In Pursuit of the Forge Welded 3 lb. Viking-Style Hammer

I thought it would be an interesting challenge to develop a 3 pound version of the Viking style hammers I was working on a few months ago.  Those hammers were in the weight range of 24 ounces and made excellent, small blacksmithing hammers.  It seemed natural to try a larger version which was for more general purpose forging.  As in the smaller versions I forge welded faces and peens of high-carbon tool steel to soft steel bodies – in keeping with the older traditions of hammer-making technology. In changing to the larger hammer size I discovered some interesting fine points about hammer design and the forging process. I am now consistently able to hit some of my more subtle design goals regarding the proportions and basic geometry of the hammers. These hammers are all about 5″ long. If I haft them I usually use white oak or hickory.

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