Quote from: Wrenchmensch on April 01, 2012, 07:50:10 AM
From a senior tool collecting friend, comes this about the copper faced Basa hammer:

"We used these in the machine shop to knock the work, while lightly dogged down, into line on the bed of the planer or the larger milling machines. Maybe they had another intended use but, that's how we used them."

That's how I used one as well Wrenchmaster, I worked both planers and large mills in my apprenticeship at GM Australia. That's a long time ago believe me, and I still have and use that hammer.

Batz

 LOT OF BRASS TOOLS WERE MADE TO BE USED AROUND NATURAL GAS WORK TO PREVENT THE BIG BOOM   BOB W.

For BASA see also http://www.hammersource.com/Soft_Face_Hammers/1_3/4_BASA_Refractory_face_for_split_head_hammers._One_face/ or http://www.expressprotools.com/products.asp?productid=184

In the UK we (us Brits) usually refer to them as soft faced mallets, rather than hammers...

Wow! I was just getting ready to post my newly acquired Garland # 5 soft face hammer, when I run across this post!!
Garland is made in SACO, Maine. Weighs 6 pounds!
I found it w/o the inserts, went on line and found the water buffalo hide replacements, and bought them.
Over 40 dollars for one set of two. Easy to install with the huge nut that tightens the 2 parts together.
As instructed by the mfr, I put neats foot oil on the new inserts.
This is a HUGE, heavy hammer. Wonder what it was used for?

CENCO supplied a maul with an iron body and hardwood faces (with a 2ft handle) to drive soil sampling probes...

see: http://www.scribd.com/doc/45793288/Central-Scientific-Company-CENCO-Catalog-C-218-1918 page 458 item no 8386