Forging hammer recommendation

Josh Rider

Josh Rider

Stuff maker
Joined
Sep 2, 2014
Messages
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Hello folks,
I've been making stock removal blades for a couple years now, but I would like to try my hand at forging.

I bought an atlas forge yesterday and my buddy gave me a chunk of railroad track (not ideal I know, I'm searching CL and asking around for a real anvil).

What's a good size/style hammer to start out with?

Thanks for any recommendations.
 
I use mostly machinest hammers from estate sales and flee markets. I use a 1, a 1.5 and a 2 pound hammer, though I find the 1 gets the most use when im making knives "may also be sold as an 800 gram hammer"
 
The most useful general hammer would be a 1.5KG cross peen (3#). This will do 95% of most forging tasks.
 
A lot of people swear by a rounding hammer for its versatility. I'm not declaring it the only choice, but I do like them. While not specific to knife making, it certainly works. It permits peen behavior on a continuous curve, as well as flattening.

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCiMitLk5GI for his justifications, or Alec Steele. I suggest a 2 or 3 pound hammer for versatility.
 
I see a few forging tools, including hammers, at antique shops. Occasionally a large 100#+ anvil, pricey they are.
 
I agree with funkcoaster. i've spent the last 8 years buying every hammer i could and I have finally settled on a 2 3/4 pound rounding hammer.
 
mike malosh said:
I agree with funkcoaster. i've spent the last 8 years buying every hammer i could and I have finally settled on a 2 3/4 pound rounding hammer.
Click to expand...

I like the way you roll! "i've spent the last 8 years buying every hammer i could"
 
Thanks for all the recommendations so far!
I have a couple antique places near my house and I've got a few weeks down time since I just had neck surgery.
 
I use two hammers so far. A 4 lb sledge that I cut down to 1 hand length, I ground one face into a rounding hammer and the other face into a flat hammer, and a 2.5 lb cross peen with a rounding face and the cross peen face.
 
I learned on French pattern cross-peens... 2.2lb and 3.3lb. Ican do a lot with those. I'm a bit of a hammer junkie(40+ at the moment). Most of my hammersare modified sledges in a wide range of sizes. I have been really happy with the rounding hammers for bladesmithing. Though, I'm not as proficient with them as my Frenchies, I see the versatility they offer. My technique is heavily influenced by Uri Hofi and 30 yrs as a drummer.

Here is my current team. From bottom... (2)French pattern, (2)rounding, (2)Ball-peen, Double diagonal peen.

 
Bochumer_Verein-09-49978.jpg
 
Larrin, I have one just like it in my shop at home!! not really... But I wish I did!!! Lol![emoji3]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
What is that actually, and what are they making--pretty awesome picture of something!!
 
Giant hydraulic press or hammer, no idea what they are making... Giant steel into less giant steel?

Possibly "the one ring"
 
I don't have any details on the photo, it was taken from the wikipedia page on power hammers.
 
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