Ok, I need a real plane hammer. Any tips?

[Kees Heiden]

Until now I have been adjusting my woodenplanes with the big mallet and a very small home made brass hammer. I feel that I really need something else. The mallet is bruising the backs of the planes quite a bit and the brass hammer is just too light.

Any tips on the ideal plane hammer?

How about an all wooden hammer? Should I install strike knobs on all my planes and learn to use them? Maybe brass with a wooden face on one side? What about weight?

All tips are welcome.

I think David Weaver just uses and iron framing hammer.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

The Best Things has two, one with an 8 ounce head, the other they do not say. I have not tried either.

[Keith Mathewson]

I have the Lie Nielsen hammer but would rather have this- http://www.sterlingtoolworks.com/sample-page/plane-hammer/

[Kees Heiden]

Any idea about the weight of that Sterling hammer?

And do you use Krenov type wooden planes or traditional wedged types? I feel that the latter needs more impact to move anything, especially the larger planes.

[Patrick Chase]

Until now I have been adjusting my woodenplanes with the big mallet and a very small home made brass hammer. I feel that I really need something else. The mallet is bruising the backs of the planes quite a bit and the brass hammer is just too light.

Any tips on the ideal plane hammer?

How about an all wooden hammer? Should I install strike knobs on all my planes and learn to use them? Maybe brass with a wooden face on one side? What about weight?

All tips are welcome.

I think David Weaver just uses and iron framing hammer.

I use the Lee Valley one (http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.aspx?p=46540&cat=1,41182). It's utilitarian and not very good looking compared to, say, the Sterling, but checks all required boxes IMO.

w.r.t. bruising that's why most dedicated plane hammers have both wood and brass faces. See the aforementioned Lee Valley for a low-budget implementation.

[Keith Mathewson]

I've seen one but not used it, I would guess it to be about 80g-100g. I have traditional wedge planes. The Lie Nielsen is about 60g and is a little light but does the job for adjusting the iron. For the wedge I use a joiners mallet.

[Tom M King]

I know most hobbyists wouldn't dare lower themselves, but I keep one of these, along with a cheap 4 oz. brass hammer, in each molding plane toolbox (probably 30 to 40 molding planes in each water tight toolbox). It works ideally to me on the wedge and plane body, and I've never bruised a plane with one.
http://www.estwing.com/sf_red_yellow_mallet_hammers.php

[george wilson]

The wooden head on that Sterling hammer may look cute. It will very soon get chunks broken off of the flared edges. The design is too delicate,period. An all brass hammer would be much more appropriate. Even a plastic one.

[Kees Heiden]

I'll just let you guys discuss all there is to know about plane adjusting hammers while I go to bed. ;)

[Jim Koepke]

My little plane mallet has served my quite well. It is made from one of my early attempts at a chisel handle and a piece of lignum vitae for the head.

332209

This has served me well for years for everything from molding planes to a pre-lateral #6 Stanley/Bailey.

It is nothing fancy. If I was to make another, I would likely use a piece of brass stock and make one end taper down to a flat wedge like cross peen.

For loosening blades that have been sitting awhile or really stuck, I use a small mallet or even a big mallet. I will hold the plane by the wedge and blade while holding over the bench while striking the back of the plane.

jtk

[Allen Jordan]

I've made a couple out of 3/4" brass rod. They're pretty easy, though kind of tricky to make the slot for the handle. Here is one:

332210

[Patrick Chase]

I've seen one but not used it, I would guess it to be about 80g-100g. I have traditional wedge planes. The Lie Nielsen is about 60g and is a little light but does the job for adjusting the iron but for the wedge I use a joiners mallet.

The LN is ~2 ounces? That seems really light to me. My LV is 8 oz and feels about right for tapping plane irons.

[Matthew N. Masail]

I use two mostly:

1. the HNT gordon mallet, very nice to use, you could make one if you have a piece of heavy hard wood that isn't splintery.

2. search for "prestige brass hammer" on the bay. I suppose this is the same as making a small brass hammer, but one end is nylon so a little more forgiving. the nylon of these is pretty hard though and will mark the end of your plane. personally I don't mind marking the plane after a while the wood compresses and it seems there are no new marks, it attests to the fact the someone uses the plane.

edit: on that same page there is a hammer with 5 heads I didn't see when I bought mine... looks ideal actually.

[Chris Hachet]

I've made a couple out of 3/4" brass rod. They're pretty easy, though kind of tricky to make the slot for the handle. Here is one:

332210

Nice looking tool.

[Keith Mathewson]

The LN is ~2 ounces? That seems really light to me. My LV is 8 oz and feels about right for tapping plane irons.

It is really a tack hammer, I'm guessing but I think the brass part is about 2 ounces +/-

[george wilson]

Chris,your hammer makes the most sense.

[Frederick Skelly]

My LV is 8 oz and feels about right for tapping plane irons.

+1. I have the LV and like it a lot.

[Derek Cohen]

My plane hammer is 7-8oz. It has a head made from brass rod, drilled for a wedged handle.

This hammer gets a lot of use as it also doubles as a chisel hammer for non-hooped handles when dovetailing. Just the perfect size and weight for me.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Plane%20hammer/Plane-hammer1_zpsf0624775.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Plane%20hammer/Plane-hammer4_zps372ff918.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Plane%20hammer/Plane-hammer3_zps5e0722fb.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mark Kornell]

I use a chunk of 3/4" square brass bar, about 4" long. Piece of leather glued (contact cement) to one end. Probably weighs about 10 oz. Small enough to fit into a pocket of my apron, though heavy enough to be noticeable. Highly useful for all sorts of tasks, not just adjusting planes.

Cheap, too. Maybe $1.00 worth of materials and a 2-minute job to make.

[Kees Heiden]

Mark, your solution sounds like a good one. Enough punch to get the wedge moving in those big beech bench planes, but not too unwieldy. That's the kind of thing I fear is missing in those beautifully crafted but very small hammers you see when googling for plane hammer images.

I see what I have in brass around the shop.

[Mike Holbrook]

How about hide mallets? Highland Woodworking offers a Vaughan 12 oz. model for $29.99. Thor Hammer, has all sorts of mallets with all sorts of heads, including solid brass starting at around 9 oz. Many Thor mallets are offered with double interchangeable heads: wood, brass, copper, rubber, super plastic, hide, aluminum.....Tools from Japan has a wide assortment of white oak and stainless steel hammers/mallets. TFJ seems to have discontinued their brass hammers.

[Stewie Simpson]

Wood on wood. And never strike the top surface of a wooden bench plane. It should always be struck on end grain.

[Steve Voigt]

I have the Sterling mallet. It's terrific. George is right that the wooden head is damage prone, but it comes with a black nylon head that you can replace the wood with.
Before that, I used a shop made mallet, I drilled and tapped the end of a piece of 3/4 brass hex and made a matching wooden head. Then I stuck a handle on the middle. It worked well, and I was always happy with it, but when I tried the sterling, there was a huge difference.
Last thing, I normally use a dead blow mallet to release the iron, since that requires a hard smack. I use the plane hammer for adjustment only.

[Marty Schlosser]

What Mark's suggesting is very similar to what Lee Valley's is like: http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=46540&cat=1,230,41182
I bought mine over a year now and find it indespensible in the shop for not only tweaking my metal planes (a trick I picked up from Garrett Hack), but as Mark's already stated, making slight adjustments to the fences of my various machines. I do, however, like the idea of making one now Mark's brought up that idea.


I use a chunk of 3/4" square brass bar, about 4" long. Piece of leather glued (contact cement) to one end. Probably weighs about 10 oz. Small enough to fit into a pocket of my apron, though heavy enough to be noticeable. Highly useful for all sorts of tasks, not just adjusting planes.

Cheap, too. Maybe $1.00 worth of materials and a 2-minute job to make.

[george wilson]

Don't whack your plane.Provide it with end grain strike knobs. At least one in front of the escapement on a jack or jointer plane to jump the iron back. You COULD even provide a nice strike knob on the front end of a coffin smoother,in the center of the area in front of the escapement. I prefer a square one set at a 45º angle so it is a diamond shape. A round one is actually safer against starting a crack if you do put a knob on the front of a smooth plane,where the area is quite short in the with the grain direction.

I won't whack dovetailed infill planes at all. Too easy to damage the dovetails. And,some old time infills only had the infill GLUED in with hide glue!! Don't go whacking on those either!!! Just DON'T whack infills.

[mark kosse]

Lie Mike said my favorite is a Garland #2. I love the feel and use it for planes and assembly. Thors are a little cheaper and made and available in Europe.

[Kees Heiden]

When I look at my old Dutch plane that all have a steel strike button on the front, I see that the wood around it is usually quite malltreated too. The strike button is often quite a bit deeper into the wood then originally.

[george wilson]

The strike buttons need to be larger,and HIGH enough to avoid a careless carpenter missing them. Or,using a worn mallet,possibly with the face worn hollow,to hit them,damaging the area around the buttons.

There is no doubt that there were a VAST number of inferior workmen using planes than careful,more skillful ones. The huge number of wine bottles found in the ground in Williamsburg certainly attest that many workmen were a bit sheets to the wind. Wine was their only commonly available relief from pain,and from the grind of daily life,which was much more bleak back then to the average workman who worked longer hours,6 days a week.

[Niels Cosman]

The wooden head on that Sterling hammer may look cute. It will very soon get chunks broken off of the flared edges. The design is too delicate,period. An all brass hammer would be much more appropriate. Even a plastic one.

I thought the exact same thing when I saw it! I don't understand the the decision to put a ring of short grain on the business end of a hammer, albeit a light one. Not a good design.

[Simon MacGowen]

I thought the exact same thing when I saw it! I don't understand the the decision to put a ring of short grain on the business end of a hammer, albeit a light one. Not a good design.

Did it occur to you that this kind of boutique tool is more a shop decoration than a shop horse? One of my neighbors has some really fancy tools including several Vesper layout tools (worth well over $100 to $150 a piece), and he confesses he relies more on the cheapos for his day to day work.

The Sterling hammer is fine for very light, center taps, but anything heavier can result in damages as George points out. Perhaps they sell replacement parts, I am not sure?

Simon

[Steve Voigt]

Did it occur to you that this kind of boutique tool is more a shop decoration than a shop horse? One of my neighbors has some really fancy tools including several Vesper layout tools (worth well over $100 to $150 a piece), and he confesses he relies more on the cheapos for his day to day work.

The Sterling hammer is fine for very light, center taps, but anything heavier can result in damages as George points out. Perhaps they sell replacement parts, I am not sure?

Simon

If you had bothered to read my post, you could have answered your own questions. As I said, the mallet comes with a black nylon head to replace the wood one. The black nylon won't break. The wood did. This is only a problem for someone who objects to the plastic and wants a wood head.

It's not a shop decoration. I spend a lot of time with a plane hammer in hand. My Sterling hammer is almost the only tool that has no assigned storage space in my shop, because it never leaves the bench.

Full disclosure: I've met Chris Kuehn (once) and he bought one of my planes, so it's possible that colors my opinion. But I doubt it. After using and trying his hammer, I retired my old one the same day…

[paul cottingham]

The Lee Valley one meets all my needs.

[Niels Cosman]

Did it occur to you that this kind of boutique tool is more a shop decoration than a shop horse? One of my neighbors has some really fancy tools including several Vesper layout tools (worth well over $100 to $150 a piece), and he confesses he relies more on the cheapos for his day to day work.

The Sterling hammer is fine for very light, center taps, but anything heavier can result in damages as George points out. Perhaps they sell replacement parts, I am not sure?

Simon

I don't think that this tools was conceived of as bench jewelry. It's true that a plane hammer is a light hammer and is not meant to take a beating or inflict one. However the bench can be a perilous environment for any type of tool by virtue of the ~3 foot distance from the bench top to the floor alone.
The plane hammer I made, lives on the bench or is always in arm's reach and I use it for all sorts of tapping tasks where a mallet wont do. It is a workhorse tool and a pretty nag to boot.
The point I was making (if any) was that it seems a poor decision to compromised the durability of the tool with an obvious material weakness. The head is easily replace and apparently does include a replacement head plastic head, which is great, but a better design would not require one. That's all I am saying.
My impression of "boutique" tools is that there are no corners cut and no compromises to functionality, durability and aesthetics.

[Simon MacGowen]

Of course, I know the Sterling hammer is not a shop decoration to every of its owner. But my point is that the wooden head design itself is less suitable for long-term use of adjusting a plane. The design is there to beautify the hammer, rightly so from a marketing point of view.

A boutique tool to one may be a regular to another; for a plane hammer that is priced at $120 (?), it fits my definition of being a boutique tool, no matter what other woodworkers tell me. And I am not telling people not to buy boutique tools as long as they want to do so.

Simon

[Niels Cosman]

But my point is that the wooden head design itself is less suitable for long-term use of adjusting a plane. The design is there to beautify the hammer, rightly so from a marketing point of view.
Simon

BUT what I am saying is that we are saying the same thing! :D
The shape of the head has a functional purpose, but it also creates a clear weakness intrinsic to the use of the tool. That's not good design.
An aesthetic choice should never compromise the functionality of a tool. The problem is easily remedied by a material change and/or modification to geometry.

[george wilson]

I agree,Niels. The REST of the hammer looks nice. But,that added on ,flared knob just doesn't belong there,nylon,wood,or not.

Now,let's see who's angre with me now!! But,I know that the person who has a good sense of judging designs will not be,because I speak the truth.

[Randy Karst]

+1 on the Lee Valley plane hammer, pleased with mine (though I must admit the Sterling is lustable).

[robert dankert]

This is my first attempt at one.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1513/24596549343_d4458ae793.jpg

One face is White Pine and the other is Dogwood. The head is partially filled with birdshot.

[steven c newman]

Hammers?
332336
Not sure how hard others or swinging their hammers, this one just uses a tap to work. Not like I'm trying to drive a nail.

For wood on wood smacks...
332337
The one standing up. I turned it from spalted Maple, the one laying down was a pattern. Not only on the backside of a plane, but also on most of my chisels.

IF someone is breaking a plane hammer swinging it.....someone is swinging it way too hard.

[Stanley Covington]

I've made a couple out of 3/4" brass rod. They're pretty easy, though kind of tricky to make the slot for the handle. Here is one:

332210


Allen:

Nice hammer and beautiful marking gage. I don't mean to change the subject, but how do you keep the wedge from driving the beam out and messing up adjustments?

Stan

[Kees Heiden]

Just a quick picture this morning before breakfast.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll266/Kees2351/temp/foto%202_zpszsf9t7dt.jpg (http://s290.photobucket.com/user/Kees2351/media/temp/foto%202_zpszsf9t7dt.jpg.html)

I started with 30 mm brass in the round. Because I started in the round I had to mill the square part. The rest is turned on the lathe. The wood is from an old broom handle and I have no idea what kind of wood this is. It is a bit too fine for ash but a bit too coarse for maple.

Now I am curious how this will work in practice.

[Niels Cosman]

Just a quick picture this morning before breakfast.



I started with 30 mm brass in the round. Because I started in the round I had to mill the square part. The rest is turned on the lathe. The wood is from an old broom handle and I have no idea what kind of wood this is. It is a bit too fine for ash but a bit too coarse for maple.

Now I am curious how this will work in practice.

I'll bet it's hickory, Looks great!

[Kees Heiden]

Hickory is good stuff, that's great. That would have been a rather posh broom handle!

[steven c newman]

Soo, just exactly HOW hard does one use a hammer to adjust a plane? If you are breaking the end on a hammer.....might want to lighten up a bit, you are not trying to drive a nail, are you?

[Kees Heiden]

I don't understand your question. Nobody complained about breaking plane adjustment hammers.

[Allen Jordan]

Thanks Stan. When driving in the wedge, you set the butt of the handle on the workbench (using a rubber anti-slip mat to avoid marring) with the handle haft vertical, then use another hammer to tap the wedge in from above. The kerf for the wedge is about 2/3 the height of the hammer eye, leaving enough wood for strength in the eye, and avoiding splitting the wood thanks to the metal support. Nothing shifts this way and it ends up very tight. I've made many hammers this way without issue.

[Brian Holcombe]

Kees, if you have a shoulder on that handle you may have trouble with the wedge working itself out. If the hole in the hammer head is straight you may want to taper it on both entrance and exit. You can then knock the handle through, the taper will compress the grain and when it expands again on the exit it will lock the hammer head on.

[Kees Heiden]

Yes it has a shoulder. The outside is tapered. It's also glued with epoxy. I will see what happens. It's a prototype anyway.

[Brian Holcombe]

The epoxy will probably prevent it from coming loose. I know about this from having a wedged hammer head come loose :D....one of the events in the shop I didn't take photos of, hehehe.

[Kees Heiden]

That must have been an exiting moment! You should have made a video.

[Bruce Page]

This bronze hammer serves two important functions.
http://goodbeerhunting.com/blog/2014/12/2/news-updates-introducing-the-beer-peen-hammer

[Kees Heiden]

The endurance test didn't last very long.

332583

[Jim Koepke]

I do not recall if you said what wood was used.

Can you get a small piece of lignum vitae?

Maybe some other dense wood would work.

Some plastics might also make a better striking surface.

jtk

[Kees Heiden]

I needs a redesign. The wood isn't supported well enough and gets sheared of right at the edge.

Never mind, I have more brass, and if I find a little time I will make a new one next week with a better surface for the wood.

[Brian Holcombe]

What if the brass were made with a double tapered hole to receive the wooden stub? If the wood were fit with a compression fit I'm sure it would do well.

[Derek Cohen]

The endurance test didn't last very long.

332583

Kees and all

Been there, done that.

ALL my mallets and plane hammers (except for the gennou) are nylon-tipped. This offers great impact-resistance, excellent protection (even for Ebony handled chisels), and excellent feedback ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Hammers1_zpspmltek43.jpg

And see my earlier post for the picture of attachment to brass.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Kees Heiden]

Yes nylon would fair a lot better, but I wanted to make it somewhat special and nylon isn't the nicest looking stuff in the world.

It's really no problem, I learned a lot from this one and the next will be better.

[James W Glenn]

I made one a while back from a small ball peen hammer. I ground the ball down to a blade to fit cap screws. I cant say I used any of my wooden planes enough to damage them with this little tappytappy.

[Pat Barry]

Seeing the failure mode, rev 2 should provide a shoulder of brass to support the wood all around. As it is a new piece of wood will fail again the same way. This is typical design iteration process - every design needs a few real world tweaks to make it right I like the idea of wood

[Derek Cohen]

Yes nylon would fair a lot better, but I wanted to make it somewhat special and nylon isn't the nicest looking stuff in the world.

It's really no problem, I learned a lot from this one and the next will be better.

Kees, I have used several types of wood on the end of a brass head (three different hammers), both end and face grain. They all crack. I have tried leather - thick, thin and hard horse butt. It all gets squashed and eventually peels off. The only material that does not deform yet both protects and has feedback is the nylon. It is epoxied and nailed into wood and screwed into brass. I would have preferred a black nylon, but could not get any. I think the white looks good.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Derek Cohen]

Here's a different plane hammer, one I use when making delicate lateral adjustments to plane blades: Stanley, Veritas BU and Custom BD.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Plane%20hammer/Custom-plane-tools1a_zpsa5jitese.jpg

The hammer is used by jewellers and weighs about 2oz. Brass and nylon and head on an aluminium shaft.

The driver is a hex head for the Veritas Custom plane chipbreaker.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Paul Saffold]

I have the LV and like it but have replaced the wood insert after it sunk below the brass. I will try nylon or HDPE if I have to do it again.

[Dave Anderson NH]

332722332723Pat Barry is right. Rev 2 should have a shoulder to support the wood all the way around. I'd also reduce the diameter of the tenon to within the range of 6-8mm.

[Allan Speers]

Dave, I used to have one of your hammers. IIRC I bought it from Steve Knight.


Some scallywag "permanently borrowed" it from my shop years ago, but as I recall, it was absolutely perfect. Great weight & balance for the task at hand. Lignum gives such a nice, controlled thwack, and tough as anything.

[Kees Heiden]

Thanks Dave, that's a very helpfull picture.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Thanks Alan, I've switched the wooden part of the head to Jatoba because high quality Lignum is hard to come by. The interlocked grain combined with the high Janka Hardness makes it just as, if not more, effective than the Lignum and less likely to split.

[Richard Shaefer]

Yes nylon would fair a lot better, but I wanted to make it somewhat special and nylon isn't the nicest looking stuff in the world.

It's really no problem, I learned a lot from this one and the next will be better.


I make these and either sell them or give them out as gifts.
the head and the pommel are massaranduba (bullet wood). the handle is an oak dowel.
you may note from the picture that the wood is dense enough that it holds the handle out straight with a pommel of the same wood.

Hold it by the handle, and it's a great little joinery hammer.
hold it by the head and the pommel works for knocking plane blades.
the wood will NOT break. at a M of R of 27,000 psi and crazy interlocked grain, it's not going anywhere, and I know a few who have tried. It's softer than steel. it won't mar tool steel at all, but you can drive a 12 penny nail into a 2x10 with it

. 332771

[Allan Speers]

Thanks Alan, I've switched the wooden part of the head to Jatoba because high quality Lignum is hard to come by. The interlocked grain combined with the high Janka Hardness makes it just as, if not more, effective than the Lignum and less likely to split.


Well, if you ever run out of Jatoba, I have more Lignum than I know what to do with! http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?241372-OMG!-Look-what-I-just-found

Maybe we could do a trade? :)

[Ron Hock]

These are hands down the best plane hammers I've ever seen or used: http://www.glen-drake.com/Plane-Adjusting-Hammers/

[Patrick Chase]

Did it occur to you that this kind of boutique tool is more a shop decoration than a shop horse? One of my neighbors has some really fancy tools including several Vesper layout tools (worth well over $100 to $150 a piece), and he confesses he relies more on the cheapos for his day to day work.

Late reply here, but I have a Vesper double square that's a daily user. I wouldn't describe that as a shop decoration.

Of course my "cheapo" double square is a Starrett, so the Vesper doesn't strike me as all that exorbitant (the Starrett is also larger and doesn't have thin blades like the Vesper, so they get used for different things).

Measurement tools are one area where I think it's worthwhile to buy the best. One less thing to worry about....

[Steve Voigt]

I've switched the wooden part of the head to Jatoba because high quality Lignum is hard to come by. The interlocked grain combined with the high Janka Hardness makes it just as, if not more, effective than the Lignum and less likely to split.

Dave, I think your hammers look great, and when I made my own, I used yours as a model. But I don't understand the preference for woods like lignum and jatoba. I found that lignum dented my planes and tended to chip. The jatoba might be better on the chipping but would still dent the planes. I've since used walnut and nylon, and prefer those (the nylon is actually my favorite--I don't care how it looks, and really the black nylon looks fine). Can you tell me why you like the super-hard woods? There must be some reason!

[Allan Speers]

Dave, I think your hammers look great, and when I made my own, I used yours as a model. But I don't understand the preference for woods like lignum and jatoba. I found that lignum dented my planes and tended to chip. The jatoba might be better on the chipping but would still dent the planes. I've since used walnut and nylon, and prefer those (the nylon is actually my favorite--I don't care how it looks, and really the black nylon looks fine). Can you tell me why you like the super-hard woods? There must be some reason!

Did you use real Lignum, or the Argentinian "substitute?" I ask because mine never chipped, and the Argentinian stuff is supposedly not quite as robust. As for denting, I thin ANYTHING will compress the wood on a plane, including nylon. That's why strike buttons are such a good idea. - or hammer the entire back end, until it ALL compresses, then no worries.

[Patrick Chase]

Did you use real Lignum, or the Argentinian "substitute?" I ask because mine never chipped, and the Argentinian stuff is supposedly not quite as robust. As for denting, I thin ANYTHING will compress the wood on a plane, including nylon. That's why strike buttons are such a good idea. - or hammer the entire back end, until it ALL compresses, then no worries.

There's a big difference between Lignum Vitae with an elastic modulus of 14 GPa and steel at 200 GPa. The wood is an order of magnitude more elastic and will therefore "give" and spread the impact over a larger area, and that makes it far less prone to denting whatever you hit with it. Nylon is almost another order of magnitude more compliant at 2-4 GPa.

Obviously you will dent the plane no matter what the hammer is made of if you do something stupid like hitting the plane as hard as you can or hitting with the corner of the hammer instead of the face. The existence of such pathological/corner cases doesn't change the fact that there's a HUGE difference between hitting a plane with a wood or nylon hammer vs a steel one in ordinary, competent use.

BTW Lignum Vitae is actually fairly elastic stuff. As noted above its elastic modulus is ~14 GPa, or about the same as Beech or Birch. It has somewhat higher tensile strength, though.

[steven c newman]

Just exactly how hard are you people swinging these "hammers"??? I merely use a tap to set and adjust on the planes that need it. Not like I'm am trying to drive spikes...... Spalted Maple Mallet I use for the chisels, also works quite well onto the strike buttons.

It isn't like I am swinging a framing hammer driving 16s, just taps.

Just exactly, how are you swinging your hammers adjusting a plane?

[Tom M King]

If you buy one with a stuck wedge, it sometimes takes a real Whack to get it loose. The Estwing red and yellow faced mallet is perfect for that. I can smack one progressively harder until I find the right impact, and it never leaves any kind of mark. I actually like buying ones with stuck wedges because once you get it loose, it fits perfectly. They're usually available cheaper too. All my molding planes are really old, with a few being over 200 years old. I'm not hitting them any kind of way with a wooden or metal mallet. If the Estwing had a brass insert on the side of the head, it would be the perfect molding plane mallet since I wouldn't also have to pick up a brass hammer once in a while.

[Patrick Chase]

Just exactly how hard are you people swinging these "hammers"??? I merely use a tap to set and adjust on the planes that need it. Not like I'm am trying to drive spikes...... Spalted Maple Mallet I use for the chisels, also works quite well onto the strike buttons.

It isn't like I am swinging a framing hammer driving 16s, just taps.

Just exactly, how are you swinging your hammers adjusting a plane?

Not hard at all. That's why I think that a wood-faced hammer is sufficient to avoid damage...

[Stewie Simpson]

http://chestofbooks.com/home-improvement/woodworking/Elementary-Woodwork-Manual-Training/images/Adjusting-The-Planes-173.png (http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiQj8zsk6HLAhXJE5QKHfSsDz0QjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fchestofbooks.com%2Fhome-improvement%2Fwoodworking%2FElementary-Woodwork-Manual-Training%2FAdjusting-The-Planes.html&psig=AFQjCNF00sWLdQmIeyxguZIQ3IQDHbu4RQ&ust=1456978983835115)

http://chestofbooks.com/home-improvement/woodworking/Elementary-Woodwork-Manual-Training/images/Adjusting-The-Planes-172.png (http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjxhKmKlKHLAhWEHpQKHdqwA3oQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fchestofbooks.com%2Fhome-improvement%2Fwoodworking%2FElementary-Woodwork-Manual-Training%2FAdjusting-The-Planes.html&psig=AFQjCNF00sWLdQmIeyxguZIQ3IQDHbu4RQ&ust=1456978983835115)

[Kees Heiden]

Brilliant pictures!

The Japanese also use steel hammers to adjust their planes.

[Stanley Covington]

I make these and either sell them or give them out as gifts.
the head and the pommel are massaranduba (bullet wood). the handle is an oak dowel.
you may note from the picture that the wood is dense enough that it holds the handle out straight with a pommel of the same wood.

Hold it by the handle, and it's a great little joinery hammer.
hold it by the head and the pommel works for knocking plane blades.
the wood will NOT break. at a M of R of 27,000 psi and crazy interlocked grain, it's not going anywhere, and I know a few who have tried. It's softer than steel. it won't mar tool steel at all, but you can drive a 12 penny nail into a 2x10 with it

. 332771

Richard, that looks like an excellent plane hammer. Please include more pics if you can find the time.

Stan

[Brian Holcombe]

Brilliant pictures!

The Japanese also use steel hammers to adjust their planes.

That may be fairly common (not sure) but they do also have brass hammers and wooden mallets.

I just use a piece of scrap wood between the mallet face and the wedge on a western plane. Use a mallet on the Kanna, then to back out either plane I just use the leather face of the mallet.

[Stanley Covington]

I have used steel hammers on planes, and seen the tragic results of hundreds of others. Steel hammers are expedient since they are right at hand when working in the field, but they mushroom blades, while damaging their own face. They crack and split bodies. There is no upside. If you give a rodent's fundament about your wooden bodied planes, use a wooden mallet as much as possible. Any dense tough wood will work for the mallet. I have been using a single store-bought mallet for this purpose for 20 years.

If the head of your mallet is too big to motivate the chip breaker in the case of Japanese planes, or the retention wedge in the case of western planes, use the handle's end.

[Kees Heiden]

I mixed up things. It was the use of steel hammers on chisels that was in my mind when thinking about the Japanese.

[Stanley Covington]

I mixed up things. It was the use of steel hammers on chisels that was in my mind when thinking about the Japanese.

Most Japanese use steel hammers to adjust planes too.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Sorry for the late reply guys but work has been a bear and I'm temporarily back to full time (not by choice). To prevent chipping on any wooden head of a plane hammer be it Lignum Jatoba, beech, or anything else, a slightly (very slightly) convex head with a small radius around the perimeter is needed. The same goes for the brass end, convex and with a radius at the perimeter. Nylon is certainly a robust choice, but aesthetically I don't like it.

[george wilson]

I don't mind nylon hammers, because I know they won't harm my tools,but I HATE these aluminum base ball bats. They make an uninteresting "PINK",rather than a satisfying "WHACK" when they hit the ball. I just don't see how anyone can stand them!!!!!:) I am afraid they are the "wave of the future",though.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Aw George, you're just a Neanderthal living in the past. Why I bet you (like me) still feel the idea of a designated hitter is wrong.:D

[george wilson]

Yes,for many years I was PAID to live 200 years in the past!! That can mess your head up,but NAH!!:)