[TheForge] Doffer (Was: blackened steel finish)

[Jerry Frost]

Another endorsement! I hadn't thought of trying it on my hammer handles but 
will give it a shot. I make my handles from 4/4 hickory I cut in a flat 
taper from the head to the end where I put a round/flat bulge. The face edge 
is flat while the pein edge is rounded, that way I never have to look to see 
which way the hammer's facing. It makes good theater at demos to give the 
hammer a spin in my hand on the back swing to change from face to pein or 
back without looking and just continue hammering. It really impresses the 
audience and heck, now and then a smith will take a look at the handle and 
some are impressed in a far more satisfying way.

Anyway, the flat taper makes the hammer a lot easier and less tiring to hold 
onto. Being flat also makes keeping the face or pein aligned much more easy. 
Currently I've been warming the handles and applying hard paste wax 
furniture polish as a finish. It's nice and smooth but offers good friction 
for a less tiring grip and minimum chance of blistering.

A last summer yard sale find is a 3lb cross pein with a broken handle the 
seller wouldn't sell because he didn't want anyone getting hurt. Then I told 
him I'm a smith and looking for useful stuff so he gave it to me saying I 
wouldn't hurt myself with it. I made one of my handles but didn't get quite 
enough taper on it for it's weight so it's a little slippery. I'm going to 
give it the lanolin treatment for sure.

Thanks Rob.
Jer
-------------------------
If it ain't forged
It ain't real
wrought iron is
The Frostworks



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rob Fertner" <rfertner at cox.net>
To: "'Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA'" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, July 05, 2010 10:41 AM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Doffer (Was: blackened steel finish)


> Speaking of Lanolin, I like using it to finish my hammer handles. Plus, 
> the
> more you use the hammer, the oils from your skin just add to the patina of
> the wood. I buy a 7 oz jar of pure lanolin at the local health food store
> for $6.79.
> It's consistency is like a thicker Vaseline. I like the way the wood feels
> with this finish.
>
> Rob
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jerry Frost
> Sent: Monday, July 05, 2010 1:07 PM
> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Doffer (Was: blackened steel finish)
>
> Thanks Bruce. I've also found the lanolin finish is a lot more durable 
> than
> I thought it'd be but not contaminating wool was my reason for giving it a
> try.
>
> We have raw wool but buying a tube of lanolin will be the next step, it 
> does
>
> indeed smell better but sheep wool isn't particularly unpleasant.
>
>
>
>
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