Blacksmithing hammers

[@johnnygermaine591]

Good video - especially for people like me who are just starting out. Sometimes it’s hard to find a video that covers the basics. Thank you

[@BlackBearForge]

I am glad you found the video helpful

[@gadsdenconsulting7126]

I know this is an old video, but THANK YOU for posting this! Everything I wondered about blacksmithing hammers, but never knew!! Subbed!

[@BlackBearForge]

Glad I could help!

[@alexkatsaros6180]

The exchange of experience and knowledge by discussion and demonstration is the most valuable assets that human beings can pass on. Better than money! Thank you John!

[@christopherbright1048]

The best thing about your videos especially those one fabrication is that you always give measurements. As a guy returning to smiting it is nice to be able to replicate what you've fashioned, thanks great videos

[@joshuarodriguez6741]

I am a aspiring blacksmith acquiring the tools and education slowly while running a small business. I just bought my first hammer yesterday at a flea market and came across your video today to validate whether I made the right decision on my hammers style. I am very shocked to say I actually bought a vintage craftsman, same weight, style and lettering as your first hammer! Thanks for educating and sharing, can’t wait to start hammering away

[@antonemilit2178]

Hi, for some reason I bought a Peter Wright anvil 108, pristine condition (300 usd) - hardly used. I guess i just loved the look of it. Now im looking at blacksmith hammers... Hello fro South Africa

[@BlackBearForge]

Enjoy the craft, it can by a lot of fun

[@Paul_Strumpher]

Hi go to anvil SA and hi also from SA im starting to do blacksmith

[@srl413]

I learned more from this man in 2 hours than i could have learned in a lifetime by myself thank you so much for these videos

[@BlackBearForge]

Glad to help

[@N95787]

As always, you’re the man. Thanks for the info.

[@cattelona100]

you are a true craftsman , you probably forgot more than I know , keep it up very informative and appropriate information relayed very well [ from the uk }

[@BlackBearForge]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Dirtbiker-guy]

I never knew there was such a thing as "hammer envy" until now. All jokes aside, this was a very informative video. Thank you.

[@FAmeloon]

Thank you so much for going so in depth in the different peen types. I have recently gotten into blacksmithing and that was one of my biggest questions. Your explanation about the different cross-sections and how they are used to move the metal is exactly what I needed to know! Your channel has definitely been one of my favorites to learn from on this journey!

[@littleh4xx0r]

being a quite big guy, i am very lucky concerning handles. i can just use them of the shelf, i do however remove the varnish for better grip. really dunno why they but that stuff on there. imo 1 to 2kg Hammers are the most comfortable to work with. also, bought hammers are nice point to start making custom hammers. i usually just redress bought hammers from the hardware store for blacksmithing

[@nightsquatchprepper6965]

Thank you sir for the great video it was very educational me and my 13 year old son is wanting to get into this and we are trying to watch all yhe videos we can. We are trying to save up for an anvil right now

[@41259rick]

I really like your content. Very informative for someone just getting started in blacksmithing. Would love to see an episode on how to fix chipped hammers.

[@littlemiki2420]

Awesome and very informative!! I'm trying to draw a design a blacksmith character, so this video helped me know which hammers to give him! Thank you! May Jesus Christ bless you!

[@grayjackgaming1746]

Im about to make a 3D model of a blacksmith hammer and wanted to know more before I got started. thank you.

[@garygraham2974]

Great hammer video John

[@HarjitSingh-cv8ld]

Am a blacksmith sir and I love to work with my sledgehammer like your videos

[@stevefarley7014]

A Hammer chip just went into my left forearm when hitting an S7 hot cut. Extremely painful reminder to dress my hammers with rounded edges. 😢 now I’m out of the shop and going back through Johns older videos on hammers and dressing hammers. BTW - love that hammer and won’t blame Nordic forge. Also highly appreciative of the lessons John has provided on shop safety.

[@andpersand25]

Very informative!

[@webneko9842]

I learned so much from this. Thank you!

[@mikemichelizzi2023]

I had noticed your diagonal peen hammer in some of your other videos and was wondering about it but never got around to asking. I think that's the hammer I'll use as inspiration if I ever forge one. Thank you for all of your videos, they're really helpful as I learn blacksmithing.

[@BlackBearForge]

The diagonal peen hammer is one of my favorites at just under 2 pounds. I do wish I had made the peen a bit larger though.

[@destinationunknown7857]

Very informative. Thankyou

[@jeremylindseylawson3402]

I am a loyal follower of your videos for the last year . Im glad I found this video because my 14 year old son is learning welding and he wants to learn all types of metal working and this explains a lot to him on the use of hammers in the blacksmith shop . Thanks for all the info that you put out there. you do an awesome job , im always watching your older videos and looking forward to anything you put out . Keep up the great work .

[@BlackBearForge]

Glad to help

[@masteronone2079]

Just been putting handles on some heads I've collected over the years. Started counting, got to 40 so far and I'm only a voyeur as far as smithing goes.

[@joergwiesmann4261]

....thank YOU soooo much !!! I' m a old man .... but brand new in this kinde of work !!! I learnd soooo much !!! kinde regards from Switzerland !!!

[@BlackBearForge]

Glad I could help!

[@olegpetelevitch4443]

Thank you !

[@paulramos6767]

Very informative thank you !

[@robertkoontz7865]

Great tip on flattening the peen on a cross peen hammer. I'm sure there are many modifications a smithy customizes when it comes to factory built/designed tools. If you could go over some that'd be great. :-)

[@johnspiller5048]

Very helpful, thank you

[@jimhartley491]

Great video…very informative.

[@D92_Will_O.G]

Im so glad i found this. Thank you

[@horneygeorgeforge7079]

sounds like you hammered it home! thanks for sharing!

[@Stillpoint23]

Nice, now I have a good reference when I start looking for my first set of hammers, though I already have a ball pein. I'm taking my first class in February so I'm hoping to at least get a little time in beforehand moving some metal around. I have a big chunk of plate steel to hammer on unless I can get a piece of railroad track in the next two weeks. I'll be hunting for a proper anvil along with the hammers. I'm definitely excited to get started :)

[@paulorchard7960]

I had a pin hammer made by a smith years ago when I was an apprentice shipwright and over the years the face has mushroomed a little. I now know why, he assumed I would be using it as a punch but thats not why shipwrights have pin hammers! Thanks for the information, I will continue to learn from you as I keep building my skills and blacksmithing!

[@TheOldaz1]

Good to get your take on hammers, thanks John, makes sense to me.

[@ddvd]

This was a great video! I specifically needed the info about dressing hammers. I love your videos.

[@waynemalford3020]

I appreciate your content. It's informative and entertaining. Thank you Sir

[@ashpowell9451]

Appreciate the info, I'm just starting out and this helps immensely, particularly the "rolling pin" analogy which explains why I've been pounding like crazy without much effect.

[@dragan3290]

I needed this video. Clear and well explained as I'm new to blacksmithing! Being an Ex carpenter, glazier/ aluminum joinery trade. I love using the hammer or hammers! Lol. All I need is a n anvil or railroad track. I saw a guy mount a 20 mm thick steel plate onto a log. He mounted the log in the ground. Apparently sound dampening? Amazing workmanship. A lot to learn. I am looking into a blacksmith course in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It's become too much of a throwaway society. Unbelievable in how much stuff I have found thrown out? From mild steel 2.4 m angles at 3 mm thick to 10 mm round plates of steel at a diameter of 500 mm. Steel tubing. All the more for me to practice. I even scored some firebrick! Enough for a small blade. Love your vids dude! Have a great weekend. Cheers 🙂👍👍👍

[@neilyeag]

Good info and well presented thanks John.

[@thomashall4647]

This is good information. I have wanted to ask about the hammers. I would like to buy a 2.5 lb angle peen. This may not be the correct platform. I am without experience, would like to learn.

[@dustinroberts6771]

I’m new to this channel and I’m learning a lot thanks.

[@peterreinke6221]

Such a great video, very informative as always.

[@heinoobermeyer7566]

I have two very beautiful cross pean hammers, one at each end of the spectrum. One is a 1kg forging hammer and the other is a 10kg striker hammer. I love both dearly, but I wish I could use the big old gal more often

[@fredir3596]

Thanks for the video. I have so many questions and this helped immensely.

[@schattenvolkofficial1121]

Very useful for my writing research, thank you!

[@TFWS6]

I found this channel while looking for tutorials on making a squirrel cooker. I’ve subscribed and have learned a lot from your videos! I’ve managed to scrape together some basic tools to give it a try. I don’t have a cross peen hammer yet but hopefully I’ll come across something of decent quality at a thrift shop soon.

[@BlackBearForge]

There are some great hammers out there, sometimes the thrift store find is better than the new ones.

[@jackmiller3628]

I'm a newbie and I love your videos. May never get to do everything you demonstrate but they are informative and entertaining. thanks.

[@oscarsoliz781]

Lol I'm trying to learn how to blacksmith and my first hammer is a harbor freight 3 pound cross pin

[@blubberboy1897]

Same bro

[@GoldenRuffian]

Same. And their 20 dollar anvil! ✊💯

[@McGowanForge]

Yea same

[@marvinostman522]

Don't apologize for "aimlessly rambling." It is during these ramblings that knowledge is brought out may otherwise be buried with someone when they die because the occasion never arose to ask about while they were alive but would be very helpful years later. Ramble on.

[@shanejohns7901]

I couldn't agree more. You could have a thousand blacksmiths give a talk about the fundamentals of hammers. And the thousand would more or less all agree on some list of fundamentals to cover. What sets a blacksmith apart is the rambling and the variations in technique. And in that category, I think this guy is fantastic. They'll be watching these videos a hundred years from now, I bet. It really is all about imparting wisdom, after all is said and done.

[@demastust.2277]

i really like to use my ball pein hammers for chisel work. It just seems proper for it.

[@dirtfarmer7472]

When I was farming I liked a drilling hammer

[@kensmapleleafretirement]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge....

[@danbell3827]

I can confirm the flying chip story from hammers. When I was younger, I used a hammer to smash the head of an axe off of a damaged handle. In the process, I wound up with a small shard in my finger. Dr said it wasn't hurting anything by the time I noticed it, so it stayed there for 10 years until It came to the surface and I dug it out. I used to stick high powered magnets to the finger as a party trick.

[@jimdavis4342]

Excellent video

[@normalcitizen_1]

Own an old Bacho power hammer from the mid- late 1800s. Wonderful machine and weighs around a ton EDIT: good point with the beard of a used hammer, got a piece breaking of one of my hammers soem years ago and it shot into my finger. Had in there a week and that swollen up like an elefant trunk. Took it to the doctor and got it out and the piece was around 3mm whide and 2 mm thick. Ever since that Ive been grinding of all squished metall of my hammers.

[@davidrose415]

i have a 12 pound hammer with an 18 inch handle i swing one handed to draw out spikes and springs to thin them out quickly to make blades. i only hand hammer. i dont have power equipment other than a grinder.

[@TheKrisg50]

I bet you were a teacher in a previous life. Thanks for the coaching.

[@brianpriest3638]

That 40oz craftsman is a Vaughan and to my knowledge is still made under the Vaughan and blue point brands

[@rogermcjunkin5963]

Could you address your belt Grainger? Did you build it or did you buy it? How hard is it to customize a belt grinder? Where is the best place to buy quality belts? Thank you. I watch your videos every day. I’m 70 next year in June and I started swinging the hammerto make shift anvil when I was five I loved it all my life I never have been able to afford an iron, but I got a small piece of rail that I use there’s a lot of blacksmith up there so far you’re my favorite. Keep up the good work.

[@randomwolf214]

U make good video I'm just starting with classes and I have a cross been Hamer and thought on what my next Hamer should be

[@gfather1259]

Really appreciate the words, thanks will go with a cross pien

[@cacti7524]

G FATHER1259 me too

[@skyme01]

Great video! Useful info!

[@bogomir67]

I find my own experiences confirmed - I use a 1250g (44oz) cross peen hammer most of the time - for anything bigger I just don't have enough swings in my arm per day. I am thinking about getting one of those diagonal peen ones, I really like the idea.I do have all kinds and sizes from my dad - mostly cross peen and all of them way too heavy (5lb and up) - but other than a chisel (sharp cross peen) and a flatter they don't get much use.

[@BlacksmithTWD]

I have an 1800 gram hammer I use on occasion for faster drawing thicker pieces, but mostly I use my 1250 g (about 2.5 pound) hammer too.

[@h2o270]

John it would be great to see the techniques used in team striking I would like to get my son helping me in the forge but I have never found, a how-to-video on it

[@BlackBearForge]

I will look into it. I'll need to find a willing assistant to film. You may want to look at the videos from the recent conference, there are some brief bits of striking shown. about 8:23 on this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5DFZGqIe5V-r5o

[@h2o270]

thanks

[@rockymtnrenegade6666]

I am actually right down the road from you in Loveland. I am not a blacksmith, but it seems the next logical step as for the longest time everyone brings me their various metals which melt down to various shapes and lengths for people to work with. Your videos are really informative and so my interest grew. As I begin setting up my shop I wanted to know is your take on Fiberglass handles on hammers?

[@BlackBearForge]

I think wooden handles are the best option. Eventually everything comes in contact with hot iron and while wood scorches, fiberglass melts and makes a Mess. Wood handle are much easier to replace when the time comes as well.

[@alansloas777]

Thanks John

[@92Pyromaniac]

Lots of useful info in this video, thanks! Time to go dress my new cross peen.

[@BlackBearForge]

Glad it helped

[@johnjude2677]

Thanks again John S. I vote for the diagial hammer as No 1.I will make me a double diaginal soon.

[@Watchfuliz]

Another great video John...I now know I have been dressing my cross pien wrong..thanks! Now what are your thoughts on square headed hammers vs round headed..most of yours are square.

[@BlackBearForge]

While I prefer a more square head, its really a personal choice and its worth trying a few style to see which you prefer.

[@Watchfuliz]

@@BlackBearForge all of mine so far have been round heads....maybe I need to find me a square head 2# to try...back in the day I nailed sheet rock with a square head 12oz box axe.

[@fallenhunter7384]

question: is it possible to reduce the weight of a commercial made hammer? or would that mess up the temper/hardness of the hammer? I have a 3 pound cross-peen I would love to reduce to 2.5, or even 2 pounds. Getting old (I am 50). Thank you and keep up the great work. I am watching a bunch of older stuff you made.Thus the late comment on this video

[@BlackBearForge]

You could. Commercial hammers should be the same hardness throughout. But it will be lots of work and you may spend more on abrasives than you would for a new hammer.

[@steven3915]

Probably a dumb idea but why not try annealing and then harden it again when you're done removing material from the head?

[@caribooskidoo3997]

I've done this many times. Cut a slice off the face with a zip cut blade on an angle grinder. Keep quenching the hammer so it doesn't get too hot.

[@DavoShed]

Great hammer video. So many people assume everyone knows this stuff. For me i see lots of rounding hammers in use and thought that was what I needed. I’m finding the hardest thing to find is an anvil. People here in Australia pay insane prices for old anvils at farm auctions and the appear mostly stuffed with so many dents you couldn’t make any thing smooth on them. Could you do a vid on what to look for when choosing a new anvil? How big is too big, how small is too small. What construction types should be avoided ? I recently saw a demo of a water jet cutter where they cut through an eBay anvil only to find it had huge casting holes that had been filled with putty and painted over. If you have already done one please point me at it. Keep up the good work David

[@BlackBearForge]

I haven't done an anvil video yet, but I do need to. Anvils are hard to find and with the price of old anvils getting higher and higher, the new ones are seeming like better deals. Although I don't know what new anvils might be available in Australia. The cheap cast iron ones are pretty bad, but the cast steel ones being made in places like the Czech republic seem to be good anvils. I wish I could afford to buy and review some of them.

[@DavoShed]

Australia is a lot like America 20 or 30 years ago without so many automatic weapons :) Blacksmithing is still relatively popular so new anvils are available. I can find importers online and I think someone makes them in Melbourne. But the quality is a complete unknown and the price is nothing to go by. I would have a hard time telling a cast iron from a cast steel anvil by sight or worse photograph. Give me a file and I could tell :) Some anvils I see have a flatish top on the horn and no serious blacksmiths seem to have them. I see a lot of Farrier anvils online. Sure they are smaller but the quality seems much better. I'm wondering if a large one of them would be good enough. Still not cheap though. Even if you did a video on the pro's and con's of your anvil. That might be handy to pick the things to look for and look out for. Just so I can practise hitting hot steel I found a steel plate and a 2' diameter log and fixed the plate to the end of the log. I had fun making a Hardy hole in it. A made a chute in the log under the hole for any hot bits to fall out. I'm working on restoring a 1820's horse cart. Not much wood left but the metal bits are mostly there. I can use most of the steel and copy the missing bits. Hey I even enjoyed your zinc plated bolt video. Keep up the instructional nature rather than the look what I can do approach. Thanks David

[@BlackBearForge]

I will certainly do a video on what I have and discus some of whats out there. There are some very anvil like things to be found in scrap yards, particularly large machinery pieces. Your large stump with a piece of plate is a good start.

[@jacobanderson7467]

I can't find one state side heavier than the one I have now. Try making an anvil shaped object... basically a really heavy flat hardenable steel object is the most important thing in my opinion. I've bought 6 feet of 5.5" round stock and had it cut in half. I also bought 18x32x2" hardenable plate that I'm going to get cut into a 32x20 plate and two 9x12" face plates. Going to drill a hardy in the same place on the plates and weld them together, then harden the now 4" thick anvil face and temper it a bit. Trim and weld the round stock to the plate and weld the face to the struts. No horn, but if you can find a shop that'll turn a cone for you from round stock you can turn it into a hardy tool. I got lucky and found all that stock for $210usd. I've never been to Australia but if you go to a steel refining industrial park you're probably going to find similar scrap, some of it hardenable. I can weld, but even if I couldn't for about another $300 I will have a roughly 800lb anvil shaped object that's exactly the height I need, no base to worry about.

[@jacobanderson7467]

I'll miss the horn a bit, but I'll trade it for an anvil that has a true flat face, good edges, and is hard in the face and heavy.

[@trminer]

We have a Little Giant trip hammer of the same vintage at one of our local museums. I volunteer there and I'd like to find a little info on it. The blacksmith shop at the museum was donated by a family in Walden, CO. It lived in Walden from about the late 19th century into the 21st century, when it came to the museum after having been in disuse for decades. The trip hammer and the other machinery in the shop is driven by a "jack shaft", ie, one modern-day electric motor drives everything. It would be good to get all of the equipment in the shop on a maintenance schedule. Perhaps in your travels you've run across a resource for repair and maintenance of this old-time equipment.

[@BlackBearForge]

To learn more about your hammer contact Little Giant at www.littlegianthammer.com they don't sell hammers but do have all of the old records and can look up the serial number to see when it was built and who the first owner was. They are also the experts in maintaining these old hammers.

[@trminer]

Excellent, thanks. I printed some info from the website and I'll get over to the museum soon and do a little research. I appreciate your help very much!

[@trminer]

Thanks very much, it was good advice and I've learned more about the trip hammer, very useful information. I also notice in one of your other videos, you are using an Edwards Shear; is it a #5 or #10? Our museum has one of each. Do you have occasion to dress the jaws? If so, what is your procedure? Thanks again!

[@grbroussard]

Brilliant content! What camera are you using? Did you do the zoom with your phone? I’m definitely interested in getting something like that. Thanks!

[@gentlebear21713]

You aught to mention the direction of the diagonal Owen with regard to handedness (left or right)

[@gentlebear21713]

*Peen not owen

[@Native_love]

Wow! Great video! Thank you! Going to get a hammer! :-)

[@fieroboom]

Do you ever forge the mushroom back down on a hammer or struck tool instead of grinding it off? It seems (to my inexperienced brain) like that would keep from losing metal. Also, have you ever made any tools or anything else from lawn mower blades or edger blades? I think those are decently hard steel, extremely abundant, and would probably make some good chisels or drifts. 🤔

[@BlackBearForge]

I don't. It seems like there is a pretty big likelihood that small cracks will occur in conjunction with the mushrooming and I don't want to forge those back into the tool. I have some old mower blades, but I haven't tried them yet.

[@fieroboom]

@@BlackBearForge that makes sense; I didn't think about the possibility of forging those tiny cracks & cold shuts into it. Thanks!

[@williamsultana3848]

Hi John

[@currajeperm8418]

Maestro profesore of albanja

[@toddlacy7582]

What's this marking the hammer behind the hammer end that looks like a shield

[@wernerblom3066]

makes a hammer with a hammer... WHAT WITCHCRAFT IS THIS?!? really great video

[@georgelasala6588]

cool

[@tomhill2804]

where did you get the rounding hammer?

[@bennyhill3642]

Mr John do you ever make Hammers to sell on esty??

[@BlackBearForge]

Very rarely

[@johnwidell8092]

A little wisdom from another trade. I am a carpenter. I have never been able to swing a heavy framing hammer. My wrist, elbows and shoulders have always paid a price with a heavy hammer. I have used a 16oz hammer almost my entire career and have been able to do as much or more than most with much larger hammers. You can put a lot of power ina small hammer if you take a longer swing and use all the handle. Let the hammer do the work, not the arm. Just be accurate and not hit your fingers. Just a little advice to a novice. This comes from 45 + years of experience. Work smart not hard.

[@lancemillward2462]

hey, how ya going

[@Bear-Knight]

Historical wooden shafts, you don't like the pretty fiberglass zombie apocalypse/kiddie models?

[@tkjazzer]

Why did they have the two thousand lbs hammer 60 years ago but not now?

[@BlackBearForge]

At one point industrial forging was all done by blacksmiths. There are still huge hammers out there but they are more automated and not used the way a blacksmith would use one.

[@euanisemu3651]

epic

[@mrfatbobrider1969]

Beware of the ball bag hammer it's a very nasty srtiker

[@keithdevers3772]

I better start saving my nickels, I have a lot of hammers to buy.

[@matthewhall6087]

Keith Devers or make?

[@keithdevers3772]

Matthew Hall I'd like to try to make my own hammers. It'll better fit my budget. I stay broke all the time. I'm raising two boys that ain't mine. So I don't have any extra $100+ for a hammer. I still don't have a rounding hammer and the only cross peen hammer I have is only 1/2lb. I have a set of tongs to hold the hammer head, I just don't have a striker to help me.

[@Danny_Boel]

If I had a Hammer...

[@BlacksmithTWD]

I tried forging with a carpenters claw hammer once, the face broke off, don't use them for forging.

[@markjcarpino]

Is there an easy way to soften the face of a ball peen hammer, while leaving the ball hard, in order to use it as a striking tool? Somehow keeping the peen cool while heating the face?

[@BlackBearForge]

I would heat it with a torch until it turn light blue and then perhaps a bit more. That should draw the temper back quite a way

[@markjcarpino]

I’ll give it a try. Thank you.

[@captainchaos3053]

Never seen a planishing hammer with two such rounded faces. Looks more like a blocking hammer to me.

[@chrisguice3472]

If and when there comes a time were you can't smith anymore you should definitely become a teacher bring students into your shop may even be a good income.

[@JJ-yk6il]

Hey john, could i set up a propane forge in my basement? Im just looking at getting into metalsmithing and dont know what to do about the carbon monoxide. I havent built my garage yet. My basement has windows and my furnace in it

[@BlackBearForge]

I wouldn't advise it noth because of the fire/explosion risk as well as the carbon monoxide.

[@MatthewBuntyn]

Since you mentioned it in this video, how about making a video on dressing a hammer's face and peen?

[@BlackBearForge]

Good idea

[@robertjohnston6723]

Speaking of mushrooms! Anyone in the Pennsylvania area find very many Morals this year? Just curious, i went out and only found a handful! Seems like not many out!!!?