How short a handle for a a 4lb hammer for forge work?

[tombear]

Today I picked up a small sledge hammer with a truncated ( and rotten ) handle for two quid that I though felt ideal to use on my small anvil for moving metal quickly. It feels light enough to use one handed so I was wondering what the "best" length for such a handle would be. I've a lovely piece of seasoned ash 16 inches long that I will plane down to size and shape with the surforms and power file. The grains just right and there's plenty of taper in the eye to glue and wedge the head on.

i've several larger sledges with full length handles so I don't need another long job but something handier .

I derusted it and flattened and polished the faces.

The maker is R Carter Kirkburton, a company founded in 1740 and still going.

http://richardcarterltd.co.uk/about-carters/

i'm currently thinking between 10 and 12 inches like my favourite lump hammer.

ATB

Tom

 

[Robson Valley]

If it's anything like carving tools, my concern is the length of handle that comes back to hit the underside of my wrist.
My 7/75 Stubai wood carver's adze must have been like that for owner #1. Clearly, they cut off the butt of the handle.
It's almost too short for me now but would not be the first handle to have a tail piece pegged and glued into it.

If possible, haft the entire piece of wood. Test the strike full length and then choke up the handle, progressively.
New hammers in the shops = how long?

 

[sunndog]

under a foot long i reckon, i'm guessing you'd be doing lots of lighter hits rather than big full arm power swings?

I'v got a couple of largwr lump hammers with long handles on em, they are great for really pounding stuff. But as robson say's above the extra length does get in the way sometimes when you choke up

 

[Dave Budd]

how long the handle needs to be will depend on your technique, the shape of the handle and the length of your arms.

Start with something too long, use it for a while with your hand in different spots along the length and then cut it down a bit as needed. My own hammer of a similar weight is about 10" and I hold it at about 8" for the most part, though close up a little sometimes.

4lb is a heavy hammer if you aren't used to it. You are more likely to damage the metal and yourself if your technique isn't good to begin with. I would suggest keeping it for striking top tools and occasional use until you have some more forging time under your belt. I teach with 2lb (well, 1kg, coz I'm not american or ancient) hammers and for years that was my standard hammer for general forging and tool making

 

[tombear]

Cheers folks, I'll start off full length and get the feel of it and shorten as feels right, I'll do it straight rather than with a hour glass shape that I've done with other striking tools.

Not that I'll have chance to use it unless the weather breaks, I really need to make some sort of covered area in the back lot. I was thinking of something on a concrete plinth but with a rim so I can have a few inches of sand or beaten earth so if I drop ( ok, when I drop ) stuff it doesn't go ping and exit in two directions... Since I'm more likely to get it done if it's smaller rather than bigger than needs be roughly what sort of footprint are we talking for a small set up but with scope to put in a bigger forge, something with a hood but still on the domestic side of things, say two foot square. Mind I'm getting ahead of myself here!

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

Just stopped to push 4 toasted staffs oatcakes into my face before I fall over but I've got to the final sanding stage on the handle.

I didnt have have a bit of ash to hand so I cut a long thin wedge from a scrap of seasoned oak. The slot I cut to match the depth of the taper inside the eye of the head, about 3/5ths down from the top. I did my usual overkill job on shaping the tenon so it was a extremely tight fit, cutting the slit half way through so it would close up on the head being hammered on. I've recently read of folk successfully using alphetic resin glue on the wedge rather than use a steel wedge so I smeared plenty on the rough sides of the wedge before tapping it in. I can always add a metal wedge if it doesn't do the job. I've had the wood split on having the metal hammered in is all and had to fill the cracks with 15 min epoxy.

Anyroad I'll finish the sanding, I think a 1/16" th off all around will be right for me, something brainless I can do while watching BBC 24, then drop it in the linseed oil tank over night.

ATB

Tom

 

[Mesquite]

Looks good Tom

 

[tombear]

Cheers! Done now less whatever shortening that I decide on. The seasoned ash was a pleasure to use, I'll have to get more when I can. I had to chop off a lot of concrete that was stuck to the head but I think it was worth the effort.

Ill soak it for 24 hrs, it will then just need the odd wipe down.

ATB

TOM

 

[Dean]

Nice, neat job.