beltdrive
Well-known member
The number 4 is so rare...can't find any closed listings. Only on Worthpoint which I don't have a membership to.
Hammer time!
- Thread starter Outlawmws
- Start date
steaks&anvils
Well-known member
google: "Atkins No 4 hammer" and turn on the images view.
Lots of examples. Yes Worthpoint shows up a lot, but they are not all the same listing. When you are in Worthpoint, at the bottom of the page you get more listings of similar items. When you view one of these, the listings at the bottom refresh with yet more listings.
The picclick listings link to lots of hammers for sale.
Some refurbished hammers, all were rusty thrift store finds or found from old sheds. I removed the rust, made new handles (all of them) and put some paint on some. The smallest ball peen hammer has a rowan handle and is used mostly for adjusting the blade on my hand planes.
The claw hammers are all manufactured in Finland in the old times. Billnäs or Kellokoski brands. The biggest claw hammer is ridiculously big. I was not sure what kind of handle it should have so I just made one in the same proportions as in the smaller ones.
The masonry hammer is also Billnäs, made in Finland. I put some paint on it as I propably won't have much use for it for a long time.
I propably won't have much use for the most of them but I just can't help myself when i see these lying around, abandoned. I also had lots of wood leftovers suitable for handles from the guitar building days...
Some of these I'll give to my kids when they grow up and leave the nest. I won't let them leave the house without a proper set of tools. This is also a great excuse for hoarding more vintage tools.
The claw hammers are all manufactured in Finland in the old times. Billnäs or Kellokoski brands. The biggest claw hammer is ridiculously big. I was not sure what kind of handle it should have so I just made one in the same proportions as in the smaller ones.
The masonry hammer is also Billnäs, made in Finland. I put some paint on it as I propably won't have much use for it for a long time.
I propably won't have much use for the most of them but I just can't help myself when i see these lying around, abandoned. I also had lots of wood leftovers suitable for handles from the guitar building days...
Some of these I'll give to my kids when they grow up and leave the nest. I won't let them leave the house without a proper set of tools. This is also a great excuse for hoarding more vintage tools.
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![20210226_100752[1].jpg](/forum/data/attachments/944/944729-b47bfa2a3f90082132e96094549982c0.jpg)
Beautiful work! Thanks for sharing and welcome to GJ. Are those manufacturers still in business? Any ideas on the age of your hammers?
Thanks! I'm not sure of the age but those manufacturer's have not been in business since the 1960's or so. (they started in the 1700's). Most likely they are from somewhere 20th century. some models have stayed quite the same throughout several decades.
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
Jeff, does Klein make their hammers or rebadge. Design looks familiar to me. I like it a lot.
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jeffmoss26
Well-known member
Not sure.
Just wait 'til you see my pliers! I've got still three sledgehammers (made in Finland), few engineer's hammers and one soviet hammer waiting for handles. I'm hoping to run out of handle wood soon so that I can focus on my chisels...
dutchgray
Well-known member
Its a Vaughan.
A friend asked how many hammers I have, and I said, "It depends..." So to settle it, I gathered them in four batches, the peens (cross, straight, and ball), the claws, the rocks, and the mauls. Categories aren't totally pure.
Nearly all of these have been picked up at consigment centers, ebay, and the ReStore Habitat shops. Most have needed a good wire-wheeling plus sanding down the handles (or replacing them). Then I usually refinished the handles with stain and two coats of shellac (plus wax sometimes).
The peens (among which are two Warringtons):
the claws (the one with the 16d nail is a Cheney Nailer):
the rocks (the one on the right is a Maydole):
the mauls, mallets, and miscellaneous:
Nearly all of these have been picked up at consigment centers, ebay, and the ReStore Habitat shops. Most have needed a good wire-wheeling plus sanding down the handles (or replacing them). Then I usually refinished the handles with stain and two coats of shellac (plus wax sometimes).
The peens (among which are two Warringtons):
the claws (the one with the 16d nail is a Cheney Nailer):
the rocks (the one on the right is a Maydole):
the mauls, mallets, and miscellaneous:
d.mcfarland
Well-known member
Tell your friend "not enough" and then never talk to him again.
Actually, he's probably more into tools than I, although not on this list. His current project is assembling a blacksmith rig in a shed on his house lot in a residential suburb of Phoenix. Can't wait to hear how that turns out.
Apologies if this isn't the right thread for a question on the history of hammer designs. Below is an image of three claw hammers (l to r) a Cheney, a Vaughan, and an unknown.
The Cheney has the common bell-and-neck design seen universally today, while at right are two others with a conical bell design that lacks an obvious neck. From looking at old catalogs, both designs were offered together for decades, but the "no-neck" version appears to be older.
Does anyone know if the latter design has a name it goes by? And can anyone point me to a history of hammer head types?
The Cheney has the common bell-and-neck design seen universally today, while at right are two others with a conical bell design that lacks an obvious neck. From looking at old catalogs, both designs were offered together for decades, but the "no-neck" version appears to be older.
Does anyone know if the latter design has a name it goes by? And can anyone point me to a history of hammer head types?
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dutchgray
Well-known member
We call those "English pattern" here, there are no so many manufacturers who still make a hammer like that now.
The 1934 Stanley catalog does not name the traditional patterns, but gives a descriptive term for each element of the head (face, poll, neck, eye, claw, etc). The element you are comparing is the “neck,” and the catalog describes that type, transitioning directly to the face, as “plain neck.” Hammer heads that taper to a small face (reversing the conic direction) are also termed “plain neck.” There are also “round necks” (which are more cylindrical) and “octagonal necks.” The same catalog describes one hammer as “red neck,” because the neck is painted with red enamel. How imaginative.
The 1914 Stanley catalog gives a nice hammer head anatomy.
The 1914 Stanley catalog gives a nice hammer head anatomy.
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I picked up a Bonney PH25 light dinging hammer with an interesting branded number on the handle. I am uncertain if this is the original handle - it was a little loose, but seemed the right age and is spot-on for length. I had it off to rework the fit, and I’m still uncertain. The number looks like BT274, maybe PT274. The presence of a non-Bonney part number does lean me toward thinking it is a replacement.
Comparing it to my Bonney PH22 bumping hammer doesn’t help, because I replaced that handle myself.
Comparing it to my Bonney PH22 bumping hammer doesn’t help, because I replaced that handle myself.
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jeffmoss26
Well-known member
Mmhmm
TailGunner3000
Well-known member
The wood was much tougher back in the day, just like people.
Forgive me if I’ve posted these before; today the vernal equinox has me thinking of my father and his garden.
A couple decades ago, he gifted me the short guy in the middle, a hammer he used for staking tomatoes, driving fence posts, and the like around the garden and yard, for as far back as I can remember.
It’s clearly stamped TrueTemper. In the past year or so, I’ve found and cleaned up a ripclaw and ballpein of similar apearance, though not branded that I’ve seen.
I know he has all he needs already, but I’m thinking I’ll gift him the set for Fathers’ Day (or earlier, as a post-vaccination gift).
A couple decades ago, he gifted me the short guy in the middle, a hammer he used for staking tomatoes, driving fence posts, and the like around the garden and yard, for as far back as I can remember.
It’s clearly stamped TrueTemper. In the past year or so, I’ve found and cleaned up a ripclaw and ballpein of similar apearance, though not branded that I’ve seen.
I know he has all he needs already, but I’m thinking I’ll gift him the set for Fathers’ Day (or earlier, as a post-vaccination gift).
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d42jeep
Well-known member
four.cycle
Well-known member
Vaughan & Bushnell Mfg. Co., 2114-38 Carroll Ave., Chicago, IL / http://alloy-artifacts.org/other-makers-p3.html#vaughan-bushnell
(the logo image is from a 1906 advertisement)
(curiously, Alloy-Artifacts.org shows a different logo. I still have over a hundred *.pdf files to pick through and will keep my eye out for the other logo.)
* In addition to the small images posted at Alloy-Artifacts.org on the "Trademarks and Logos" page, we have our own collection of tool manufacturer logos here on GJ:
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=288009
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Reminded myself that rehafting is out of season here. Started to do this 4lb Atha 750 (acquired with an ill-fitting, cheap handle), and realized the Hartwell Vacuum Cup handle had swelled after we stopped heating the house this Spring. Fortunately, a few warm days led to air conditioning, and a week later, it’s a match made in heaven.
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jeffmoss26
Well-known member
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
It’s a solid black handle, posted in the GS thread
Ton ton
Well-known member
Pardon the stupid question, what is the GS thread? Nice hammer, Jeff moss.
Ton ton
Well-known member
Nevermind I figured it out.
I guess I’m on a Stanley kick this week. Got a couple decapitations together for comparison. Stanley Standard 32oz at top (thanks to Don for reassuring me that it WAS Stanley), 25oz E.C. Simmons KeenKutter at bottom, and plain old 22oz Stanley in middle. (all head weight alone)
Except, it’s not that plain. At first I dismissed “FEC” as a PO’s initials, but closer inspection shows multiple “34”-in-a-keystone stamps. And an engraved cursive “Moe,” or somesuch.
Hmm. FEC could be a person, but something made me wonder about rail companies, and I found Florida East Coast. Maybe a little out of my locale, but bought at a flea market, not out of the realm of possibility. Tools go where people take them.
The “34” seems like a more important clue, but all I’ve found so far is the usual Masonic red herrings that spring up with any number combined with the word “keystone.”
Anyone know what a “34” in a keystone could be?
Last pic is the mysterious FEC head with an equalvalent Atha.
Except, it’s not that plain. At first I dismissed “FEC” as a PO’s initials, but closer inspection shows multiple “34”-in-a-keystone stamps. And an engraved cursive “Moe,” or somesuch.
Hmm. FEC could be a person, but something made me wonder about rail companies, and I found Florida East Coast. Maybe a little out of my locale, but bought at a flea market, not out of the realm of possibility. Tools go where people take them.
The “34” seems like a more important clue, but all I’ve found so far is the usual Masonic red herrings that spring up with any number combined with the word “keystone.”
Anyone know what a “34” in a keystone could be?
Last pic is the mysterious FEC head with an equalvalent Atha.
12oz Vaughan & Bushnell Mfg Co. 1882-1922, I guess. I don’t think I can see the eagle…
I can’t even see the Vaughan!
EDIT - from web-gazing a few clearer examples, I see that this logo doesn’t have an eagle - just a big script V & B inside the circle, and possibly Vanadium under the enclosing square. Not sure where it belongs chronologically.
I can’t even see the Vaughan!
EDIT - from web-gazing a few clearer examples, I see that this logo doesn’t have an eagle - just a big script V & B inside the circle, and possibly Vanadium under the enclosing square. Not sure where it belongs chronologically.
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RTM
Well-known member
Or maybe Keystone Drop Forging made them for Stanley, on machine 34?
I'm usually skeptical of anything stamped more than once belonging to the manufacturer.
I don't see the Masonic tie in in my searches, even trying to force it. Is Masonic district (chapter etc) #34 near you in Pennsylvania? MAybe there was an FEC member who was proud of his Mason membership?