Lump Hammer: Octagonal & With Spells
$ 137.00
We redesigned our old lump hammer design to look more like our Exeter and Warrington hammers. This new design has an octagonal head and is engraved with three "spells" or "prayers" that have been around since before written history. (You can read all about these spells in "American Peasant," a free download.)
The center spell is called a "hexafoil" and is a general good-luck symbol. The spells on either side of the hexafoil represent people.
The Crucible Lump Hammer has a 2 lb. hardened steel head and is ideal for assembly, mortising, setting holdfasts and dozens of other chores. Comfortable octagonal handle with an oil finish.
The late, great furniture maker Alan Peters often said one of his favorite tools was his “lump hammer,” a British term for what Americans might call an engineer’s hammer or a small sledge. Peters used his lump hammer for a remarkable range of operations, including knocking together dovetailed carcases and drawers.
Unlike a traditional wooden mallet, the lump hammer is compact, requires less effort to use and packs considerable punch – a great asset when you need it. Plus, unlike a wooden mallet, you’ll never need to replace it.
After taking Peters’ advice on the lump hammer, we were impressed with how useful it is, and it has replaced the wooden mallet for many operations at the bench.
For assembling dovetailed carcases and mortise-and-tenon frames, the lump hammer has no equal. Choke up on the handle to administer careful taps on delicate drawers. Grip the handle at its end and it can deliver a wallop that can persuade joints that have become too tight because of the glue.
It is delicate enough to be used to strike wooden-handled chisels. Because of the weight of the hammer’s head, mortising requires less effort. It’s more about raising the hammer slightly and dropping its head on the chisel handle – low and slow. It sets and releases holdfasts with one authoritative blow.
The handle is shorter than what you’ll find on a typical sledge, making it ideal for woodworking instead of breaking up rocks. The octagonal handles are selected from the best hickory, beech, ash and black locust. They are hand-finished and then oiled.