Tool Talk

What's-It Forum => What's-It Forum => Topic started by: AmInRussia on January 12, 2015, 01:57:46 PM

Title: Old hammer of some sort. Wedge head and metal shaft and wood handle
Post by: AmInRussia on January 12, 2015, 01:57:46 PM
My girlfriend found this hammer cleaning out an old farmhouse in Russia. I'm not sure what it was meant for. Any ideas?
Title: Re: Old hammer of some sort. Wedge head and metal shaft and wood handle
Post by: Papaw on January 12, 2015, 02:48:57 PM
Welcome to Tool Talk!

Could be a welder's chipping hammer or a stone mason's hammer. A Stonemason's hammer, also known as a Brick Hammer, has one flat traditional face and a short or long chisel-shaped blade. It can thus be used to chip off edges or small pieces of stone, cut brick or a concrete masonry unit, without using a separate chisel. The chisel blade can also be used to rapidly cut bricks or cinder blocks.

This type of hammer is also used by geologists when collecting rock and mineral samples and is one of several types of Geologist's hammer.
Title: Re: Old hammer of some sort. Wedge head and metal shaft and wood handle
Post by: oldgoaly on January 12, 2015, 03:04:04 PM
if the head of the tool is a copper / brass like metal it would be
a soldering iron. there is a name for that style but it escapes me @ this moment.
Title: Re: Old hammer of some sort. Wedge head and metal shaft and wood handle
Post by: leg17 on January 12, 2015, 03:53:02 PM
Handle does not look suitable for "hammering".

Perhaps soldering, if head is copper.

Possibly some sort of 'struck' tool.
The handle is simply for positioning.
Title: Re: Old hammer of some sort. Wedge head and metal shaft and wood handle
Post by: Bill Houghton on January 12, 2015, 04:31:48 PM
That sure looks like copper, which would confirm the soldering copper idea.

My only experience with soldering coppers has been with sheet metal soldering, and I've never used one like that.
Title: Re: Old hammer of some sort. Wedge head and metal shaft and wood handle
Post by: Batz on January 12, 2015, 05:01:43 PM
That's a soldering iron, usually used with a blow torch.
Title: Re: Old hammer of some sort. Wedge head and metal shaft and wood handle
Post by: oldgoaly on January 12, 2015, 05:41:30 PM
or a soldering iron furnace, charcoal or gas. mine's gas & stationary.
You can find these cheap sometimes, redo the "refractory" they work well.
Title: Re: Old hammer of some sort. Wedge head and metal shaft and wood handle
Post by: Lostmind on January 12, 2015, 06:24:07 PM
Probably for copper roofs.
Title: Re: Old hammer of some sort. Wedge head and metal shaft and wood handle
Post by: wvtools on January 12, 2015, 08:42:08 PM
I always called that style offset head soldering iron, but I think I have seen them called hatchet style also.
Title: Re: Old hammer of some sort. Wedge head and metal shaft and wood handle
Post by: Nolatoolguy on January 13, 2015, 03:28:54 PM
Welcome to Tool Talk!

Could be a welder's chipping hammer or a stone mason's hammer. A Stonemason's hammer, also known as a Brick Hammer, has one flat traditional face and a short or long chisel-shaped blade. It can thus be used to chip off edges or small pieces of stone, cut brick or a concrete masonry unit, without using a separate chisel. The chisel blade can also be used to rapidly cut bricks or cinder blocks.

This type of hammer is also used by geologists when collecting rock and mineral samples and is one of several types of Geologist's hammer.

Isn't the shaft part to thin thoe, I would think it would have to be stronger?
Title: Re: Old hammer of some sort. Wedge head and metal shaft and wood handle
Post by: Billman49 on January 14, 2015, 09:36:53 AM
Hatchet type soldering iron in the UK as well.... also known as copper soldering bit or just as a soldering copper....

used by tinsmiths as well as roofers...
Title: Re: Old hammer of some sort. Wedge head and metal shaft and wood handle
Post by: Billman49 on January 14, 2015, 09:50:57 AM
Like the straight irons they also came in a range of sizes (weights)....

Called irons, even though made of copper, as early lead welding was done with an iron heated to red heat.... Lower melting alloys, i.e. solders were not used on leadwork until much later....
Title: Re: Old hammer of some sort. Wedge head and metal shaft and wood handle
Post by: oldtools on January 15, 2015, 12:28:03 AM
Nice find! Tell us about yourself!
Title: Re: Old hammer of some sort. Wedge head and metal shaft and wood handle
Post by: Bill Houghton on January 16, 2015, 02:14:40 PM
Called irons, even though made of copper, as early lead welding was done with an iron heated to red heat.... Lower melting alloys, i.e. solders were not used on leadwork until much later....
Possibly regional terminology differences.  I was taught to call the elecrically powered tool a "soldering iron," but during my brief time as a tinbender, we always called the copper-on-a-stick (would that make it a "coppsicle?"), heated by propane, when I did the work, a "soldering copper."