Forging is interesting, but forging new things is amazing. Have you tried forging a cross peen hammer? Here are some steps to guide you to forge a cross peen hammer.
Cross peen hammer is one of the tools of a blacksmith. A cross peen hammer is a useful tool in forging and riveting. It is useful in forcing and beating metals.
Just like every other hammer, the cross peen hammer has a handle and a hammerhead. The hammerhead of a cross peen has a wedged-shaped end and another end for beating metals.
The cross peen hammer is useful to many other professions. As much as blacksmiths make use of it, other fields of work make use of it. To be able to forge your cross peen hammer, you will need to follow steps and procedures.
Instructions on How to Forge a Cross Peen Hammer
Step 1: Get a Steel Block
When forging a cross peen hammer, what you are forging is the hammerhead, not the handle. The handle is mostly made of wood, so you don’t need to forge it.
The hammerhead is made of steel, so it needs to get forged. You will make use of a steel block to forge the hammerhead of your cross peen hammer. The steel block should be as big as you want your hammerhead to appear.
Step 2: Mark the Center and Drill
What you should do here is;
- Get a tape rule and measure the steel block.
- After measuring the steel block, determine the center of the block. The center will serve as the hole for your handle.
- Set the block on a drill press then drill multiple holes at the center of the block. This act will make it easy for you to use the punch on it.
Step 3: Heat Your Block
After creating multiple holes in your block, you should place your steel block in the forge for heating. Heating the steel block will make the steel easy to forge so you should heat it to a red-hot stage.
Step 4: Make Your Hole
The steel block is hot and ready to forge. You should make your hole while it is hot. To make your hole, you have to;
Quick Steps
- Retrieve your steel block from the forge.
- Hit the punch at the center of the block with a hammer. You should hit the block till you have your hole.
- You can put small lumps of coal into the block to make it easier.
- After getting your hole, you should make use of a hammer eye drift to enlarge the hole.
- As the hammer eye drift enlarges the hole, it distorts the shape of the block so you should hit the sides of the block with your hammer while the hammer eye drift is still in it.
- After getting your hole, slowly allow it to cool down before taking the next step.
Step 5: Forge Your Wedged End
To forge your wedged end, you have to heat the steel block to a very high temperature. After heating the block, you should place the block on an anvil for hitting.
Heat one end of the block to a flat shape. The shape should be flat enough to serve as a wedge. It might take a while so you should ensure the block becomes very hot.
You can also reheat the block at intervals to maintain its hotness. You should be dexterous while beating the steel block.
Step 6: Shape the Face of the Hammerhead
At this point, the hammerhead is rectangular, and you can mold it into your preferred shape. You might either make it circular, oval, square, etc. You should shape it while it is still hot.
Step 7: Annealing
Now, you have your cross peen hammer. Annealing helps toughen the hammerhead and also make it durable. To anneal the hammerhead, you should;
Quick Steps
- Heat the hammerhead in a forge.
- Retrieve it from the forge when it is red hot.
- Place it in wood ash and allow it to cool slowly.
Step 8: Grinding
You should grind the edges and surface of the hammerhead. Grinding will help remove scales and also smoothen the surface of the hammerhead. You should grind the hammerhead with a belt grinder or any other available grinder.
Step 9: Add the Handle
Since you have your hole, adding the handle to the hammerhead should be easy. Get a wooden handle that fits the hole perfectly. Join the wooden handle to the hammerhead by inserting it into the hole, and you are good to go.
Now, you have a cross peen hammer at your service.
FAQs
Question
What is cross peen hammers’ specialization?
The main use of a cross peen hammer is to forge and rivet. There are other uses of the cross peen hammer. The cross peen hammer is a very useful tool to blacksmiths and other professionals.
Question
Can I forge a cross peen hammer with a steel billet?
You can forge a cross peen hammer with a steel billet, but you will need a lot of beating and forging before it can take the shape of the hammer. You should have in mind that the size of your billet determines the size of your cross peen hammer.
Question
Can I forge my cross peen hammer from rebar?
Forging a cross peen hammer from rebar does not seem feasible. You might have difficulty handling it because of its small size.
Video on How to Forge a Cross Peen Hammer
Warnings
Safety precautions to follow when forging your cross peen hammer includes;
- Always put on cotton apparel.
- Do not use damaged tools.
- Always have a fire extinguisher nearby in case of a fire outbreak.
- Ensure to always keep your working environment tidy.
- Always run a routine check up on your tools and machines.
