I purchased an estate full of vintage and antique tools and have been slowly researching and listing them. However, I have a buyer interested in an some vintage and antique mallets and hammers. i have very little knowledge in that area and am hoping someone can lead me in the direction to learn the basics and give me an idea of what thase two are. The one was without the handle and looks to have been a mallet. Any help and direction would be helpful. I have a ton of antique masonry and carpenter stuff and have been putting off researching them, because I truly don’t know where to begin lol
Need help identifying and valuing (hammer)
- Thread starter Tburk1
- Start date
Juat a little help on taking pics if I may. I find it that I keep my flash off, take the pic at a distance that the image becomes clear, and do it, if possible, in natural light (not direct sunlight). Then after..... I crop each pic before I post them this way the image is nice and clear and big and all the other stuff that doesn't need to be in the pic isn't. My appoligies I cannot help on the hammer.
four.cycle
Well-known member
Hello again Mr. Tburk1
As noted by JjKk40, you're going to have to up your game a bit with the photos there.
Old eyeballs need nice, clear, large images to be able to focus on fine details like herald marks on hammer heads.
Hammers, mauls, sledges, axes, adzes, grub hoes, and other like edge tools will generally have some sort of stamp on them which identifies the maker.
Again, refer to the sticky thread
here is a thread of logo and ID marks where you might find something that looks familiar
While it is certainly not 100% complete, it's a starting point.
It might expedite things if you can find the herald mark on the unit (try a fine wire brush or steel wool to clean up the surface) and get a decent clear image of it, somebody here might be able to figure out what you have there.
The success rate here on identifying old hammers and axes has been pretty good here lately.
Get back to us. We love nice photos of weird old tools.
As noted by JjKk40, you're going to have to up your game a bit with the photos there.
Old eyeballs need nice, clear, large images to be able to focus on fine details like herald marks on hammer heads.
Hammers, mauls, sledges, axes, adzes, grub hoes, and other like edge tools will generally have some sort of stamp on them which identifies the maker.
Again, refer to the sticky thread
here is a thread of logo and ID marks where you might find something that looks familiar
While it is certainly not 100% complete, it's a starting point.
It might expedite things if you can find the herald mark on the unit (try a fine wire brush or steel wool to clean up the surface) and get a decent clear image of it, somebody here might be able to figure out what you have there.
The success rate here on identifying old hammers and axes has been pretty good here lately.
Get back to us. We love nice photos of weird old tools.
woody 73
Well-known member
For me to be able to id it I need you to soak it in a bucket of evapo rust and then gently take a soft wire brush and get the last of the rust off of it, then take close up pictures of any makers marks on it.
Now by the time you do all of that, you are not going to retire off the sale of that hammer, as a matter of fact just buying a new handle will be twice the cost of the hammer head, let alone the cost of 1 gallon of evapo rust.
I pay at garage sales anywhere from $1.00 up to $20.00 dollars depending on condition, condition, condition.
Again, just my two cents...
Now by the time you do all of that, you are not going to retire off the sale of that hammer, as a matter of fact just buying a new handle will be twice the cost of the hammer head, let alone the cost of 1 gallon of evapo rust.
I pay at garage sales anywhere from $1.00 up to $20.00 dollars depending on condition, condition, condition.
Again, just my two cents...
Last edited:
Joe Huld
Well-known member
The sledge in your first two pictures is virtually worthless. The item in the last picture is blacksmiths set hammer or a flatter and could be worth listing if cleaned up. You need to clean it up and identify the maker and the size.
Ty for the feedback. I’m a tech idiot lol
Ty your feedback was helpful. I decided to take the $25 offer for the small one and list the others together. I appreciate you taking the time to help