[TheForge] Wooden Hammer Handles

[David Childress]

My first blacksmithing instructor claimed that handles should not
matter.  If the hammer head was below your shoulder you should just be
guiding it.  when the head hits the only force should be from the
change of direction.  He beleived in heavy hammers and gravity,  your
strength should be in lifting the thing up to drop it again.  I can
not say he is wrong.  He was about 6'3" and 150#, but he sure moved a
lot of metal.

David Childress
Rocky Forge Blacksmith Guild


On 1/8/09, Rob Fertner <rfertner at cox.net> wrote:
>
> Andy,
> Maybe if you would hit where you supposed to, you wouldn't break the
> handles. ;-)
>
> Rob
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>        Perpendicular should be marginally softer.  I'm not sure it makes
> any
> real practical difference.  I usually helve them parallel, mainly
> because I have a terrible propensity for breaking them, especially
> sledges when striking.  Not sure why that is - my stroke is pretty good
> - perhaps I don't know my own strength?
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