Cobbler's hammer?

[Fowler610]

I made my sister a small bag and in return she gave me this hammer that she picked up at an antique store in Connecticut.  Handle looks as though it's been used and the profile fits the hand nicely.  It's pretty hefty, maybe 10 oz.  Wear on the face is substantial and wear on the claw is evident as well.  The face angles down slightly toward the handle. What do I have here?  Any ideas?


pic upload

[thecapgunkid]

What you have is the type of hammer I use all the time.  The ones with the long tails are usually referred to as French Hammers, and I've heard these referenced by several names.  Grind the face of the hammer smooth again and the same with the edge of the short tail.

The former will help you when, for example, you are gonna put a hard sole on some Mocassins or just want to tighten  the leather you are going to work with.  The smooth face with some cased ( wetted) leather will do a great job for that.  It is also great for flattening a seam you just sewed up.

You don't have to smack stuff with it, either.  Once smooth, the face of that hammer will make a great "Bouncer"...i.e. a good tool for rubbing stuff when you need to.

Try this next time you make a sheath.  Take a look at this seam on a bag I finished recently;




Haven't the vaguest idea why I was taught to make flat seams, but the face of that hammer is crucial.

Don't pound nails with it.  The weight of that hammer is meant to enable you to press, rub, and tap,tap,tap.

I use that short little tail several times during the shoemaking process.  If you ever make a wet molded pouch out of cow, and you get around to making a wood insert to shape the face of the leather, you're gonna love that little tail for shaping the edges where the seam will go

Hope this helps

[borderdogs]

its a cobbler's hammer I have one and I use it to adjust wooden plane irons.
Rob

[James Rogers]

As stated above a shoe makers hammer or harness hammer or saddler snob.  The face should be mushroomed a little convex so when you use it you won't make hammer tracks with the face edges, especially on damp leather. I keep my face polished by running it over my strop frequently. Capgun gave good info on its use on the shoe making side and many of those tasks cross over in other trades. Here are some other uses from a harness or saddler prospective. Unless you are doing cowboy western stuff and sinking everything in a gouge trough, that hammer can "set" your stitches nicely or one can "run" the stitches down with a piece of polished antler. In a production work shop of a saddler or harness maker, a few taps and she's lovely set.
I use the hammer on all of my turned bags to form the seam join at the welts after the bag has been turned. I also use the hammer in conjunction with loop sticks/irons to form loops and keepers.

[Brokennock]

"I use the hammer on all of my turned bags to form the seam join at the welts after the bag has been turned." - James Roger's

Can you explain this for us dense ones. Do you hammer the stitching before and after turning the bag?

[Hungry Horse]

I had one of these hammers years ago that had a spiral patterned checkered face. I never could figure out what it was good for so I traded it for one with a smooth face.

  Hungry Horse

[Fowler610]

Mr. Capgunkid:  This is a very useful tool for me, courtesy of your explanation.  Thank you.

Mr. Rogers:  The face is indeed convex.  When held in the right hand, the face is peened on the left, or inside, as if the edge of the hammer was used to strike the object out-and-away, like a glancing blow.  Likewise, the tail is peened over on the inside.   




I'll dress and polish both the face and tail.  It'll be perfect for setting my stitches.

Thank you, gentlemen.   

[James Rogers]

"I use the hammer on all of my turned bags to form the seam join at the welts after the bag has been turned." - James Roger's

Can you explain this for us dense ones. Do you hammer the stitching before and after turning the bag?

Sorry for my poor wording.  Any flat stitching like this can be hammered to set and flatten them.



As far as turned bags, after turning I use a wooden form inside and lightly use the hammer on the outside to shape the seam area. This gives it some uniformity and body width outside as well as flattening the inside seam a bit.
This, and many other little time consuming steps satisfy my desire for a for a more finished product.

[James Rogers]

I had one of these hammers years ago that had a spiral patterned checkered face. I never could figure out what it was good for so I traded it for one with a smooth face.

  Hungry Horse

I call that a Crispin hammer as that is what I learned to call it. Not sure if it is the proper name. The textured head is for setting tacks, etc. and  provides traction.

[Brokennock]

"I use the hammer on all of my turned bags to form the seam join at the welts after the bag has been turned." - James Roger's

Can you explain this for us dense ones. Do you hammer the stitching before and after turning the bag?

Sorry for my poor wording.  Any flat stitching like this can be hammered to set and flatten them.



As far as turned bags, after turning I use a wooden form inside and lightly use the hammer on the outside to shape the seam area. This gives it some uniformity and body width outside as well as flattening the inside seam a bit.
This, and many other little time consuming steps satisfy my desire for a for a more finished product.

Thank you.

[thecapgunkid]

James Rogers...As far as turned bags, after turning I use a wooden form inside and lightly use the hammer on the outside to shape the seam area.

Yup.  Count on James to raise a key point.  The reason that head feels so heavy  and the handles are usually so short, is so that the craftsman can let the tool do the work and not have a heavy hand.  That heavy hand is probably the biggest reason leatherwork goes awry.

Get a nicely convex, polished head and tail on this bad boy and it will give you hours of pleasurable use.

Check out as many YouTube videos on harness, saddle and shoemaking and spot how often this type of hammer is used.