Wasted $150 on a pre-made forging hammer and regretted it

Tbh I thought I was saving time by buying a ready-made rounding hammer from a big online supplier. Paid about $150 shipped and the face started chipping after maybe 20 hours of use. The balance felt off too, like the head was heavier on one side. I should have just spent the money on good tool steel and made my own or bought from a known smith at a local hammer-in. Has anyone else had a bad experience with mass produced hammers or am I just unlucky?

3 comments

3 Comments

kevin_wells461mo ago

You ever try making your own from a railroad spike? I did that after getting burned on a store bought hammer. Works way better and cost me like 10 bucks.

lily_gibson131mo ago

Yeah but how do you shape the eye? @dakotab13 got any tips on that?

dakotab131mo ago

Man, I've done the same thing with an old spike and couldn't agree more. That homemade one is still going strong years later, way better than anything off the shelf.

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