Carbide Straightening Hammer

An update - Remember on Feb 16th, post #2 I said I'd ordered 2 of the 3/8" carbide balls? Well, they came in today. Only took a tad over 2 wks for delivery - better than I expected.

Last week I picked up a new HF hammer, annealed the head and drilled 23/64" hole for the 3/8" ball. Nice tight fit, pressing with hydraulic press it went right in. I drilled the hole a tad more than desired and now the ball is only 1/16" proud of head. I'd rather it stuck out more, but testing on a metal strip it seems to work good. Perhaps better (larger divots) than the endmill I ground to a rounded point on the other hammer. I might remove the 1/4" endmill and redrill for the other 3/8" carbide ball.
 
KenH said:
An update - Remember on Feb 16th, post #2 I said I'd ordered 2 of the 3/8" carbide balls? Well, they came in today. Only took a tad over 2 wks for delivery - better than I expected.

Last week I picked up a new HF hammer, annealed the head and drilled 23/64" hole for the 3/8" ball. Nice tight fit, pressing with hydraulic press it went right in. I drilled the hole a tad more than desired and now the ball is only 1/16" proud of head. I'd rather it stuck out more, but testing on a metal strip it seems to work good. Perhaps better (larger divots) than the endmill I ground to a rounded point on the other hammer. I might remove the 1/4" endmill and redrill for the other 3/8" carbide ball.
Click to expand...
Photos would be awesome!
 
OK, here are photos. First photo is of both hammers laying on top of a RR anvil I made many years ago for shoeing horses.
Carbide-Peening-Hammer.jpg


This is a closeup of the carbide balls showing how one is set deeper than I like. Still works, but I like the 2nd hammer better. I think I might do a bit more grinding on the heads to clean up a bit. Once the heads are annealed, takes about 10 minutes to make.
Carbide-Peen-Ball.jpg
 
KenH, I might be missing something obvious here, but why did you use the flat face rather than the peen head?
 
I think the peen head would have been ok to drill - perhaps flatten a small spot to start the drill? Aactually my first choice, BUT - take a look at the handle - #2 post might show the handle shape better - the handle just doesn't lend itself to holding easy to use the peen head. It feels really awkward when held that way. You can do it, but decided I'd rather hold the hammer in the more comfortable position.
 
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OK. When I make these from old ball peen hammers I just flatten about a 1/2" spot on the tip of the peen using my grinder and use a carbide drill on it.
The handle does make a difference though since on that hammer it isn't symmetrical.
 
I tend to try and do most of my straightening during my second (and at times third) temper cycles. I have never broken a blade straightening in second or third temper. If that does not work, I am one of the lucky people who happen to have a Fly Press in my shop. I made a straightening jig for it. I can apply precise pressure to whatever part of a blade I need but I have broken a few straightening with the fly press. I think I will make the carbide hammer my tertiary method of straightening. If none of the three of these methods will correct a warp, I think I will throw the knife in the pond behind my house and start over.
 
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