Lynn, where does the stor where you buy the cartridges store
them? In a temperature-controlled store on an open shelf??? I
keep my extras on the bottom shelf of the good old kitchen fridge
sincce, here in New Mexico, daytime temp can be in 90-100’s and
night temp down in the 30-40’s; seems to work well. Sharon H.
I am sure that this is a topic that has been covered in the past,
but I haven’t found the answer to my question. I have used the same
steel hammer on just about every piece of jewelry I have made for
forty years. It is a smaller ball peen hammer that I bought in a
yard sale for $1. I have modified both faced over the years and they
are well polished. I find myself forging more ingots and other
bigger pieces and could use some advice about buying a new hammer.
In particular, I need one designed for forging and cross peening an
ingot in preparation for rolling. My rawhide hammer, while made and
purchased for the purpose forty years ago, is well worn and I am
looking at other options besides a new rawhide hammer. Any advice
would be appreciated. If it would help, take a look at my website to
see my work and its size. As always, thanks. Rob
Rob Meixner
Hammers, you cant have enough of them. But then im biased, as all my
work is wrought.
Generally there defined by weight and then design, depending as you
know, on their intended use.
Also as you realise, you need the right size for the job.
Try and go to yard or clearance sales or car boots where folk clear
out old relative’s tools. Older hammers are better than new ones.
Keep looking. Cross peen are a cabinet makers type.
Then theres the steel block you hammer your casting upon.
Doubling the ingot weight will need a quadrupling of the hammer and
anvil? size. The usual hammer to anvil ratio is 10 to one.
you can always hammer onto a too big! an anvil, not so on a too
small one.
Then theres the hammer handle, for lots of repetitive work, like
radial repusse, a malacca cane handle has more spring in it than ash.
Finding malacca is best from imported old bent cane furniture, youll
find at your local tip no one wants anymore.
I was putting chasing marks on fine silver that was to be clear
vitreous enamelled many yrs ago.
A 1.5 in dia disc would have some 150 hammer marks with a highly
polished chasing edge to the hammer. this left a highly polished
chase mark in the silver that twinkled in the reflected light from
under the enamel. Like diamond milling.
Average hammer strokes per min was 50 to 60. The silver was
supported on a steel block set at 45 Deg. to the bench surface.
And I sat at the bench. Rotating the silver with one hand with the
hammer strokes all in the same plane.
Ding ding ding etc. That was a long time ago.
Re your rawhide hammer, the ends swell out with yrs of use,
depending on how you use them, when mine get like that, I band sand
off the excess getting it back to the shape I need.
I guess ive some 75 hammers all told havnt counted them, the oldest
is probably medieval, tho its identical in design to roman ones.
Could be 2000 yrs old tho theres no way to prove it. Wrought iron
body with steel ends fire welded on.
The largest hammer in regular use is 275 lbs and the largest anvil
is the cast iron base for a drop hammer some 2 tons.
Dont be afraid to hit it!
Rob
My favorite hammer for final shaping of cuff bracelets is a nylon
faced deadblow hammer. Rio sells it under “European Deadblow Mallet”
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep80ix
It is a great replacement for a rawhide mallet. It is non-marring
just as the rawhide mallet, but is heavier and does not bounce,
making it a great hammer for doing final shaping of cuffs
Regards
Milt
Sorry for the slight detour and please excuse my ignorance, but what
are the advantages of a deadblow hammer over one that bounces?
Helen
UK
Sorry for the slight detour and please excuse my ignorance, but what are the advantages of a deadblow hammer over one that bounces?
Some will argue that one that bounces is better than a dead-blow.
For me, one that doesn’t bounce doesn’t hurt my old hands as much as
one that does.
Paf Dvorak
Sorry for the slight detour and please excuse my ignorance, but what are the advantages of a deadblow hammer over one that bounces?
Both have their place.
A hammer that rebounds is great if you have to do a lot of
hammering, you get a sort of rhythm, a good anvil helps too.
I don’t play with a dead blow, someone can enlighten me 
Regards Charles A.
The shifting sand or shot increases striking force by up to 40
percent. The full force of the strike is transferred to the object,
decreasing the shock to the user.
A dead blow hammer is used when damaging a project is possible as
well.
Teri
Hi Gang,
I do use dead blow mallets, but largely for bashing on machine
tools. They’re good for smacking a part into position on the mill,
for example. They’ve got urethane faces, so they don’t mar either
the piece or the machine.
The lack of rebound keeps them from bouncing the part off the
parallels or whatever.
(This is with the part snugged up in the vise or clamp. Put initial
pressure on it, smack it with the mallet to drive it home, and then
really lock it up with the vise.) I’m not really hitting hard with
them in that mode. Smacking is about right.
For more normal jewelry uses, I use them a fair bit, but largely
because I have them around. Since they’re weighted, they’re heavier
than your average delrin/rawhide mallet, so they have more oomph.
The only time I notice the ‘deadness’ of the blow is when I’m
flattening sheet. There it does make a noticeable difference. It
just drops onto the sheet, drives it flat to the anvil face, and
sticks there. Does a much better job than I’ve ever gotten out of a
rawhide mallet.
FWIW,
Brian
Dead blow hammers will deliver more force at the point of contact.
Not as noticeable on small jewelers size hammers but I used to use
large sledge sized dead blows to move large timbers and the effect
was considerable.
Gary
My experience is that if a hammer is hurting my hand when I am using
it wrong. I am not holding it properly or not hitting the metal in
the correct spot. I was taught never to hold the hammer so the
vibrations travel up your hand to your wrist or you will kill your
wrist. I use my hand to guide the hammer holding it lightly. The
momentum of the hammer does the work not your hand. Has worked for
me for over 40 years now…
best teacher I ever had in college taught me about tools
-
Always check a machine out before use make sure it is safe to use
properly set and know where the kill switch is -
never use a tool you are uncomfotable with (I. e. if a lathe
scares you don;t use it get someone who can show you how and get you
comfortable with the machine. -
Let THE TOOLS DO THE WORK never force or use 'man/woman power) if
you have to you are using the tool incorrectly or the wrong tool -
using tools (ie screw drivers as a crowbar) for what they are not
intended is the quickest way to have a shop injury
words or wisdom
Teri