One of the members at our local blacksmithing group had wanted to repurpose a old claw hammer into a small bowl adze.
So after few months of not much action on that front I thought I'd give it a go myself one afternoon to see how it would work out. Didn't weigh it to begin with but it was probably a 20oz hammer.

I have reforged a few ball pein's and the steel is hard/tough and the claw hammer was no different. didn't get shots of everything...

initial shaping was using a heavy angled bending die in the fly press to spread it sideways and length ways made easy work of it - really needed a slightly more rounded die but sort of worked out ok.

IMG_1578.jpg in the gas forge IMG_1579.jpg v bending die in background top bending die not pictured (chrome top die is a flattening die)

IMG_1580.jpg bottom hardy was used but a solid diameter may have been better IMG_1582.jpg here it is still hot just flattening out indentations with the ball pein.

A few shots. rough forged, rough ground. Didn't quite have the right wheel for the inner radius
IMG_1583.jpg IMG_1585.jpg IMG_1586.jpg IMG_1587.jpg IMG_1588.jpg


Was still quite hard even with basically just an Air quench, but when I ground the bevel it was clear it was not hard enough. So cleaned it up more on a 120 grit belt then heated to dull red and quenched in some oil - came out nice and hard, then tempered to mid straw colour. Brownish patches near cutting edge are not temper colour but came from the wood I tried it on after a quick sharpen. Really kept its edge well even after some use. will of course have to get a decent handle.

IMG_1593.jpg IMG_1596.jpg

will have to make a few more I think.

cheers