. But this one is probably my favorite. I have a beautiful hickory handle for it, just got to put it together.

Looks just like your ordinary 16oz True Temper hammer head, right?

Nope.

I don't think I have a single hammer marked U.S. (other tools yes, but no hammers...)

 

[ZRX61]

 

[Outlawmws]

I knew you would show up ZRX! (I always love seeing those polished hammer faces)

 

[bigcaddy]

That hammer looks good, Outlaw. I would of cleaned it up myself but i've got to many other things i'm currently working on, mostly bench vises, and it would of been put away never to be seen again. I'm happy its found a better home with you.

I guess ill have to pull out my collection of hammers and see how many i've got laying around this weekend. Sometimes i buy so much stuff at sales i don't ever get a chance to play with it all. If i come across a 72 oz ball peen, ill make sure to post a picture on here

 

[ZRX61]

I knew you would show up XRX! (I always love seeing those polished hammer faces)

I think it need to clean up Mjolnir & make it all shiny

 

[Outlawmws]

Thanks BigCaddy,

I finally did find one reference to a 4-1/2 lb, BP sledge hammer that was made in England by J.H.Swift & sons Dreadnought tool works Sheffield about 1940, apparently for shipyard use. The only pic was from a flicker account and copyrighted, so I didn't feel right about tagging the image here. The front half looked more like a sledge or engineers hammer, than a ball peen, but the peen wasn't too far off.

 

[metaldad]

methinks Mr. ZRX wins..............

 

[Outlawmws]

Some other non-BP hammers of mine;

Inset mallets, currently rawhide, but you can put wood, brass, lead, whatever in them...

And some plastic face Hammers, a couple are old and I need to find or make faces for them...

And the solid plastic and rawhide mallets:

The Wood Mallets:

Getting heavier, Engineer, hammers, a heavy cross peen, and what I believe is a riveting hammer for hi-rise work.

And some sheet metal hammers, and a couple of heads needing handles. and of course the rivet sets. Still in use in the trades even if peened rivets are generally not...I have one more SM hammer, but it was in a box that is buried.

 

[woody 73]

Why do you torture me with showing me that cross peen hammer... I am swearing off looking at any more hammers no more torture I give up ; ten step program for me!

 

[garfunkle24]