Hammer time!

[zkling]

Just brought this in from its long forgotten place in the garage . What are these called?

Straight peen hammer

Cross peen hammer. Most are 90 deg the other way.

I believe that is actually a straight peen hammer. The cross peens are 90° apart from the straight peen.

 

[zkling]

Can anyone put an approximate timeframe on this old Estwing? Any tips on restoring the leather stack handle? It looked like it came from the ocean floor when I got it. After a heavy wire wheeling to remove rust it turned out OK. The plate on the bottom says "Pat app for" maybe that helps to determine age?

 

[Outlawmws]

Yep, but my brain is half dead tonight. I was probably lucky to (get) the Peen and Hammer parts right!

 

[demographic]

Can anyone put an approximate timeframe on this old Estwing? Any tips on restoring the leather stack handle? It looked like it came from the ocean floor when I got it. After a heavy wire wheeling to remove rust it turned out OK. The plate on the bottom says "Pat app for" maybe that helps to determine age?

I don't know the date but its an old one, as well as the much more curved claws than the modern curved claw one its also got a slightly different shape to the side of the head.
I have one the same that I got from my local secondhand place and the only other Estwing I have seen like it was supposedly from the 1950s. That's just from a picture I saw on the net though.

The one on the left is the design like yours and the one on the left is the more modern design head.

I really should get some new leather washers for mine and sort it out as its a good hammer other than the few plastic washers that have broken.

 

[GINIK]

Two big hammers from "Tors hammer".
1kg and 5kg.
The bigger one is repainted sometime.
I have to put the original color on that later .

 

[GINIK]

My brand new Vaughan 32 oz ball peen hammer, beside a restored 12 oz Tor.

 

[3baygarage]

Something neat for you guys. Craftsman solid steel ball peen hammers with aluminum handles.
Funny story with these. I stopped at a yard sale years ago when I was constantly collecting vintage Craftsman. I saw these on a table and thought wouldn't it be funny if they happened to be Craftsman(I had never seen or heard of all metal Craftsman hammers). Picked one up to take a look and said I'll be darned.

 

[iajonesy]

Those Cman hammers are cool. I'd like to stumble onto a set.

Mike

 

[nine4gmc]

Those Cman hammers are cool. I'd like to stumble onto a set.

Mike

This^!!

 

[zkling]

Those Cman hammers are cool. I'd like to stumble onto a set.

Mike

X10 What are the size ranges in say face diameter?

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Had to stop Hammertime last week.

https://scontent-b-lhr.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/527127_285184998312147_1542245343_n.jpg

 

[3baygarage]

X10 What are the size ranges in say face diameter?

I will get back to you on that.

Had to stop Hammertime last week.

https://scontent-b-lhr.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/527127_285184998312147_1542245343_n.jpg

Lookout! Moose is on the loose and getting dangerous.

I've never been into hammers like some are, but all the more reason to keep lots of 'em around, right?

 

[Tejaas]

Can anyone put an approximate timeframe on this old Estwing? Any tips on restoring the leather stack handle? It looked like it came from the ocean floor when I got it. After a heavy wire wheeling to remove rust it turned out OK. The plate on the bottom says "Pat app for" maybe that helps to determine age?

Depending on how far along those stacked handle washers are, you can bring them back supple and tight with a long soak in some high grade saddle oil /neatsfoot.

If you have the time, heat the oil up and keep it warm and thin during the soak.

I've reconditioned saddles owned by my great-grandfather using this method... Two of them in particular hung in open-air barn rafters and date 1919 & 1927 on the tie-strap holder.


~Tejaas~

WTB: Snap-On Orange Hard Handle SDD6 & SSDP63 in Very Good Condition!

 

[RivennHewn]

Few old bangers and one new one:

Howe's wood faced mallet circa 1880 New Ipe inserts.

French slater's hammer circa mid 1800's Seems unused.

Brades stapped hammer

New little shot filled dead blow by Hultafors. Never heard of them, impulse buy on Ebay.

 

[Outlawmws]

Had to stop Hammertime last week.

https://scontent-b-lhr.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/527127_285184998312147_1542245343_n.jpg

Time to round up a new handle!

 

[Outlawmws]

I like those Craftsman BP's and Rivennhewn, you have some unique ones there!

 

[Fretters]

I believe that is actually a straight peen hammer. The cross peens are 90° apart from the straight peen.

Is it just me, or is it a dog to get hold of straight peins these days? There have been a few occasions where I'd have given my left nut to have one, yet I've never managed to drop on one as yet. I have a few cross peins, but not a single straight.

 

[Outlawmws]

I rarely see straight pein hammers ever on the used market, so I don't think they were ever as popular as a cross pein, (not that you see a lot of cross peins either...)

 

[Fretters]

Glad to know it's not just me they're hiding from. One of those things you rarely need, but when you do you really do.

 

[zkling]

Is it just me, or is it a dog to get hold of straight peins these days? There have been a few occasions where I'd have given my left nut to have one, yet I've never managed to drop on one as yet. I have a few cross peins, but not a single straight.

Eh, I think they are one of those tools that people that have them know and use them for a specific purpose. They are easy to buy new if you know where to look. Don't expect to find them at the local hardware store though. I have a few and IIRC all but one were made by myself back when I was heavy into forging. And that is about the only place will find them. Even then they are not nearly as common as their cross peen brothers. Then again how many people actually use the peen side of a ball peen hammer these days? If I ever found a small ball peen styled straight peen hammer I'd probably pick it up cheap, but it's not something I expect to run across at garage sales.

 

[Fretters]

If I ever found a small ball peen styled straight peen hammer I'd probably pick it up cheap, but it's not something I expect to run across at garage sales.

That would be the perfect combo, a ball and straight pein on one head.

 

[Fretters]

Took a photo of a quirky little hammer whilst I was out in the shed.

Bought it quite a while ago. It was the handle which attracted me to that one as much as owt else.

 

[zkling]

Took a photo of a quirky little hammer whilst I was out in the shed.

Bought it quite a while ago. It was the handle which attracted me to that one as much as owt else.

Yea unfortunately you don't see many octagonal handles these days outside of body hammers, even then.

 

[Fretters]

I never even knew you could get that style of handle until I saw that one. I take it it's to prevent it possibly twisting around in the hand during use?

 

[Outlawmws]

Plvmb/Proto and SO both use/used octagonal handles, and I've got an Indestro straight Claw hammer that has a similar handle.

Sort of surprised to see a Plumb over there on that side of the pond. Do you get a lot of them over there?

 

[Fretters]

Not that I've personally noted, though I tend not to search for hammers in general. It's usually the old Thor copper/rawhide ones that I search for, so that one likely came up in a search for those, (I still haven't managed to get hold of an old Thor yet, ironically ). I guess these are a decent quality hammer?

 

[Outlawmws]

Plomb makes good hammers, I like my Vaughn better though for carpenters hammers. Hard to beat Plvmb/Proto or SO for body hammers, but there are several others as good.

 

[zkling]

Here was one of my favorite forging hammers. ~2.5lbs IIRC. Plumb cross peen. One of the few factory made forging hammers I have.

 

[GINIK]

My biggest and smallest Tor ball pein hammer.
48 and 4 oz.

 

[Deskmechanic]

Was buying a milling machine last weekend and asked the seller (friend) about other tools, and he pointed me to a pile that contained three 8-12oz sized ball peins and a big (4 lb?) cross pein. None had handles of course, but the price was good (free).

Then, when I was buying a lathe a few days later, I asked if they had other tools and found two unused handles that are a good match for the largest and smallest ball pein heads.

And they had a cool rawhide hammer with a short handle, a long brass (or copper? I can't tell), and a tiny 1.5-oz ball pein with a delicate handle and some custom wire wrapping.

Incidentally does anyone know where to get steel wedges? I suppose I could make some with a bit of scrap steel and the bench grinder.

 

[bodyguy16]

Any hardware/renovation center should carry both steel and wood wedges

 

[Outlawmws]

SNIP

Incidentally does anyone know where to get steel wedges? I suppose I could make some with a bit of scrap steel and the bench grinder.

Any hardware/renovation center should carry both steel and wood wedges

Nice finds! and either will work...

 

[GINIK]

Was buying a milling machine last weekend and asked the seller (friend) about other tools, and he pointed me to a pile that contained three 8-12oz sized ball peins and a big (4 lb?) cross pein. None had handles of course, but the price was good (free).

Then, when I was buying a lathe a few days later, I asked if they had other tools and found two unused handles that are a good match for the largest and smallest ball pein heads.

And they had a cool rawhide hammer with a short handle, a long brass (or copper? I can't tell), and a tiny 1.5-oz ball pein with a delicate handle and some custom wire wrapping.

Incidentally does anyone know where to get steel wedges? I suppose I could make some with a bit of scrap steel and the bench grinder.

Hello Deskmechanic
You could also make wodden wedges for your hammers.
Small hammers usually only uses a wodden wedge.
I prefer wodden wedges because it locks more clean,
you dont crack the wood,
and it will be easier to replace the handle later if needed.
But of course, its a little bit more tricky to get the job done.

 

[Deskmechanic]

Hello Deskmechanic
You could also make wodden wedges for your hammers.
Small hammers usually only uses a wodden wedge.
I prefer wodden wedges because it locks more clean,
you dont crack the wood,
and it will be easier to replace the handle later if needed.
But of course, its a little bit more tricky to get the job done.

Thanks for the tip. I have only used the "wood wedge AND metal wedge" method, but I'm not opposed to trying something new.

I'm not very handy with wood, however, and I don't have anything like a belt sander to make a wedge quickly.

 

[Hpozzuoli]

Here's my updated collection of automotive related hammers. Mostly snap on with some sk and blue point mixed in.

 

[Restore B4 Paying More]

I heard a rumor that when installing a head onto a handle if it's not as snug as you'd like, you can soak it with antifreeze and it'll swell the wood and stay because anti freeze doesn't evaporate. I've never heard of this until today. Has anyone else here heard of this or tried it? Is it true?

 

[Tejaas]

I heard a rumor that when installing a head onto a handle if it's not as snug as you'd like, you can soak it with antifreeze and it'll swell the wood and stay because anti freeze doesn't evaporate. I've never heard of this until today. Has anyone else here heard of this or tried it? Is it true?

I've tried it, along with a BLO soak.
Temporary solution at best.

Just re-shim it.
Or use a couple horsehoe nails, haha


~Tejaas~

WTB: Snap-On Orange Hard Handle SSDP63 in Very Good Condition!

 

[Mohawk Dave]

I heard a rumor that when installing a head onto a handle if it's not as snug as you'd like, you can soak it with antifreeze and it'll swell the wood and stay because anti freeze doesn't evaporate. I've never heard of this until today. Has anyone else here heard of this or tried it? Is it true?

Not true. The antifreeze or any liquid will swell the head temporarily. Correct way is to custom shave the handle to size. But if you are repairing an existing one, turn the hammer upside down, hold it in the air, grab a mallet or soft faced hammer and smack the bottom of the handle. The head will force upward on the handle. Then turn over and install a wedge.

 

[Restore B4 Paying More]

That what I believed but wasn't positive. Thank you.

 

[onewaydave]

Antifreeze contains water. It evaporates. A hammer handle needs to be as dry as possible, period. If it ever looses water, it shrinks, loosens and hits somebody in the head......

Oh. well you get the idea.

Dave, champion of dry wooden hammer handles.