Hand forged, or just really primitive?

[Stillgottimefor1]

This heavy lunker should probably be framed and displayed with a sign saying, “In Case of Emergency Break Glass and Use This as a Weapon!”

 

[wrenchguy]

I'd say closed die forged using a press, look for parting seams and grind marks along the edges.
To me hand forged means a individual piece made by a blacksmith using a hammer or power hammer. A large open die forge operator can man handle larger pieces hung off cranes or chain falls for a end result. Kinda boils down to "handforged = one of a kind".

 

[leg17]

Can't see the important details from the pics, but looks hand forged to me.
(That implies some hand filing work as well.)
If hand made, a pretty fair job.
I have a bucket of them and many are quite a bit less refined than yours.

 

[four.cycle]

hand forged:



wrenchguy is correct.

 

[leg17]

This heavy lunker should probably be framed and displayed with a sign saying, “In Case of Emergency Break Glass and Use This as a Weapon!”

Can you add photo of the side? Maybe we can see evidence of draft or flash.
How thick is that wrench?
Are there any other markings besides the hand stamped S S or 5 5 or what ever that is?

 

[Stillgottimefor1]

Can you add photo of the side? Maybe we can see evidence of draft or flash.
How thick is that wrench?
Are there any other markings besides the hand stamped S S or 5 5 or what ever that is?

 

[Dumber than lumber]

Proof of concept gone wrong for the hammer-wrench?

 

[leg17]

T

Thanks.
Looks hand forged to me.
The shank area has been ground smooth as a die-forged wrench would be but there seems to be no draft to the head area.
Thanks for the extra effort and the additional photos.
Any other markings identified?
I have myself and seen other wrenches hand forged that have a nice quality to the work as yours does.

 

[Stillgottimefor1]

Don’t know what ‘draft’ means other than referring to beer or carburetor types or fireplaces or military service…guess I gotta learn again today no other markings.

 

[wrenchguy]

Draft is the radius along the edges of the wrench so it releases from the die usually by only vibrating/tipping it. I also noted a hard corners on the heads but i still believe die forged. He's asking about markings because that could give a definitive answer. Its a nice piece regardless.

 

[Seppala]

I'd say closed die forged using a press, look for parting seams and grind marks along the edges.
To me hand forged means a individual piece made by a blacksmith using a hammer or power hammer. A large open die forge operator can man handle larger pieces hung off cranes or chain falls for a end result. Kinda boils down to "handforged = one of a kind".

Wrenchguy is right. When I worked in a living history museum as a smith we made wrenches as needed. Typically they would be a single open end wrench. On this particular wrench there appears to be grind marks where the parting seam would have been.