I got called out for my hammer control on a commission last month

A client in Tacoma pointed out a slight ripple pattern on a fire poker I forged, saying the texture looked accidental, not intentional. I switched from my usual 2.5 pound cross peen to a lighter rounding hammer and focused on keeping my strikes more even, which actually sped up my finishing time. Has anyone else had a piece of feedback that made you change a basic tool in your routine?

2 comments

2 Comments

jake_dixon3h ago

My buddy had a similar thing happen with his spoon carving. A customer at a market asked if the little nicks on the handle were part of the design. They were just from his hook knife catching. He swapped to a different, sharper blade he had to sharpen less often. It forced him to slow his cuts down at first, but the finish got much cleaner. He still uses that same knife setup now because of that one comment.

susansingh3h ago

That bit about a customer's question changing your buddy's whole setup is so true. My friend who makes leather belts had a client point out how the buckle's finish wore off fast, which she'd never noticed. She switched to a harder brass and now checks that detail on every piece, all because of that one chat with @jake_dixon. It's funny how a simple outside look can lock in a better way of doing things.