Beryllium? Hammer

GraemeVW · Mar 15, 2023

hotponyshoes said:
#1 is the best out of the 3 but it's (imo) too short and not fat enough at the far end.
Flame black it, hard at the far end and taper off towards the head. 1 scotch off squeazed out with some oil.

Best way to make a handle nice is to use it...

The pic is a little deceptive, and the head is held above the handle, but I wouldn't want the held part if the handle to be any fatter.

GraemeVW · Mar 15, 2023

Seems the unanimous opinion is I should use the handle it 'should' have.

I may never use it anyway, but if I change my mind I can always swap the handle later.

Ross365 · Mar 15, 2023

outofthefire said:
All the nonsparking hammers we used to make were just brass.

Yes; it raises the question of why anyone would want to make a beryllium hammer? I'm struggling to think what advantage it would have over a brass hammer and presumably it would have cost more? IIIC, the copper-beryllium alloys produce a metal with very good springy properties, so were used in some electrical contacts where such properties were needed.

It's a lovely object

GraemeVW · Mar 15, 2023

Ross365 said:
Yes; it raises the question of why anyone would want to make a beryllium hammer? I'm struggling to think what advantage it would have over a brass hammer and presumably it would have cost more? IIIC, the copper-beryllium alloys produce a metal with very good springy properties, so were used in some electrical contacts where such properties were needed.

It's a lovely object

I've been wondering this too.
I was guessing that maybe brass work hardens too quick?
But it's an aluminium/brass alloy I think.
Seems they either used beryllium to make copper harder, or aluminium to make brass softer?

I don't know really.

GraemeVW · Mar 15, 2023

Looking at places that sell new tools I either aluminium brass or beryllium copper, the Be Cu are stronger but more expensive.

6ply · Mar 15, 2023

I might have a non-spark hammer somewhere if you fancy starting a collection.

6ply · Mar 15, 2023

No.3 looks like the short fat kid everyone laughed at.

GraemeVW · Mar 15, 2023

6ply said:
I might have a non-spark hammer somewhere if you fancy starting a collection.

Hmmm, always a possibility. Wasn't on my radar of things I should collect, but not were vices and they are multiplying rapidly!

6ply · Mar 15, 2023

GraemeVW said:
Hmmm, always a possibility. Wasn't on my radar of things I should collect, but not were vices and they are multiplying rapidly!

I'll take a look later.

6ply · Mar 15, 2023

GraemeVW said:
Hmmm, always a possibility. Wasn't on my radar of things I should collect, but not were vices and they are multiplying rapidly!

hotponyshoes · Mar 15, 2023

All the non-sparking tools I have are called beryllium copper, not sure what they are actually made of or what the % is but that's what's in the marketing material!
I get away with using stainless for most of the work I need one for though!

GraemeVW · Mar 15, 2023

6ply said:
View attachment 389559 View attachment 389560

That's a nice thing.
Had a hard life by the looks of it. I believe that should be straigjt pein one side and cross pein on the other.
Maybe whoever had it had more use for a flat face so modified it?

hotponyshoes · Mar 15, 2023

GraemeVW said:
That's a nice thing.
Had a hard life by the looks of it. I believe that should be straigjt pein one side and cross pein on the other.
Maybe whoever had it had more use for a flat face so modified it?

Looks a bit out of balance for a cross pein, might have been modified but I think it would have been out of balance the other way before modification then?
It's not a striking chisel is it?

6ply · Mar 15, 2023

hotponyshoes said:
Looks a bit out of balance for a cross pein, might have been modified but I think it would have been out of balance the other way before modification then?
It's not a striking chisel is it?

I really don't know. One those hammers I've had for years and almost never used.

GraemeVW · Mar 15, 2023

I believe it should look like this

Maker · Mar 15, 2023

hotponyshoes said:
All the non-sparking tools I have are called beryllium copper, not sure what they are actually made of or what the % is but that's what's in the marketing material!
I get away with using stainless for most of the work I need one for though!

The alloy used in electronics is 2% beryllium and a little bit of cobalt iirc, I'm not sure if tools use a different alloy but I doubt it.

hotponyshoes · Mar 15, 2023

Nope, Grame is correct,
#65

hotponyshoes · Mar 15, 2023

Note how they all look much better with a worked handle!

hotponyshoes · Mar 15, 2023

GraemeVW said:
The pic is a little deceptive, and the head is held above the handle, but I wouldn't want the held part if the handle to be any fatter.

No, the held part you want to suit your grip.
But the far end wants to be fatter so you have a better grip around it when it really needs wanging

GraemeVW · Mar 15, 2023

It seems hard to buy nicely shaped handles these days. I think i have bought 15 handles in the last week, lots of different makes, none are as nicely shaped as older handles. All seem odd priportuons compared to how old ones are.
I figured if I feel they need reshaping, I'll do them as I go.

Beryllium? Hammer

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Most folk just call me; Orange Joe

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