Plumb Leader hammer

[Caddybill]

I just picked this up at a garage sale but I am not sure if its brand new or old and unused. It was really dusty but after cleaning it looks like new, possibly unused. How old is it?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v180/69cad/plumb%20hammer/plumb1.jpg
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/69cad/media/plumb%20hammer/plumb3.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/69cad/media/plumb%20hammer/plumb2.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2

Sorry about the links, something changed in my photobucket account .

 

[Caddybill]

I did google it but was not able to date it. Is it just too new?

 

[Youngguns]

I don't think there's anything too unique about that hammer. It's either old, manufactured in the US, and a good hammer, or it's new, Chinese, and probably still an acceptable hammer. It hard to mess up a hammer. Anyways, I love my Plumb hammers and axes, but there's nothing too special about them. Take a look at the "Show Me Your Hammer" thread or whatever it's called to see some more unique and more coveted brands.

"Hammer time!" - http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143435

 

[woody 73]

what you have is new old stock, just how old; I am not sure without seeing any of their older catalogs to look through.

Look for me at the top of the eye and tell me what you see, if you see what looks like a screw holding the head on then it is indeed older stock.

Now Mr. Young guns now, now...all hammers are unique don't get me started on that post show me your clamps although I like them hammers are more interesting to me at least.

 

[Youngguns]

what you have is new old stock, just how old; I am not sure without seeing any of their older catalogs to look through.

Look for me at the top of the eye and tell me what you see, if you see what looks like a screw holding the head on then it is indeed older stock.

Now Mr. Young guns now, now...all hammers are unique don't get me started on that post show me your clamps although I like them hammers are more interesting to me at least.

I used to think all my hammers were unique, then I joined Garage Journal..

 

[KEH]

Looks like a cheaper version, probably made in China since there's no USA on the head. The round shank next to the striking surface is common with the cheaper line of hammers. As someone said, it will probably perform adequately.

Years ago I got a carpenter to build my house. He bought a new Stanley Steelmaster hammer. When the job was over he gave me the hammer. It showed the use of driving a lot of nails. I kept it for years and finally gave it to one of the children and told them they story behind the hammer. The carpenter didn't like Plumbs because they were made of hard brittle steel that might break off little chunks of steel that would wind up in your skin. The hammer head did have dings in it.

KEH

 

[woody 73]

Sometimes as an older geezer I read some things that confuse the **** out of me so instead of calling someone out I always try and do some research just to make sure I am on the right path as they say.

GJ member KEH wrote a few things that confused me and I had to look more into the facts of the case as they say...

cheaper version with no USA on the head...
Buying a new Stanley steelmaster when the job was over he gave me the hammer.
Plumbs being made with hard brittle steel that break off in little chunks.

The story above confused me I think what the op was trying to say is the carpenter did not give away the steelmaster to the op but rather an old plumb???

Ok first off you must look for the USA stamp it is on there (older made tools).
Little chunks breaking off I don't see much of that in all my plumb hammers.
Steelmaster is also in top shape.

I am inclosing pictures to help future hammer buyers.

 

[woody 73]

Steelmaster up next:

 

[woody 73]

I have used and seen many of both brands and I don't see the missing chunk problems, what was that carpenter hitting???

 

[Youngguns]

Woody, I think what Keh was saying was that the carpenter that built his house bought that hammer prior to building the house, built the house with it, and then gave it to Keh (as that was the hammer that built his house, sentimental value and what not). Also, sometime during construction, his carpenter mentioned that he wasn't fond of Plumbs because they're too hard. Which is funny, because when reading about axes, many mention Plumbs as being relatively soft.

Anyways, were old Plumb tools stamped with USA? I've got an old axe, an old file, and two old ball peins, none of which are marked USA. Each just has "PLUMB" enclosed in a rectangle, exactly like the OP's hammer.

 

[KEH]

Youngguns has it right, the carpenter said he always bought a new hammer for the house job and gave it to the owner at the end of the job. I've never had a plumb hammer break off chips either, i was just repeating the story. My father was a carpenter in his youth before World War I, and he swore by Plumb hammers and Disston saws. He didn't continue the carpenter's trade after the War because of an eye injury due to a shell burst.

Back to the op's hammer, I have seen many hammers that look like that and they were not usually top of the line hammers. That doesn't mean they won't give good service. Like was said above, a hammer is a hammer and few of us will wear one out in a lifetime. However, years ago my daughter went on a mission trip repairing poor people's houses in the state and I got her a frameing hammer from HF. One of the men supervising the volunteers used the hammer. The waffle points on the head were worn almost smooth when she got back home, illustrating that quality counts. At least no one stole the hammer, LOL. That was also the last hammer I bought from HF.

BTW, my house build was before the common use of air nailers.

Also BTW I'm sure everyone is aware that Plumb has gone to China. I hated that almost as much as Vise Grips going to China.

KEH