Some small hammers I made

I forgot to mention: Before you harden W1 or 01 steel hammers,take a flat nose punch and pack steel wool into the eye of the hammer as tight as you can hammer it down with the punch. This will keep the head from cracking from the hole when it is quenched. Old die makers used to pack holes with clay,but clay does not allow the holes to harmed on the inside,decreasing the life of the die. Steel wool will allow the eye of the hammer to harden,but reduces or eliminates the shock of quenching. Water hardening tool steel is the most treacherous steel to harden. Air hardening types,like A2 are the best for maintaining dimensions accurately,not warping,or not cracking from holes.

Sometimes even stamped letters or numbers can cause a crack,most especially in water hardening steels.

Brine is the best quench for water hardening steels. The brine does not let little bubbles form around the steel when quenching,reducing unwanted stresses. Make a Brine quench by dissolving ice cream salt in water until a potato will float. This makes about a 7% quench. Still use the steel wool.
 
Small hammers does not in any way do them justice. They are works of art and even functional. It is a joy to see such a display of artistry.

Michael
 
george wilson said:
I forgot to mention: Before you harden W1 or 01 steel hammers,take a flat nose punch and pack steel wool into the eye of the hammer as tight as you can hammer it down with the punch. This will keep the head from cracking from the hole when it is quenched. Old die makers used to pack holes with clay,but clay does not allow the holes to harmed on the inside,decreasing the life of the die. Steel wool will allow the eye of the hammer to harden,but reduces or eliminates the shock of quenching. Water hardening tool steel is the most treacherous steel to harden. Air hardening types,like A2 are the best for maintaining dimensions accurately,not warping,or not cracking from holes.

Sometimes even stamped letters or numbers can cause a crack,most especially in water hardening steels.

Brine is the best quench for water hardening steels. The brine does not let little bubbles form around the steel when quenching,reducing unwanted stresses. Make a Brine quench by dissolving ice cream salt in water until a potato will float. This makes about a 7% quench. Still use the steel wool.
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George,

I went and saved that as a document on my computer for future use. Great tips!

Thanks much,

-Ron
 
Many thanks for posting this George.

Your hammers are fine examples of the old fashioned craftsmanship that I admire so very much.
The font of the stamp letter seems to be special. You are so right about the antique stamps , they make the character of the work?

That really sets the units off.

My late father was a jeweler/watchmaker and I remember one of his hammers for doing something I think was called repouse, if I have the spelling correct.The bulbous handles are very familiar.
I did not take after him but rather used hammers in a different way. I was a boilermaker.

I am enthused enough to turn some samples myself .Hammers are like spanners, sorry! wrenches, as each does a different job.
Thanks heaps for the post
 
George, I noticed that you had stamped some identification on the sides of the head on one of them. "F" and "C" I believe it is. Fine and Coarse? Or something else entirely?
 
Because of my excessive detailing,it means curved and flat. When a quick look by the user would have sufficed!!:)
 
Well, I wouldn't call that excessive. Now if you had out the diameter, weight, time of day, phase of the moon when you made them, well.........:lmao:
 
I really over labeled the set of riffler files I made. I could post them,but really need to set up the tripod and take some decent pictures rather than using the bad pictures I've already taken.
 
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