Looking for a good usable Cat's head at a reasonable price. Let me know if you happen to have one you aren't using!

If you find two at a decent price, I'll buy one.

They go outrageous online.

Here's one on Ebay- http://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-Blacksmith-Farrier-Cats-Head-Pattern-Turning-Hammer-Dbl-Mkd-HELLER-BRO-VG-/110834124448?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19ce3a86a0
$41 now.

I predict that one will go for at least $120 by auction end!!!

The one on ebay is not the cat's head as I know it, it looks like a cross pein with raised identicle flat cheeks on each side. The English pattern cats head is very different fron the American turning or rounding hammer. It has both flat and curved faces, with two distinctive side faces. One a small pimply ball pein and the other an short cross pein. It was a hammer with four faces that allowed the smith to make a finished shoe from bar stock without changing hammers! This I think is one of the rare times that Sellen's Dictionary seems to have  got it wrong? or maybe he is just looking at it from an American pespective! Sellen's does in fact comment on the confusion of names between manufacturers (pge 211-12).
Graeme

I've heard them called Cat's head hammers since I started blacksmithing in 2006. That has included many, many hours of internet forum research, conferences, hammer-ins, etc.

In reality, they are called Chicago Pattern Farrier's Turning hammers. To prove my statement, I present this clipping taken from an old Sears and Roebuck catalog reprint.

I tried to bid on the one on ebay, but my ebay gave me trouble and froze up. Ended up missing it.... So, still looking.

What is up with the backward leaning flat face? What is the advantage of this?
  yours Scott

Wow, that one only went for $59 and change. Half of my predicted price. Never can tell about ebay.

My dream is to someday run across and unopened crate of these in my travels.....yeah, right, like that will ever happen. If it does though, you can bet I will take care of my blacksmith friends that are looking for them!!!!

This whole thing kind of surprises me.
  It would seem to me, any blacksmith could grab any old 3-4 pound hand sledge and re-forge one of these in a hour or less!
  I got out a spare 3 pounder I had, and figure I could simply cut n grind and make a light one in a couple hours tops.
Why would people pay so much, especially experienced blacksmiths?
  yours Scott     

One word Scott---COLLECTORS!!!

I've never gave more than $30 or so for a new, unblemished, unmolested, undressed hammer and that was a german made cross-peen.

Most everything else I have either traded for, or purchased on the cheap at yard sales, junk stores or flea markets.

Quote from: scottg on March 08, 2012, 12:26:43 PM
This whole thing kind of surprises me.
  It would seem to me, any blacksmith could grab any old 3-4 pound hand sledge and re-forge one of these in a hour or less!
  I got out a spare 3 pounder I had, and figure I could simply cut n grind and make a light one in a couple hours tops.
Why would people pay so much, especially experienced blacksmiths?
  yours Scott   

scottg,

I recently bought 3 hammers/mallets.  I paid $0.75, $1.00, and $5.00.  Of course, they all had condition issues.  And, I have spent many hours rehandling, derusting, personalizing, and dressing the faces.

I think most of the high priced hammers are bought by collectors, not users.  It's sad that collectors drive the prices, and keep these tools out of the hands of people who would use them.  Such is life though...

Quote from: lauver on March 10, 2012, 10:56:35 AM
I recently bought 3 hammers/mallets.  I paid $0.75, $1.00, and $5.00.  Of course, they all had condition issues.  And, I have spent many hours rehandling, derusting, personalizing, and dressing the faces.

I think most of the high priced hammers are bought by collectors, not users.  It's sad that collectors drive the prices, and keep these tools out of the hands of people who would use them.  Such is life though...

  See? This is what I am used to all my life.  Old hammers are basically worthless until you put in some time, and make them your own.

  This, "those who can't do, collect", thing? Is freaking me out!

Just today I went to look at hand saws. I haven't checked in a while.
  Guys are taking fine old classic saws and cleaning up and sharpening and getting up to $500 apiece now. 
I still have a couple of receipts where I paid like 6 dollars for a Disston #12, and I thought it was high money at the time. Old hand saws were virtually worthless (unless mint in the original wrapper or one of a very few super rare models) up until about 4-5 years ago at most. 

  At one time I thought the market must surely be topped out, with collectors paying up to $100 for a good saw.  So I sold a fine condition Disston #12 for the $100, and thought people had gone temporarily crazy.
  Now look
  yours Scott

I tried to register seversl times and couldn't because your procedures to do so aren't clear on what you are asking to do. It is very frustrating.

QuoteI tried to register several times and couldn't because your procedures to do so aren't clear on what you are asking to do. It is very frustrating.

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