Page Title

Blacksmiths' or Engineers'

Hammers and Sledges,

Double Face

DESCRIPTION. This is the most commonly used type of sledge hammer and is made in slightly different head configurations. All patterns have crowned striking faces with beveled edges.

PROPER USES. Sledges are designed for general sledging operations in striking wood, metal, concrete or stone. Common uses are drifting heavy timbers and striking spikes, cold chisels, rock drills and hardened nails, and wood splitting wedges.

ABUSE/MISUSE. Never use a sledge to strike a hammer, sledge, or maul. Never use a sledge with a loose or damaged handle.

Woodchoppers' Mauls

DESCRIPTION. Woodchoppers' mauls have a round, bevel-edged striking face with a splitting edge opposite.

PROPER USES. These tools are designed for splitting wood. Also, they are used in conjunction with wood splitting wedges by first making a notch with the splitting edge and then driving the wedge with the maul's striking face.

ABUSE/MISUSE. Never use this tool in striking concrete Never drive one maul by striking it with another maul, sledge or any other striking tool.

Hand Drilling Hammers

DESCRIPTION. These heavy, short-handled hammers are made in slightly varying configurations. The double face head has crowned and deviled striking faces.

PROPER USES. These hammers are designed for use with chisels, punches, star drills and hardened

Nails. Their design permits heavy blows with limited swing - especially advantageous in restricted working areas.

ABUSE/MISUSE. NEVER use these tools for sledging or stone work.

Stone Sledges and

Spalling Hammers

DESCRIPTION. These are stone masons' tools. The sledge usually has a crowned, oval striking face with a napping face opposite. The spalling hammer has a beveled striking face.

PROPER USES. Stone sledges are designed for breaking up stone and concrete. The spalling hammers are designed for cutting and shaping stone and concrete. The pein ends of stone sledges and spalling hammers are intended specifically for making score lines in stone and masonry.

ABUSE/MISUSE. NEVER use these tools for striking metal. NEVER use pein ends of stone sledges or spalling hammers for breaking up stone or masonry. They are for marking and scoring purposes only.

Blacksmiths' Hand

Hammers and Cross Pein Sledges

DESCRIPTION. These heavy-duty hammers are designed for use in striking metal. Striking face is crowned with beveled edge.

PROPER USES. The striking face is designed for general blacksmith work in striking unhardened metal. The peins are used for shaping (fullering) and bending unhardened metal.

ABUSE/MISUSE. NEVER use a sledge to strike a hammer, sledge or maul.

INTRODUCTION. Striking and struck tools are made in various types and sizes with varying degrees of hardness and different configurations for specific purposes. They should be selected for their intended use and used only for those purposes. Proper use of practically all types involves certain basic rules:

(1) Always wear safety gog

gles when using striking or

struck tools, or when near

someone else who is doing

so.

(2) A hammer blow should

always be struck squarely

with the hammer striking

face parallel with the sur

face being struck. Always

avoid glancing blows and

over and under strikes.

(3) The striking face of the

hammer should have a di

ameter approximately 3/8"

larger than the struck face

of the tool.

(4) Never use one hammer to

strike another hammer.

(5) Never use a striking or

struck tool with loose or

damaged handle.

(6) Discard any striking or

struck tool if tool shows

dents, cracks, chips, mush

rooming, or excessive wear.

(7) Never redress striking

tools. Cutting edges or

struck tools may be re

turned to the original

shape with a file or whet

stone.