Thank you for the info on hammers! I am 42 yrs old and a new beginner to forging metal. I am starting to gather all that a beginner would need to forge at home and your video's have been invaluable to my progress. Gathering everything to even become rookie forger has been challenging on a limited budget but you have been a great help. Thanks and keep up the awesome work!
A very good talk. Very well put, and sound advice. Retrospectively, it has already been proven in my life. Function is why the tool is selected (or made.) Form follows. "It's not the tool that makes the smith. It's the smith that makes the tool." -Roy Adams
Absolutely agree. I'm a hammer junkie .I probably have 25 to 30 different hammers but most of the time I use about four favorites, but I use all four on almost every project at some point.
I read through your comments, and would like to know about ventilation. I have a walkout basement, that I’m setting up as a metalsmith shop, with a double French door, I can leave that open for ventilation, but I was wondering if installing a good range hood that is vented to the outside when I solder is the right way to go. Recommendations please. I just subscribed to your channel.
hey so i know you don’t make knives but i was trying to forge one today and i kept getting a crack in one portion of the piece that i wasn’t even working on. do you know why this would happen other than some weird defect in the steel? thanks
I have very few hammers. I'm in desperate need of some more. My main, and only cross peen hammer is only 1/2Lb. At times it's like trying to drive a gutter nail with a tack hammer.
I’m 68 years old and trying to learn about blacksmiths and how to achieve some ability to make metal items. I’m a retired Pastor and I thank you for the information you shared. May God abundantly bless you and your loved ones.
Hi There Roy, While we're on the subject of hammers; you often mention in your videos the use of half on half off hammer blows when forging an item.Could you please tell me what you mean by this? Possibly you could demonstrate in one of your videos.Regards from bigeziWestern Australia
Stephen Hutton I believe it is when you strike the iron with half the hammer over the anvil and the other half over the air, so the portion of metal that is on the anvil gets smashed and the portion off the anvil drops down and does not get deformed. Hope that helps.
I use almost exclusively a nice little cross peen. I do use my ball peen and a couple others from time to time though. Do you have any recommendations for where to get metal to make hammers out of? I haven't found any large enough pieces of steel yet, and I want to try out a rounding hammer soon. Great video! Thanks for pointing out where I could improve!
Beware…I’ve been learning metalsmithing for a little over a year…hammers are addictive…depending upon the manufacturer, and how they are finished, the handles and heads go from so-so to incredibly beautiful, and it’s reflected in the pricing. Nothing beats a little skill, and using a well designed, balanced and beautiful hammer. 🙂
If it don't fit, get a bigger hammer!! No but seriously I asked about forging stainless durring one of you're live streams and was told by one of the other patrons that stainless is not good to forge. I weld so I'm familiar with hexavalent chromium but I'm intrigued by you're stainless hammer. Is stainless any good for forging items or should I steer clear of it?
Hey there Anthony yes you can forge stainless steel it doesn't work very nice by hand and that is the main reason that I do not Forge stainless steel very often. The thing about stainless steel is the fact that it has high chromium levels and therefore if overheated that chromium can become part of the metal Vapors that come off of Steel when hot and cause you quite a bit of health issues if not properly ventilated. I don't in generally worry about this because I'm not huffing steel lol... stainless steel can be perfectly safe to forge just make sure you're doing it in a well-ventilated area and you're not putting your face next to it trying to directly breathe in the vapors thereof :-) God bless you and thank you for the great question
smashy smashy hammer lol my hammer is a cross peen 14 oz heavy enough not to hurt arms swinging all day and good enough to work my petals cold for tulips i bought it new when my antique hammer was not as sharp and crisp at cold work i tried sharpening it but it just became too soft to work cold
im 42 and have things to deal with like gout shortness of breath and just not as fit as i used to be if you can swing 100kg good for you i know my limits and will stick with what i know
See:::: this is why I come here,, who does tutorials on Smithin Hammers,,, not many ,,, but I can sit through a Vid & learn,,, I have 3 hammers,, I'm makin a 4th
Thank you for the info on hammers! I am 42 yrs old and a new beginner to forging metal. I am starting to gather all that a beginner would need to forge at home and your video's have been invaluable to my progress. Gathering everything to even become rookie forger has been challenging on a limited budget but you have been a great help. Thanks and keep up the awesome work!
I love this whole business. As Paul Fontanini said, 'Need a tool, make a tool'. It's the best trade ever.
Now that explains why my dad had more than 25 different hammers. He was a fitter fabricator. Old school.
A very good talk. Very well put, and sound advice. Retrospectively, it has already been proven in my life. Function is why the tool is selected (or made.) Form follows. "It's not the tool that makes the smith. It's the smith that makes the tool." -Roy Adams
Glad you enjoyed it Sir 😊
I am identifying hammers in our blacksmith shop. This was very helpful.
I have been experimenting with hammers for a while, i haven't finished yet, but your talk helped me indeed.
Absolutely agree. I'm a hammer junkie .I probably have 25 to 30 different hammers but most of the time I use about four favorites, but I use all four on almost every project at some point.
I read through your comments, and would like to know about ventilation. I have a walkout basement, that I’m setting up as a metalsmith shop, with a double French door, I can leave that open for ventilation, but I was wondering if installing a good range hood that is vented to the outside when I solder is the right way to go. Recommendations please. I just subscribed to your channel.
hey so i know you don’t make knives but i was trying to forge one today and i kept getting a crack in one portion of the piece that i wasn’t even working on. do you know why this would happen other than some weird defect in the steel? thanks
Off topic, sorry, but I would LOVE to see you make that heart design on the table there. I want to make THAT!
Be nice to see the hammers being used in there intended use to illustrate as well. Thanks for another good video.
I have very few hammers. I'm in desperate need of some more. My main, and only cross peen hammer is only 1/2Lb. At times it's like trying to drive a gutter nail with a tack hammer.
I do the majority of my work with one 2.1 lb straight peen I forged but I use about 8 different hammers regularly and more I use occasionally
I’m 68 years old and trying to learn about blacksmiths and how to achieve some ability to make metal items. I’m a retired Pastor and I thank you for the information you shared. May God abundantly bless you and your loved ones.
Good info
Hi There Roy, While we're on the subject of hammers; you often mention in your videos the use of half on half off hammer blows when forging an item.Could you please tell me what you mean by this? Possibly you could demonstrate in one of your videos.Regards from bigeziWestern Australia
Stephen Hutton I believe it is when you strike the iron with half the hammer over the anvil and the other half over the air, so the portion of metal that is on the anvil gets smashed and the portion off the anvil drops down and does not get deformed. Hope that helps.
Thanks for that Jesse
I use almost exclusively a nice little cross peen. I do use my ball peen and a couple others from time to time though. Do you have any recommendations for where to get metal to make hammers out of? I haven't found any large enough pieces of steel yet, and I want to try out a rounding hammer soon. Great video! Thanks for pointing out where I could improve!
Anuron Ironworks I have heard forklift tines work pretty well. Depending on the size, the posts can be pretty beefy.
looks like i need to get more hammers
Beware…I’ve been learning metalsmithing for a little over a year…hammers are addictive…depending upon the manufacturer, and how they are finished, the handles and heads go from so-so to incredibly beautiful, and it’s reflected in the pricing. Nothing beats a little skill, and using a well designed, balanced and beautiful hammer. 🙂
If it don't fit, get a bigger hammer!! No but seriously I asked about forging stainless durring one of you're live streams and was told by one of the other patrons that stainless is not good to forge. I weld so I'm familiar with hexavalent chromium but I'm intrigued by you're stainless hammer. Is stainless any good for forging items or should I steer clear of it?
Hey there Anthony yes you can forge stainless steel it doesn't work very nice by hand and that is the main reason that I do not Forge stainless steel very often. The thing about stainless steel is the fact that it has high chromium levels and therefore if overheated that chromium can become part of the metal Vapors that come off of Steel when hot and cause you quite a bit of health issues if not properly ventilated. I don't in generally worry about this because I'm not huffing steel lol... stainless steel can be perfectly safe to forge just make sure you're doing it in a well-ventilated area and you're not putting your face next to it trying to directly breathe in the vapors thereof :-) God bless you and thank you for the great question
Just am FYI, it is Planish not Plainish. It is said "Plan" like I have a great plan for the day. plan·ish
smashy smashy hammer lol my hammer is a cross peen 14 oz heavy enough not to hurt arms swinging all day and good enough to work my petals cold for tulips i bought it new when my antique hammer was not as sharp and crisp at cold work i tried sharpening it but it just became too soft to work cold
grayem pepper I almost exclusively use my 3.5lb ball peen. Personal favorite and I don’t have any issue swinging it for, so far, up to half a day.
im 42 and have things to deal with like gout shortness of breath and just not as fit as i used to be if you can swing 100kg good for you i know my limits and will stick with what i know
See:::: this is why I come here,, who does tutorials on Smithin Hammers,,, not many ,,, but I can sit through a Vid & learn,,, I have 3 hammers,, I'm makin a 4th
yeah ... I like the last one .... it's like an upholstery tack hammer ...
only huge.
My tiny ball peen ... hides behind my thumb.
can you make a few sewing needles for me ... ??