Hello all,   

         I picked this head up the other day & don't recognize it's use, (I got it to have as smithing hammer, can never have too many hammers :-) but it's been suggested it's more likely a hot/cold cut.
        I don't agree, I think if it were a hot/cold cut (punch) the "pick" would be centered, I still think it's a hammer head but would like to know it's original use.

       Any ideas?  (The top one)





Thank you in advance.

Top heavier one I would call a hot cut, lower?

It sure is a hammer, but not a hot cut. Hot cut would have cutting edge centered and could be either cross or straight oriented to the handle.  Maybe a stone or masons hammer. Or simply a sheet metal workers hammer.

Joe B

I'm inclined to think that it's a rock climbers hammer. The head is for driving in the pitons, and the pointy end to help extract them. I've got one in one my boxes...somewhere. They have a relatively short handle, at least mine does.

Mike

I did a lot of rock climbing in my younger days and that is the same style as my hammers. No measurements or weights but it looks a lot heavier than the ones I used. When your hanging off a rock face you don't want to pack any more weight than you have to. I haven't seen mine for a while but I think I know where they might be. I'll have a look later today. Jim

I did find 1 hammer and a couple of pitons,that's about all I got Left. Once I started looking I remembered I'd sold the majority of my gear to a young fellow back in about 1972 or 73. this hammer I'm showing I found too light and I remember my dad modifying a Estwing for me. He sharpened the flat curved end to a point and shortened the head a bit to reduce weight. hope the pics work, it's been a while since I've posted anything with pics.

Gibsontool,
I remember that mine has the straps on the head like yours, and I believe it was made in Austria. I got it at a garage sale in NY from a guy that had used it. Otherwise I would have never known what it was used for. One of these days I'll find it again.

Mike

I know most of the gear I had was made in Austria but I don't recall any markings on the hammer but I'll look again.

   Thank you for the climbing hammer suggestions, do you think it might be a bit on the heavy side at 4.5lbs?

   I wonder if it's simply a stone masons hammer?

I know that I would never have carried it when climbing.WAY TOO HEAVY.

Had a close look at my hammer and there are no markings at all on it.

    Thanks anyway Jim & Mike, I can certainly see the resemblance to an old climbing hammer.

    I found this in French that swung me a bit - https://www.pointp.fr/outillage-quincaillerie/marteau-de-macon-a-pointe-et-tete-creuse-1-25-kg-A1009721
    Here & other places on the net described as a stone masons hammer.