got around to getting a 4 oz. brass ball peen

[Tom M King]

for molding plane irons. I'd been feeling guilty about using a steel one, so I happened to see one on ebay for 7 bucks with free shipping. There is no issue with it not being soft enough, and it looks like it will work just fine, after I glue the head on the handle. I don't think a wedge will be a good fix for a round peg in a round hole. Like everything else made in China, they do a good job of making it look like what it's supposed to be. It looks just like a brass head, ball peen hammer.

[george wilson]

Gluing the handle on is not going to prove satisfactory,I think. The shock of using it will likely crack the glue loose. It would be best if you could take a round file,and slightly oval the hole,and bell mouth it internally to a small degree. Then,you can wedge it with a horizontal wedge(normally vertical),at least. Since you are stuck with the stock hammer,this would work better,unless you make a better handle that will fit the oval hole.

[Tom M King]

Thanks George. I had already stuck it on with some 3M DP810 that I use on golf club heads. I expect it will serve okay for a while. If not, some things are good for seeing how far you can throw them.

[george wilson]

I'm not familiar with glue for golf club heads. But,if it holds for the shock of hitting golf balls,it must be o.k.!!:)

[Tom M King]

There is some pretty interesting stuff used for golf club heads. I expect 810 was not intended for the purpose to start with, but a lot of Tour Vans use it. It sets fairly quickly, is plenty strong enough (although there are others much stronger), it breaks down with lower heat than epoxy (so you don't melt a graphite shaft when removing a head from a shaft), but the coolest thing about it is that it bubbles and boils up from the heat so that the residue is really easy to remove. It makes it easy to try different shafts without a lot of time in the shop.

[Dave Lehnert]

The Harbor Freight option.
http://www.harborfreight.com/double-sided-mallet-with-wooden-handle-98285.html

[lowell holmes]

Well,
I'm stuck with using my Father's 7 oz. Bluegrass hammer. Just light taps with it.

I had his 16 oz. framing hammer too, but my oldest daughter took it the woods without my knowledge to build a fort and left it. I blamed one of my son's for years, but she told me she did it.

I was able to buy another 16 oz. but it's not the same. Since she is the mother of three of my grandchildren, all is forgiven.:)

[george wilson]

I've had a cheap little brass hammer for many years,with a round hole. There is a screw in the hole,and somehow it has held up for decades. I only ever use it for pretty light taps on plane irons,though. Probably why it has not loosened.

I bought it in the 70's from Brookstone WAYYYYY back when they still sold some tools,instead of just gadgets.