Who uses cross-pein hammers *LINK*

Re: Who uses cross-pein hammers

Jim Toews - Walla Walla, WA

>I use several hammers: a Warrington pattern for most nail/brad driving and for tapping a chisle now and then when making furniture, a claw hammer for construction type projects, and a dead blow mallet for assembly and driving mortice chisles. Might be blasphemy to some, but there it is.

Cheers!

Jim

Tried them out

Jim in Burlington Ontario

>Tried them out at a course I took a few years ago. Thought they were useless. I much prefer a carvers type mallet for chisels and have several claw hammers. Truth be told I haven't used finishing nails in years since the brad nailer and compressor made it's way into the shop.

Cross-panes

Christopher Schwarz

>Jim,

They really excel when using cut nails. And once you use cut nails, your bradder might gather some serious dust. Cut nails are another secret weapon of the old tool world.

Chris

They are indeed rare here

Christopher Schwarz

>Andrew,

The cross-panes shown on my blog are actually from Australia (thanks eBay!). I've found a few cross-panes here in the states; but generally, they are migrant workers....

Why this is so is not clear to me. The claw side of a hammer is almost useless in cabinet work. You really need pincers (nippers) to get into tight spaces in cabinet work.

cms

Re: Who uses cross-pein hammers

Tony Zaffuto

>I've got two--both Stanley English models. Small one, 6 oz. I think and the large one, 10 or 12 oz. When I need a steel hammer, I use the large Stanley Warrington. Very well made and balanced--feels like an extension of my arm.

Re: Who uses cross-pein hammers

Steve Kubien

>I often use one in my shop but primarily because it is lighter than my regular 16oz claw. I'm not sure I've ever used the 'cross-pein' end.

Cheers,

Steve Kubien

Ajax, Ont

Boring Terminology-blah,blah,blah

Adam Cherubini

>There is a large family of hammers that look like the one posted by Andrew. Not all are woodworkers' hammers. I'm thinking the hammer in the picture is not a woodworker's hammer, but an engineer's hammer.

The hammers on Chris' blog page are London pattern cross pein hammers and these are woodworkers' tools.

I use a pattern maker's warrinton hammer, which is elongated and decoratively cast.

Though Salaman references cross peins with rounded ends, I think that feature is expressly for riveting. The cross pein or pane should be flat across and NOT parallel to the head. They are usually angled down toward the handle, maybe 20 degrees or so. If you find a head without a handle (or need to rehandle) make sure the head is on right side up. I've seen a few London style heads installed upside down. BTW, the reason for the angle is obvious the first time you use it for its intended purpose.

Adam

Re: Cross-panes

Jim in Burlington Ontario

>I have several boxes of modern cut nails and at least a 50lb box of one's I've pulled out of my house and old trim from others. Not many people are looking for work with nail's showing.

Re: Boring Terminology-blah,blah,blah

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

>"Though Salaman references cross peins with rounded ends, I think that feature is expressly for riveting".

Adam, I think that this is a good description of the typical Japanese hammer, domed at one end, flat on the other. As I understand it, one uses the flat end to drive a nail (or chisel) downward and then the domed end to drive the nail below the surface of the timber - without it maring the surounding surface.

I also have several hammers that look similar to the one in Andrews' picture - some are used for driving pins, others for small nails, yet others for panel beating metal motor car panels, and so on. How does one tell the difference?

I do not recall when I last used my fancy-shmancy solid stainless steel Estwing claw hammer, or even the several wooden versions that I own. The Japanese and other cross-pein hammers (whatever their intended task) feel more balanced and controllable.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Nails aren't the devil

Christopher Schwarz

>Jim,

Nails last a lot longer than glue. Also, they don't have to show. Toenailing in your shelves from the inside of the case can add some serious long-term strength and reduce your need for clamps.

I also nail on my backs and my moulding. And my glue blocks. And my drawer runners.

Chris

What a pein anyway?

Erik S. Friis, wish I was in Dodge!

>I have heard of a ball-pein hammer as well as a cross-pein. What is a pein and what's it used for? As far as I can recall a ball-pein has a ball-end on it somewhere, what why is a cross-pein named so? Thanks for the hammer entymology.

Re: Who uses cross-pein hammers

Dave Anderson Chester,NH

>I have and use both a 4oz and an 8oz. As Chris Schwarz says, they are really nice when using cut nails. I rarely if ever use a carpenters claw hammer in the shop when woodworking. All of my claw hammers are used for general carpentry tasks, in fact the framing hammers live permanently in the garage.

Re: What a pein anyway?

Steve S., Coastal GA

>Peining or peening is the act of hammering down the end of a rivet so the rove doesn't pop off. You use a ball pein hammer to do it.

Steve

Re: Who uses cross-pein hammers

Todd Hughes

>In my experance these are not really a rare hammer to find though not near as common as other small nailing hammers. Apparently they were the tradtional favorites to drive small brads and tacks and I think alot of folks went to various small nail holding hammers, which are very common, instead when they came out.These of course have a slot cut into the end instead of a cross pein to hold the nail to drive it in the work and are much handier to use for this type of work then a cross pein

Cross pein hammers are very common to find in metal working or blacksmith hammers.Most general work blacksmiths prefer to use the harder to find straight pein hammer instead of a cross pein because its use in drawing out your work though if what you are doing calls for it to be spread out you will need a cross pein so in practice you really need both types . Your straight pein will see much more work though.....Todd

Re: Who uses cross-pein hammers

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>I also use a Warrington pattern hammer in my shop. I use it all the time for typical uses of any small hammer. I sought one out and purchased it, however, for one reason: driving small brads into moldings. The enabling technique is to pinch the head of the brad between the forefinger and thumb and strike with the hammer between the fingers, forcing the fingers apart, guiding the hammer squarely onto the head of the brad. When you strike, the head of the brad is completely hidden by the fingers. On any new one you find, you'll probably have to fettle the head a bit, to relieve any sharp corners, that might bruise or scratch the fingers. The shape of the head also allows you to drive the brad nearly flush with the surface of a concave molding, with less chance of denting the molding. If any of this description is not clear, I could take a couple of illustrative photos.