FILENAMES: HAM-HNDL.JPG DESCRIPTION: This a picture of tools for forging hammer heads. Posted by Ted Edwards . Ted provided the following description: ================================================================= Making Handle Holes (Eyes) in Forged Hammer Heads by E.M. (Ted) Edwards Several years ago I took one semester of a farrier course. Here's how we were shown to make the eyes in forged hammer heads. The finished hole should be oval in section and hour-glass shaped along its length. The long axis of the oval should lie along the length of the hammer head. Three tools are required: A starter, an enlarger and a finisher. These tools are shown from left to right in photo HAM-HANDL.JPG along with my 6" pocket rule. All three tools have an oval cross section in their working region. The ovals are all approximately twice as long as they are wide. My starter is handled and is made from H-13 air hardening steel in order to give the neccessary hot hardness to the rather slender tip. The other two tools are made from old truck spring. Having forged your hammer head, you start the eye by drifting a hole through it using the starter. Work from both sides until the hole is large enough to allow you to switch to the enlarger (about half way up the blade of the starter). Note the two punch marks at approximately 3" and 5" on the enlarger. They mark the limits of the region of constant shape. Drift the eye larger until the enlarger goes right through the eye. For the size handle shown on my starter, the oval eye should be 3/8" by 3/4" at this time. With the enlarger in the eye, you can flatten the sides of the head in the region of the eye without distorting the eye. Drift the finisher in part way from each side to give the hour glass shape. Using drifts takes several heats since you want the work piece much hotter than the tool. Take a few blows then return the hammer head to the forge and cool the tool in your slake tub.