[TheForge] re hofi hammer

[TOOL GYPSY]

"it is different than conventional hammering......the handle is short and 
recrtangular.
I have a hammer that weighs about 3 lbs the handle is short and rectangular 
and the old gentleman i got it from uses much the same tecnique as uri 
hofi(loose grib with a fast swing)He was using this hammer to make ox shoes 
.He is 94 years young and says he learned this tecnique from his father in 
law who ran a smithy on duncan street  in halifax from 1890 to 
192....something and has always used short rectangular handles.(looks ever 
so much like a piece of hockey stick to me but is very comfortable)You can 
see the hammer at pats forge(the one with the 45 degree twist) on the 
metalshapers website.Also a chezk hammer which i use with a short 
handle.Funny how whats old is new again seems to pop up quite often in 
blacksmithing.

                                           Paddy P the wannabe