Having one of the best blacksmith hammers is very crucial, especially when it comes to metalworking activities. Many types of blacksmithing hammers are available in the market, each with different purposes.
Usually, choosing the best type of blacksmith hammer for use depends mostly on your level of skills as well as the intended purpose of the hammer.
Therefore, selecting a blacksmithing hammer may be very hectic, especially to the beginners since if you choose wrongly, it may affect the outcomes in your workplace.
In this article, we are going to discuss in depth the ten best blacksmith hammers, explain their strength and weaknesses for blacksmithing and metalwork to enable you to get the best out of it.
[su_highlight class=”shortcodescolorpadding”]In a hurry? See here is our top 6 blacksmith hammers list to pick from.[/su_highlight]
- Picard Blacksmiths Hammer – best design
- ABN 5 Piece Forging Hammer Tool Set
- ABN Ball Pein Hammer 5-pc Set
- Nordic Forge 2 Lb. Rounding Hammer
- Stanley Fiberglass Blacksmith Hammer
- STANLEY FATMAX Hammer for Blacksmith
Editors Choice: 3 Best blacksmith hammer for beginners – Comparison table
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Most Popular  | Picard Blacksmiths Hammers | 9.7 | Check Price |
Full Set  | ABN 5 Piece Forging Hammer Set | 9.5 | Check Price |
Wooden Handle  | Blacksmith Strike Club Hammer | 9.1 | Check Price |
1. Picard 0000811-1000 hammer- best hammer for blacksmithing
Are you looking for a unique tool for a blacksmith hammer? Of course, yes. Here you get Picard 0000811-1000 that is the top forging hammers for beginners with a cross Pein on one side as well as a flat surface on the other side.
It has a fantastic build with quite aesthetic design. Similarly, it features an ash wood handle that is useful in shock absorbance and suitable compared to steel handle or fiberglass in coil controlling.
Due to its heavyweight, this type of blacksmith hammer is capable of drawing the metals out quickly without straining. The model hammer may not be useful to the beginners since it may require some little knowledge in its operation.
Additionally, it has very sharp edges, which may leave some marks onto the workpiece.
You can use a surface grinder to obtain a smooth and rounded hammer to your preferences. Therefore, if you want to prevent the hammer from loosening over, the head consist of an ashwood handle packed tightly.
2. ABN 5 Piece Hammer Set– hammer for beginner blacksmith
Do you want to have a hammer that carries all sorts of your project? If yes, then ABN 5 Piece is your pick. The hammer features five-piece sets that include; 32 oz. Rubber mallet, 32 oz. Ball pein, 3lb. Cross pein, 3lb sledgehammer, and 16 oz. Ball pein hammers.
When working using the hammer, the fiberglass handle is capable of reducing any vibrations and the transfer of shocks.
The presence of the carbon steel head usually provides enough balance and strength, which ensures a safe connection for any longevity, reliability, and easy cleaning.
Besides, the size of handles in the hammer range from 11-13.5 inches with a grip rubber cushion that resists any oil and also gives additional comfort when working.
3. ABN Ball Pein Hammer– Budget Friendly Hammer
ABN Ball-Pein is one of the most types of hammer, also called machinist’s hammer. The hammer features two various faces in which one of the faces has a round shape and the other one with a flat form.
Because of its flat shape, the hammer is almost similar to that of a household hammer.
Additionally, the model has a grip of rubber cushion with molded fiberglass, which is resistant to oil and plays a significant role in reducing the vibration and the transfer of shocks.
Besides, the handle of this hammer consists of a wooden material while its head has alloy steel or carbon steel construction which is responsible for durability.
It has a full application and, therefore, suitable for use in texturing applications as well as the production of exceptional knives and swords.
Its flat face makes it suitable and easy in smoothening out the dents. Furthermore, it is relatively light in terms of weight due to its smaller weight making it easy to handle.
It is familiar to many users hence readily available in many hardware stores for the general public.
4. Nordic Forge 2 Lb.– best hammer for knife making
This Nordic Forge is an economic rounded hammer that comes from the United States of America. Nordic hammers are the most popular tools for farriers to tweak and shape metals.
Due to the rounded faces, they are capable of drawing out steel materials quickly compared to some flat-faced hammers.
Accordingly, they feature a flat path that plays an essential role in the smoothing of the tool and some other edge that helps in the creation of various shapes at the workplace.
They are relatively expensive hammers since they can shape metals in different forms and ways.
Although Nordic Forge hammer is expensive, most of the blacksmith users regard this hammer as the best for an all-purpose tool to even beginners. The most recommended weight for these hammers ranges from 2.5 to 4.5 lbs.
Due to personal preferences, a rounded hammer is the most suitable and used by many blacksmiths.
5. Stanley 56-220 4-Pound Jacketed Hammer– Best For Beginner
This type of hammer features high quality with tempered steel. The model comes with a good design for durability and strength. Besides, it has a rim temper of one-piece construction, which is very useful in avoiding any mishaps.
The billet and handle put carefully together to ensure that you carry your work correctly without any interruptions.
Furthermore, the model features anti vibe technology, which makes it suitable for use to many blacksmiths. Once you strike the metal, it produces some vibrations which travel through to the hands, wrist, and elbows.
Many of these vibrations have very high frequency, while others feature low frequency.
The presence of antivibe technology in the hammer, therefore, helps in minimizing this low-frequency because they can significantly injure your elbow as well as your wrist.
Also, its handle has a slip-resistant rubber cover that slips out whenever drawing out very hot metals.
Similarly, the presence of a rim temper helps significantly in the prevention of spalling and chipping with its face consisting of a raised convex point. Lastly, it comes with steel construction that is sturdy and durable, making it the first preference for several novice blacksmiths.
6. Estwing Sure Strike Metalworking Tool– Allrounder in Performance
Estwing Sure 40 oz. Hammer features a forged blue steel painted head with an England style that provides multiple striking surfaces tempered and hardened.
Its face is beveled and polished, ultimately hence reducing the chipping of the hammer. Besides, it has yellow fiberglass and jacketed handles that are useful in allowing more massive blows in places with limited swing.
This type of hammer features different types of handles with wooden handles being the best choice for any blacksmith.
The handles play crucial roles in improving the striking techniques, better ways of controlling your weight as well as enhancing the entire ergonomics when working.
Notably, it also comes with two-piece of contrition with a hickory handle for preventing shock absorbance and improved durability. It is also capable of working flawlessly in shaping the bricks, stones, and bricks as well.
Its overall weight is usually balanced, making it easy to carry from one place to another.
7. KSEIBI Engineers Machinist Hammer– Best for Long Term
This type of hammer features high carbon steel construction with a comfortable wooden handle. They are useful for use, especially in direct striking, industries, and automotive services.
However, unlike traditional fitters and ball hammers, it has specially designed a striking tool that helps to prevent any damages to the striking area.
Besides, it has a slant and square design responsible for double use with a sturdy wooden handle for comfort and strength. Also, this high-grade wooden handle is handy in providing superior tolerance as well as breaking the stress for any adverse conditions.
8. Stanley 56-003 FatMax AntiVibe Hammer– Lightweight
If you are searching for a lightweight blacksmith hammer, then here you have it. Stanley 5003 FatMax will work for you correctly. It is the best hammer for beginners who would wish to start carrying small projects.
However, if you intend to work on large projects, then it is good to find an alternative blacksmith hammer.
Additionally, it also features an ergonomic design with an exotic and New England pattern head. As compared to many hammers, this brand has a wooden handle with an attachment of steel billet, which requires one to be careful when handling them to avoid any severe injuries in the process.
The rim temper in the hammer helps to reduce any activities of spalling and chipping.
Also, this type of hammer comes with a patented design of tuning fork, which plays a vital role in preventing any harmful vibrations which may otherwise cause arm and wrist injuries to the user.
For high strength and durability, the hammer has well-forged construction of one-piece steel that makes it to last for an extended period.
9. Titan 63136 6-Piece hammer– ball peen hammer set
If you are looking for a lightweight pein ball hammer or a cross pein, then Titan 63136 is the best for you. The hammer features the following; 32 oz. Ball pein, 32 oz. Rubber mallet, 3lb. Sledgehammer, 16 oz. Ball pein hammer and 3lb. Cross pein hammer.
All of these hammers come with a textured handle, which is useful in providing a very firm grip and the prevention of any harmful vibrations.
Furthermore, the hammer has an extra rubber grip, which plays a significant role in preventing the frying off of the hammer from your hands when using it. The hammer is suitable for professionals, especially cross pein and sledgehammer.
The head of the hammer and the handle are put carefully together by the use of epoxy. In case of any breakages of the hammerhead, you can enjoy full services since the hammer comes with a lifetime warranty.
10. Dog head hammer– Best in Balance
Dog head hammer is another type of blacksmith hammer that is very useful for use in all-round projects such as knifemaking particularly.
It has a balanced head, which is a motivator to the user hence allowing one to do extra work making uniform and even hammer blows.
Due to its weight, it pushes the metal perfectly well compared to lighter hammers; however, it can fit into your arm since it is not such massive.
Furthermore, this hammer is the best in forging swords and knives and consists of 1045 plain carbon steel with a make of heat-treated.
The entire blacksmith modifies the striking faces of this hammer by rounding them in away using either a power sander or a grinder. Since it comes with a rounded face, you can again take the shortest time to round it up comfortably to suit your preferences.
Related review: You can also read about our indepth guide on “gas forges for knife making” here [Read Here] or “esentials top rated blacksmith tongs ” [Read Here]
Buyer’s Guide on how to choose the Best Blacksmith Hammer
Hammer Types
There are different types of hammers, each playing a significant role in the blacksmithing industry. However, they affect a blacksmith’s work differently according to their needs. We focus on five types of hammers that are common in the metalwork industry.
- Cross-peen Hammers
It is the most common among blacksmiths. Its peen is perpendicular to the handle of the hammer and has a face shaped like a dome. It commonly draws out steel if you are looking to expand the width of your metal stock.
- Ball peen Hammers
This type of hammer has two sides where one is round while the other is flat. It is an essential tool for rounding off edges of your metal stock. It ensures that metal spread evenly. However, it rarely used as a forging tool.
- Sledgehammer
This hammer draws out large metal stocks. It has a considerable hammerhead and two flat surfaces on either side. Usually, its handle is longer than the other models; thus, it is convenient for striking metal. It merely converts thick metal blocks into smaller pieces efficiently without shaping them.
- Straight Peen Hammer
As the name goes, the peens of these hammers are parallel to the handle. They help to lengthen work from their reduced surfaces and also for bending metal stocks.
Weight of Hammer
It is essential to consider the weight or size of your anvil as you go shopping for a hammer. A huge anvil allows you to choose any size of the hammer, but a small anvil needs you to use a hammer that weighs less to avoid a significant impact during striking.
Usually, the anvil hammer ratio is 40:1. For a 40lb anvil, using a hammer weighing 1lb is commendable. Most blacksmith hammers weigh between 2 to 3 lbs. Thus they meet this requirement.
Being an entry-level blacksmith, it is vital to use a smaller hammer that you can control easily and lift continually for long hours. Lighter hammers are more comfortable to wield but have less driving force in comparison to heavy ones; thus, you may fail to have a desirable result.
Medium hammers work with more substantial metals to create shapes that have more extensive surface areas. Large hammers allow for the construction of extra-wide surface areas on large metal stocks.
Hammer Handles
Hammer handles come in different materials such as wood, plastic, steel, and fiberglass. Each of these materials has its pros and cons.
Plastic and fiberglass handle often exhibit lots of comfort during use. They provide a better grip and produce fewer vibrations. However, they tend to deform when in close contact with heat during the welding of metal stocks. Moreover, it is not easy to replace their handle in case it wears out.
Unlike fiberglass, wooden handles offer excellent grip and are heat resistant. You can comfortably use them for long hours without causing fatigue to your hands. They also minimize friction and are easy to replace.
Steel handles are the most robust of all. Not only are they too heavy, but they also transmit a higher degree of vibrations.
Cost
The price of hammers entirely depends on their style and material. High-quality hammers tend to last for long hence pricy. Low-quality hammers are cheaper, but they damage easily and are prone to rust or wear and tear.
However, excellent quality hammers may be expensive for most blacksmiths to afford. Hence, they opt for second-hand hammers, which are usually cheaper and quite efficient.
Hammerhead Construction Material
Most blacksmithing hammers have a steel construction on their hammerhead. This makes them durable and can pound metal for longer hours. Also, they are lightweight.
However, some heads have sharp edges that usually deform your workpiece. To get rid of this, you need to make the edges smooth using sandpaper.
Then there are titanium made hammerheads. These are usually very expensive and not common among blacksmiths unless you can afford it.
Safety Precautions for Using Hammers for Blacksmithing
- Always use the head of the hammer for striking, not the side because the metal on the bottom is much thinner and can experience damage.
- Ensure you wear goggles when driving in nails or breaking materials that may shatter once hit. This protects your eyes from accessing the fragments.
- Make sure to use the right hammer for the job. Do not use a light hammer for jobs meant for a sledgehammer. This may damage the stick and the workpiece you are working on.
- Maintain your hammerhead and handle it regularly. Do not subject your hammer to huge impacts as this easily deforms the hammerhead and loosens its handle.
FAQs on Best Blacksmith Hammers
Which is the most appropriate handle length?
Ans: Most hammer handles measure about 14 inches long, which works for a good number of people apart from those with bigger hands. Besides, using a 16” handle reduces vibration.
Why do blacksmiths bounce the hammer?
Ans: When you use a hammer on a metal stock for the first time, it forms a scale on its surface after a few blows. To get rid of this, the blacksmith tapers the hammer on the anvil, thereby clearing off the size.
How heavy should a blacksmith hammer be?
Ans: We advise you to get across peen or ball-peen hammer that is two or 3lbs heavy. This works perfectly for you.
What is the appropriate hammer to use as an entry-level blacksmith?
Ans: Using a cross-peen hammer that has a wood handle is the perfect fit for you. At, this point weight does not matter, so you can go with one that works well for you.
Conclusion
Blacksmith hammers are essential tools for forging; hence a blacksmith cannot do without one. They are in different shapes, styles, and sizes and carry out various purposes; thus, choosing the appropriate one to fit your needs may be difficult.
The article above outlines the ten best blacksmith hammers for blacksmithing with their pros, cons, and what to consider before making a purchase. We hope that this helps you make a purchase decision that you will not regret.
However, if you want more information regarding blacksmith hammers, you can visit our website for more details and other related services.
