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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: waywardangler on March 23, 2010, 11:53:53 AM
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Cogar, L.A. Sayre made many tools but I do not see this exact head listed in my books. I see some similar heads but not exact. It looks like the top of the curved section is serrated. Is this true? Is the bottom inside curve sharpened to cut? Is the tip sharpened to pierce, just a dull point, or a flat blade for prying? Could you supply a view of the whole head from the top, bottom, and close-up of the side? My thoughts right now are a lathing hammer or crating hammer but I need to see other views to search my books again.
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I saw one , very much like this one , down in a boatyard in San Diego in the mid 1960's .
A man was using it , along with other , more typical tools , to caulk a wood-hulled boat (oakum & such) .
He said it was a chinking hammer that his father had owned for years .
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Cogar, does the 'blade' part of this hammer look like a 'user ground' modified hatchet or do you think this is a completely factory original head?
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A similar single blade hammer as shown was used for fencing. The single curved blade pulled staples from the wood fence poles. The flat head nailed them in.
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Wayward, thank you much. I thought about starting a new post but was so cited when I seen you had those books I just added my request onto that thread. Now to answer your questions:
No, the top of the curved section is not serrated. That is where it has been “compressed” as a result of being pounded on with another hammer I assume.
Yes, the bottom inside curve is sharpened to cut and the tip is sharpened to pierce.
And no, it is not a lathing or crating hammer and yes, I believe this is a completely factory original head.
Wayward, my guess is it was maybe made for use by a tinsmith or roofer for installing tin, copper or zinc roofing or flashing. The face of the head is identical to that of a lath hammer. Now whether or not it was made for that purpose but someone used it for like an “air chisel” like to cut lengthwise through sheet metal. That is just a guess though.
Following are the pictures you requested and I also included one of a lathe hammer I have (so others would know what we are talking about.) That old 1862 farm house I renovated had the “split & spread” lathe like this hammer was used for installing.
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I wish I could be of more help on this one, but I CAN say that having helped caulked a traditional wooden-hulled tall ship a few years ago, the design of the hammer does seem practical for wedging oakum between the planks of a ship. I wish I had paid more attention to the tools we were using!
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I am sending a pic to The Hammer museum as I do not have any reference material with this same head pictured and there are many, many heads shown.
What it mostly resembles, is a billhook design shrunk to hatchet size with a hammering face. What the practical use of that would be is a mystery.
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Thanks Wayward. I have been asked dozens of times if I wanted to sell it and I've always sand "NO", at least not until after I find out what it is. ;D
When I bought it at auction several people asked "Why in the world did you pay that much for an old hammer"?
I told them , "Because I have never seen another one like it anywhere".
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Cogar, how about giving these people a shout out? Seems like that have quite the growing collection.
http://www.timelesstools.co.uk/index.htm
There are also some links on this site that may be helpful.
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Thanks Sapphire, I sent them a query w/pictures.
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Cogar, several years back I had a mason from Mexico make a retaining wall out of all of the large rocks that my family had collected. He had a hammer similar to this - although I don't believe it was the original purpose of the hammer. But he was a master using it.
It looks more like a woodworking hammer to me. For ripping, rasping, splitting. Like a floor workers hammer that was used to laying linoleum or the metal ceilings that were so popular.
I had to hijack this thread....but got to wondering about a small hammer that was my grandparents. We just use it to hang pictures and small jobs in our home....I always thought the inside tool was a cork screw....but read it was for worm holes....any input?
(http://www.bullworks.net/hcssale/hammer/ham007.jpg) Mine is exactly like 007
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bullworks.net/hcssale/hammer/ham001.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bullworks.net/hcssale/hammer/&usg=__FlPWTqxZuhFFyWt5C8b2rK_Ofno=&h=502&w=356&sz=33&hl=en&start=97&sig2=6E1xJoeXNPE9Ug4wnSBcmg&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=tfyNr4ZRTJbzlM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=92&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dantique%2Btool%2Bhammers%26start%3D90%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=cK6rS7zMO4SVtgeFsrCyDw (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bullworks.net/hcssale/hammer/ham001.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bullworks.net/hcssale/hammer/&usg=__FlPWTqxZuhFFyWt5C8b2rK_Ofno=&h=502&w=356&sz=33&hl=en&start=97&sig2=6E1xJoeXNPE9Ug4wnSBcmg&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=tfyNr4ZRTJbzlM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=92&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dantique%2Btool%2Bhammers%26start%3D90%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=cK6rS7zMO4SVtgeFsrCyDw)
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KC, I've never seen that type of little hammer before but I'm pretty sure that is a corkscrew for wine bottles.
Just guessing, but maybe the hammer end is used for "cracking" ice for drinks and/or "chipping" ice off of a block. ??? ???
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Yep, I spoke too soon....I googled the inventor's name under patents...these type of devices have been around for bar ware since the late early 1900's. Some are pretty darn expensive too. This one was invented in 1948 and patented in 1950!
You're right, it was for chipping ice off of the block!!!
Thanks for the help!
I sent pics of your hammer out to a couple of vintage/antique tool collectors as well...hope to hear back on it!
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KC, I took Sapphire's advice and E-mailed Timelesstools in the UK @ 7:30 am and he replied back @ 2:50 pm. He didn't know what it's purpose was but he asked, and I said fine, and he posted my hammer picture on a new "Mystery Page" on his web site. To wit, check it out:
http://www.timelesstools.co.uk/mystery_tools.htm (http://www.timelesstools.co.uk/mystery_tools.htm)
I thought that was super nice of him.
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KC - perhaps yours was the origin of the expression "gettin' hammered" ?
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Regularjoe, I'm groaning!! (While getting hammered, of course)
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One last thought on this one - could it be used for butchering large game/farm animals , etc. ?
It sure looks like it could do that job !
Talk about some Boeuf Hache' , eh , KC ....
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I even pondered that one myself regjoe! Scary! Our neighbors own a horse farm. Have pondered a hammer and pick combination to remover stones/mud from the hooves and a hammer to re nail the horseshoe!
Funny cogar, one of the people I sent it to was in the UK as well!
This does resemble the bill hooks on the site that you asked the question to!
By-the-way regjoe...your humor is appreciated!!!!
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Regularjoe, that was a great guess and I think it sure would work great for cutting the carcass into halves.
I would think better balance and control than would be trying to hammera butcher knife down the length of the spine.
And if it was sold as a "butchering hammer" then that could be the reason they are so scarce. People were quite poor and frugile a long time ago so why purchase a "specialty" item when any ole butcher knife would work.
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Another use might be for plumbers & pipefitters , while fitting/working lead .
Below is an image of a lead tool , which I use for leaded-glass work .
The blades' outer radius is sharp , while the inner radius is flat .
Butt of the knife is lead (and it's been used as a lead hammer) .
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I just saw one of these knives online somewhere for sale. It was marked 'Western Germany' but they surmised it was a skinning knife. It looked a bit strange to me for skinning but as a lead knife it makes sense, especially the handle butt.
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hmmmmmmm.....anothe r one to ponder. If knives could talk!!!!
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Fancypants’ pictured knife looks to me to be a fine “skinning knife”, that is, if the blade is of good steel and will hold an edge. I’ve never heard of a “lead” knife, but of course lead sinkers is bout all the lead I’ve ever fooled with.
Here is a beauty of a “skinner” that would surely cost you a few buck$. ;D
(http://www.radharcknives.com/images/Viking_Skinner.jpg)
And you can buy it here.
http://www.radharcknives.com/Viking_Skinner.htm (http://www.radharcknives.com/Viking_Skinner.htm)
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My little knife , designed to cut 'lead came' (the lead pieces that are components of leaded glass) is an old original design by Don Carlos .
The lead butt is used for tapping glass panels into the came , while fitting .
The blade is rocked , while cutting , & does not crush the came channel ... tip is designed to get into tight-cutting situations .
Heres an image of two Don Carlos lead knives of current production ... the 'fancy' one has kept the same design as the oldie , due to it's great function in doing the job @ hand .
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I apologize Fancypants, I wasn't questioning whether it was or not, just stating that I had never heard of a specific knife for said and thus would have never guessed that was what it might have been.
Nor would I have made the correct guess if you posted a picture of a "lead window soldering iron/gun". The thought would never have crossed my mind as a consideration.
There is an old Church here in Town, in disrepair, that has several hundred sq ft of leaded windows in it. The Lions Club, which I was President of for 4 years, owned if for 40+ years and it has been sold 2 or 3 times since then. To wit, I sent the wife down to take a picture for to see:
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No apology needed , or any offence taken , cogar .
I was just elaborating about my little lead knife .
It does seem like an oddity , in the knife world , but there you go !
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Ha Regjoe!
Cogar, I sent a request to the Newark historical group where the Sayer company was located. See if they respond since this may have been an item made for that area and particular industries in the early 1900's.
http://www.oldnewark.com/busind/ironsteel/sayre.htm (http://www.oldnewark.com/busind/ironsteel/sayre.htm)