[TheForge] uri hammer

[Marc Godbout]

I read somewhere that the rectangular grip makes more sense than a
rounded one. If you grab onto a pretend hammer and look down the hole in
your fist, it's rectangular in shape. Your finger bones are straight,
not curved.  

I haven't tried it yet, but it's easy enough to make a rectangular
handle. And I have a couple friends who play hockey, so I'll see if they
could grab a couple broken sticks.

I've got Uri's video and am using some elements of his hammering style.
I don't want to spend $100 on a hammer yet, but the techniques, even on
a "regular" hammer, have helped quite a bit with my blacksmith's elbow.
I shortened the handle on my main hammer, and will do so on the others
now. Just choking up isn't enough, because my handles flare out a little
on the end and that helps with the grip. So, just cutting off the end
wasn't enough either. I shaved down the grip area and kept a flare on
the end. On the next handle, I'll do the same, only keep the sides
flatter.

An interesting thing is, with the shorter handle, I found I had to raise
the anvil a couple inches. Part of that is because I'm also standing
straighter while hammering. My back is feeling loads better.

All in all, I think that $35 for the video is money well spent. A future
project (after my treadle hammer is finished) is to make a Hofi-style
hammer.


--Marc


On Fri, 2005-11-04 at 11:13 -0500, Grover Richardson wrote:
> Yes, I think I like the rectangular handle, but will try it a bit more
> before doing it on the other hammers.  Once altered, the handle doesn't grow
> back<G>.

-- 
Marc Godbout
http://www.ironringforge.com

New England Blacksmiths Membership Director
http://www.newenglandblacksmiths.org