Tool of the day ball peen hammers

For the tool of the day lets take a look at the common ball peen hammer. The ball peen hammer can be found in most homes and shops as a general purpose hammer. While they aren't a common blacksmiths hammer they are still quite useful

[@SandmannOZ]

Thanks for the info. As an amateur mechanic I've had a decent sized ball peen hammer in my tool box for around 30 years and it's my go-to tool when a nut or something decides it won't move... heavier than a claw hammer and not as clumsy as a lump hammer... however I've never known what the peen was for. Now I do... I'm still probably never going to use it, but at least I know how to now.

[@RoyBrown777]

Hey mate, I'm from Australia. Thank you for the video. I work in carpentry and I've seen these hammers countless times in my life and never knew what they were for. You seems like a good bloke.

[@eightytwobucks623]

My grandpa always used it working on cars. So I got it for automotive work too. Very dynamic tool

[@ataarjomand]

You are a very good teacher and you are quite eloquent and well spoken. I enjoy watching your clips in addition to learning a lot.

[@normalcitizen_1]

Personally the ballpeen hammer is my most used hammer I got. I like the weight and shape of it and it

[@eatwhatukiii2532]

I actually LIKE the ball peen texture look, AFTER the forging is done (tapering, scrolling, etc.), but I’ve used it mostly on jewelry so far.

[@thegrandscheme6371]

That's also what she said

[@steelpennyforge5152]

Thanks for the info! I have 8 or 10 ball peen hammers in my shop....I dust them regularly. There are a few that I just never use, the handles have some small cracks and the heads are a little loose but they belonged to my father so I keep them more out of sentiment than need. I tend to keep some around for dishing or setting copper rivets in leather work, but I have way more than I need for that I like the idea of re-purposing them at handled tools. Great video, thanks for the inspiration!

[@mlg_teletubby9391]

Another great video! Thanks for the information.

[@johngunn7087]

John, thanks for the great suggestion of reshaping a ball peen into another shape for use as a top tool.

[@WildBoreWoodWind]

I use a ball peen as a secondary forging hammer, for light or detailed work and again, its not because its a ball peen hammer, but rather it is the weight (just under 2lb) and the pick-up feel to it - it cost me all of $5 at a yard sale - I can't ever remember buying a new hammer, they're all second hand. Keep the tools coming! 👍

[@Lookin4Things]

I've suddenly decided to try out wedo stainless steel hammers sledge, wedge, picks, etc. and didn't include ballpeeins. I guess I think of them as mechanic hammers as sometimes I noticed them being referenced as. But I came across your video to get confirmation, and I really appreciate your time and effort on this, Thank you

[@nschares]

My whole life I wondered what the round end was for. Now I know. Thanks buddy.

[@derekkehler2994]

Great video. Funny coincidence is I have the same ball pein hammer you used handed down from my great uncle!

[@craigljardine]

Thank you for the information. I just restored my old ball peen hammer . It's 1 1/2 pounder.

[@TomokosEnterprize]

Good visit today fella, THanks eh !

[@davidcrieder]

Thanks, brother...very informative!

[@mothlastname2413]

Very well made video! You explained it very well

[@aaronbuchholz4184]

I Love ballpeens unlike many other hammers they’re cheap easy to find and they always seem to come with a nice flat face and personally I like the weight distribution it’s a very comfortable feel.

[@herbphillips8856]

My grandfather was a master tool and die maker and my dad said his dad used a ball peen hammer to cut gaskets by laying the gasket material on the part and lightly peening the edge. Just another use for the versatile ball peen hammer.

[@leperejoe1536]

Good info. Thanks.

[@theshankman8682]

ball peens are fantastic for pinning wood too. i have an absolutely tiny one and it does the job really well for pinning knife scales, useful if i need some peen point precision too

[@ronaldkirby9299]

I like your idea of tool of the day even if it is not every day. Is the tool of today

[@brucenovotny5924]

Great video. Thank you, sir, for clarifying this for me. Liked & subscribed. 🙂👍🇨🇦

[@BlackBearForge]

Awesome, thank you!

[@GWIRailroad]

I like this format, great video, and helpful.

[@SliceofLife7777]

I wondered what it was designed for. I grew up in the 70's. Every family I knew owned at least one. They were used for around the house maintenance and remodeling. I was told that it was designed for metal, but I used ours for wood. It was good for making a crude tree house. One can use the peen to hammer the flat head wood nails like a counter sink. I now know the proper applications. Thanks So, as an inquiry, why did so many people in those days feel that they needed one when most of those that had one couldn't explain why they had it? Until your video, I'd never seen one used for anything other than wood work, or mechanical work.

[@ce461]

Found that the ball of the hammer is really great for taking out small dents on ends of a pipe especially if you’re not in a shop and it needs to be fitted quickly. Recommend small ball for copper nickel pipe.

[@garyglibbery5983]

Great info.

[@jamesmcmillen4828]

I find that I quite frequently use a 24 ounce ball peen on the flat face to de-scale and planish once the work is nearly done. Its light enough to not leave hammer marks or tire me out.

[@bryanrobinson1980]

"The Tool of Someday", brought to you by Black Bear Forge!!!

[@charlesmay8251]

my most common use for a ball pein is texturing leaves from the back side on a wooden block!

[@davidbarton3321]

Nice video BBForge. I always thought the Ball Peen was a negotiating tool when used on the knuckles?!?

[@theCypressRidgeCabin]

Nice video, but if I close my eyes he sounds like Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec.

[@kyleb123456]

I find myself using a ball peen over most but I also do very small light work so naturally the ball peen is lighter

[@mr.nobody68]

This guy really hammers the education home

[@akalyx]

so i randomly heard this word, looked it up on youtube...your vid was great so i subbed

[@Complex_Milk]

Since you’re covering hammers right now, I was wondering what your opinion is on using a separate hammer for when you use tools like a punch or a drift to avoid messing up the face of your forging hammer? I’m new to blacksmithing so I’m not sure if it matters or not.

[@BlackBearForge]

I think its a good idea. But I never take the time to worry about it. Instead I try to temper the struck ends of my tools a bit softer.

[@elizzlestove130]

I think if you made this series maybe long format and covering a bunch of broaderish subjects ( maybe like for hammers you go hammer talk pt1,2 ,3, etc) youd get a bit more views. I like and have a need as a consumer for stuff to play in the background when I'm doing stuff in the shop

[@BlackBearForge]

I have actually been surprised at how many views it does get compared to previous longer videos regarding specific groups of tools. To make it into a longer video try bringing up the playlist and play the full list. Part of the reason for the shorter format is to save me time on any given day.

[@unitedstatesirie7431]

​​@@BlackBearForge can a ball peen hammer be use to drive nails into wood boards ?

[@jesusestrada5543]

While using a rip claw to beat on metal, (i.e. straightening bent pipe or bending sheet) I'm paranoid the claw end will bounce into my eye or face. I like ball peens since they're pretty much not gonna do that. Plus the peening side is nice for tapping out exposed pins in awkward spots. You can also efficiently shatter someone's car door window with the peen side.

[@ajaysan2765]

Thanks

[@AnnLippert1]

GREAT VIDEO! I've had my dad's Craftsman ball peen hammer 38464 12 oz in my toolbox for years. Never knew what exactly it was for!?!? I KNOW ITS VINTAGE. Does anyone know the year!?!

[@jackdawg4579]

My goto hammer for small work is a ball peen, but not because of the peen, but because you cant get any other style of quality hammer in small sizes here. Smallest cross peen is about 2lb, (and usually very stubby), smallest engineers hammer about 3lb, anything else is just claw hammers or auto body shop hammers. So my small work hammer is a ball peen around the 1lb mark by default really.

[@kabukiQUE]

What kind of toolbox is that in the back on the top right?

[@stevesyncox9893]

Thanks bud.

[@JustinTopp]

I have ball peens going from 2oz to 3 lbs. I have several weights in between those. Never been a fan of reforging them I’d rather start with a bar and punch a hole. I mainly use them for dishing or whenever I need a smaller hammer. I never use the bigger ones.

[@timothy627]

Work great on lots job's

[@ryandavis4689]

My first and favorite hammer for forging is a ball peen.

[@DogeBoi-ut6kv]

i have one of those The Glue Holding The Metal Unglued when i found it in an old shed an easy fix

[@harveysmith100]

Soak it in a jar of linseed oil for a week. When you take it out, it may still be loose but after a month on the shelf it will be solid.

[@kyleheins]

I only use ball peens for the stamp removing process and as my 1.5 pdr, otyerwise they sit really.

[@kingscroach]

Ball peen can be used for straitening as you've described with it's spreading capability.

[@jamesbrandon8520]

I like the idea of reforging the ball peens into handled top tools but what is the material of most ball peens? Do they water quench or oil quench?

[@BlackBearForge]

The ones I have used did well in oil, but there is no guarantee from one brand to the next.

[@MrDukaman]

Yep figures. That’s what my luck is like. Well good luck.

[@bearwoodcraft3591]

He would defo win in an arm wrest

[@MrDukaman]

I do use a ball peen hammer once in a wile. Hey John how is the water catch system coming along plenty rain thx again .....Paul

[@BlackBearForge]

We are still trying to get everything scheduled. To bad, we have had more rain in the last month than we have the previous 7 months

[@sdcb27]

Ya you can forge with a ball pein, considering that is a "Forging "hammer in England for generations and still better then half the "Forging " hammers I see made and sold

[@alexanderhinman4454]

I've seen a fair number of British blacksmiths favor the ball pein hammer (Rowan Taylor uses his quite a lot, for example) and I find the circular face lets me get a little closer to edges with certain types of shouldering. I also am fond of them because a lot of the time they have more mass toward the face, which for me makes them good for driving punches and drifts. Sort of in-between a dog head hammer and a standard cross pein for weight distribution. Browsing through the Library of Congress's photograph archive you find quite a few ball peins in places of prominence in the 19th and early 20th century: www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2017666876/ www.loc.gov/pictures/item/90710384/ www.loc.gov/pictures/item/97515095/ www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2012650159/ That last image is huge but worth downloading the full size .TIF because of all the detail. The lead smith also uses a ball pein in Edison's blacksmith film: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJKpoqVto6ymgK8

[@BlackBearForge]

There do seem to be regional favorites when it comes to tools

[@TufStockdogs]

They forged into a nice cross penen

[@stanervin7581]

Best for rivets! Oops typed B4 spoke! Sorry dude. ⚒🐻🔥

[@loul7239]

I use a 4+ pound ball peen as my heaviest forging hammer for upsetting stock. I love forging with a ball peen. I use cross peens as well. I don’t have a favorite, I just use what works for the purpose.

[@BlackBearForge]

I don't think Have ever seen a ball peen that large

[@loul7239]

Black Bear Forge I had never seen one either. Got it for $5 at a flea market. The face is 1.75” wide. I will leave a link to a picture of it...not certain the link will work....but it should. The anvil it is on is 4.5” wide. I have a quarter sitting in it. I have no idea who made it or where it came from but I’m thankful, because I live using it. It swings like a Japanese style dog-face hammer. drive.google.com/open?id=1dPLBUauIGoTZZMJ0Kbd_Pqa0Nfo2tt8q

[@johnlucas1662]

Thanks Black Bear Forge! Your the best! I love ur peen content

[@johnlucas1662]

I just subbed!

[@fastbert8175]

Cross peen hammers always seem to have a square striking face, ball peen hammers a round face, do you ever find that difference useful?

[@BlackBearForge]

I probably have but have never thought about it hard enough to be aware of it.

[@leoi3031]

If they are not essential, aby reason they primary hammersor most uk smiths?

[@BlackBearForge]

Same reason US smiths prefer cross peen hammers. Personal preference mixed with regional tradition

[@R_Arizona]

What is that thing you called....rain???? Someone from Arizona is asking.

[@BlackBearForge]

Today will be snow

[@ifixeditmyself1926]

💯💯💯

[@JROC734]

Machinist and Die Makers use ball peen hammers more than any other hammer with a mini-sledge hammer being the second most common for the trade. Ball Peens work best for peening holes that reamed big, driving drowels, stamping die shoes, etc unless its a really hard job and that where the mini-sledge hammer comes into play. As a new apprentice if you want to get your nuts jumped and get clowned on by a bunch of seasoned Tool Makers the best way to go about achieving that is to show up on the job your first day with a claw hammer instead of a ball peen. Seen it happen more than once.

[@GibClark]

👍👍👍👍

[@JohnLee-bf2ux]

those are some forge mans forearms

[@MatthewTinker-au-pont-blanc]

You could have just called it "Ball peen Hammer" Tool of the day is superfluous!

[@BlackBearForge]

Perhaps. But then it might be harder for people to search for videos under the series title.

[@MatthewTinker-au-pont-blanc]

Cal it "Tool series" then!

[@kenhughes]

Recently I found a very rare ball pein/cross pein hammer in an auction room,went back the next day to photograph it but it was gone,someone must have lifted it,it was factory made but I have found no record of one at all on Google.

[@suami6374]

Old sir

[@StevenCasteelYT]

I'm here because Patti Mayonnaise asked Doug Funnie for a ball peen hammer for the derby race.

[@jgvtc559]

In 1994? Lol

[@theshepardthewolfandtheshe5304]

Place that peen in the vice and use it to really get that peen effect! Can round and hollow steel like the shape of eggshell. Bad azz!!

[@austingomez9630]

I never knew the little round ball on the back of the hammer had a purpose

[@Chon146]

Quá đẹp những cây búa đầu bi,ở đất nước chúng tôi để có được một cây búa như thế này để sử dụng là cả một vấn đề khó khó khăn,,chúng tôi chỉ được biết và sử dụng toàn đồ của trung quốc xuất sang,chất lượng kém và xấu quá

[@sleepyysleep]

listen to this with your eyes closed

[@christophergraham4775]

Hi John, I bought some ball peen hammers and the faces and peens have a lot of facets on them. What is the best way to dress a ball peen?

[@BlackBearForge]

Slack belt on a grinder or hand file

[@voqen]

How can anyone watch this seriously?😂

[@kirbylee57]

That was disappointing. He basically said they were not much good for anything, but pick up a few anyway.

[@sunnydays4966]

Ball peen the most unless tool fits in tool box china. I can every thing he doing with a claw hammer.

[@mungweasel4963]

Uh heh-heh-heh...peen...

[@luscyboii]

*Take this out of context.*

[@jgvtc559]

Take this context