Is this hammer anything special?

[jacked_72]

This is an old hammer that I picked up with some other stuff. I'm interested to see if it is anything special. The handle is unique, but I don't know if that is someone's custom work of if it came that way.

 

[woody 73]

I am off somewhat, wish I had a catalog but the horseshoe with the (A) in the center reminds me of the Diamond calk horseshoe but they used a triangle around the letter (A); and your hammer is missing that triangle.

The mystery deepens...

 

[neophyte]

I think the handle was someones custom work. Just looking at the handle and comparing it to the head size I'd guess the hammer was re-handled at some point, or it looks possibly like the original handle was cut down. The grooves cut around the hammer would likely have been done to help prevent the hammer from slipping out of the operators hand mid swing. Current wood handled Lixie bronze hammers use a similar grooved handle design for slip resistance.

 

[RivennHewn]

Atha.

Somehow connected to Stanley, but I forget how and why and when.

 

[sc3013]

Use to do the handle treatment to all my work hammers. We worked around a lot of oil and grease. I would rotate the handle onto the edge of a bench grinder wheel. Works very well, and didn't seem to weaken it any, as I never broke a handle in that area.

 

[spike99250]

Atha. Stanley partnered up with them(probably eventually bought them). Stanley-Atha made all types of body tools, hammers , chisels, prybars, and blacksmithing tools.
I have an old 1941 catalogue that shows their products.

 

[woody 73]

Atha. Stanley partnered up with them(probably eventually bought them). Stanley-Atha made all types of body tools, hammers , chisels, prybars, and blacksmithing tools.
I have an old 1941 catalogue that shows their products.

Spike any way you could show a picture of the horseshoe logo from your old catalog? I have some old Stanley-Atha cold chisels but they do not have any logos.

 

[woody 73]

Picture of the cold chisel but again no logo...

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...5994B358681472B31C1AAA7EEC083&selectedIndex=2

 

[Rust]

If you hit your thumb and then your thumb hurts. I'd say it works.
And therefore special.

 

[woody 73]

Ok you boys might have "HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD" NOT THE THUMB...

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...9216D36932A9531AF14126D6DBE1&selectedIndex=21

 

[woody 73]

Heck yes "ALL" hammers are special and your hammer is an old Stanley a real keeper!

 

[WWIIjeep]

Atha. Stanley partnered up with them(probably eventually bought them). Stanley-Atha made all types of body tools, hammers , chisels, prybars, and blacksmithing tools.
I have an old 1941 catalogue that shows their products.

Stanley bought Atha Tool Co. outright in 1913. They continued to use the Atha name and trademark for many many years afterward.

FWIW, Stanley rarely "partnered" with anyone. They simply bought companies whose products they wanted--a LOT of companies. Even the 2010 "merger" with Black & Decker left most of Stanley's upper management in charge.

 

[zkling]

Cool hammer. It must be crazy hammer handle week.