Bending a hammer

[LRB]

Excellent for those who have an oxy-acetylene torch.

 

[The Appalachian]

You can make a small forge with a propane torch and a "soft" fire brick. Get the brick from a pottery supply for under $5. Drill a hole in the end big enough for the hammer. Drill one in the side for the torch. Hopefully this makes sense.

A Propane weed burner and some stacked up firebrick make a pretty decent quickie forge.

 

[boberator]

Cold bending is not a good idea, especially for a case hardened hammer. I agree that it is good to get the most heat where you want it to bend, then quickly get it in a vise and watch that you don’t bend it too far.

 

[LRB]

A Propane weed burner and some stacked up firebrick make a pretty decent quickie forge.

View attachment 300761

Yes, but kinda overkill for just one project.

 

[The Appalachian]

Yes, but kinda overkill for just one project.

How so?

That's one quick project in the picture.

Stacking bricks around a weed burner takes about 30 seconds. Gets hot fast. What's overkill about quick and fast. Maybe you prefer slower and harder. Ok then.....

 

[The Appalachian]

.

 

[johnraleksa]

You're going to need to get that piece red hot, and most propane torches won't do the job. A charcoal fire will get it hot enough if you use a blower (hair dryer) on the burning charcoal. You will also need a small vice, tongs, and a small ball-peen hammer or rawhide mallet (rawhide mallet will not mar the finish). Figure out in advance exactly what angle you will need to bend the piece to before you transfer the piece to the vice and practice the maneuver before you heat it. The hot piece will cool down very quickly once it's dogged down tight in the vice. Small steel pieces will bend pretty easily with tongs or light hammer taps if the metal is red hot. After you've made your adjustments, allow the metal to cool down gradually until cool to the touch. Repeat as needed. Do not quench the hot piece in oil or water. Be aware that the process described here will pretty much destroy any case-hardened finish on the hammer.

Now you tell me!! Just broke one and had to take it to be wield back together

 

[LRB]

How so?

That's one quick project in the picture.

Stacking bricks around a weed burner takes about 30 seconds. Gets hot fast. What's overkill about quick and fast. Maybe you prefer slower and harder. Ok then.....

OK, if you don't have all the stuff to make that, you've got to go buy it. A dozen or so fire bricks are not passed out free at the store, then drive back home and arrange it all. I would think that would take more than 30 seconds. If you don't have a weed burner, you'll have to buy, borrow, or steal one. It is entirely unnecessary to heat the whole hammer, and wasteful to do all that in order to heat one hammer to make a simple bend when you can heat it in one area with a torch and bend it a little. If you can use a small forge for other projects, that's fine. For one otherwise simple project, that is stupid.

 

[The Appalachian]

OK, if you don't have all the stuff to make that, you've got to go buy it. A dozen or so fire bricks are not passed out free at the store, then drive back home and arrange it all. I would think that would take more than 30 seconds. If you don't have a weed burner, you'll have to buy, borrow, or steal one. It is entirely unnecessary to heat the whole hammer, and wasteful to do all that in order to heat one hammer to make a simple bend when you can heat it in one area with a torch and bend it a little. If you can use a small forge for other projects, that's fine. For one otherwise simple project, that is stupid.

Have you priced an oxy/acet torch set and tanks? Even a small set? That's main reason most don't have one. I do, and I have a weed burner, and I have a stack of bricks. I do a lot of projects aside from being a professional welder/fabricator for a living.

So relax, it was a mere suggestion for those who don't want to fool with an actual forge....which I also have. And it was in addition to ironmangler's post, not telling YOU that you had to have a forge.

 

[Scota@4570]

Making the whole hammer orange hot is likely going to ruin it. IT will smoosh where you grab it and where you torque it. There is no way to localize where it will bend. I'm speaking from experience here. When it goes wrong, being a CVA, you can probably find a new hammer on EBAY and try again as previously suggested.

IF you want to work on guns you need the correct tools. Check you local Crags list or Facebook market place. Estates are liquidated every day. Young people are almost never interested in tool and hands on skills. You can find the stuff you need very cheap. Or, hire someone who can do it right, say a gunsmith?

 

[The Appalachian]

Making the whole hammer orange hot is likely going to ruin it.

Only if you don't know what you're doing, and if you don't know what you're doing, why are you doing it?

 

[LRB]

Making the whole hammer orange hot is likely going to ruin it. IT will smoosh where you grab it and where you torque it. There is no way to localize where it will bend. I'm speaking from experience here. When it goes wrong, being a CVA, you can probably find a new hammer on EBAY and try again as previously suggested.

IF you want to work on guns you need the correct tools. Check you local Crags list or Facebook market place. Estates are liquidated every day. Young people are almost never interested in tool and hands on skills. You can find the stuff you need very cheap. Or, hire someone who can do it right, say a gunsmith?

Some folks will not allow facts to interfere with their chosen level of ignorance.