Damascus chasing hammer

[Dimitris Polychronis]

Hi,

For many years now I've been using these hammers for repoussé and chasing work.



The two on the right are relatively heavy (6.5 and 10oz.) with short and stiff handles; the smaller hammer on the left is 3oz. but has an equally short-stiff handle with the other two. Although these hammers are not made for this kind of work, they have served me well till now.

Making a chasing hammer was something I really wanted for quite some time now. I remember when I joined this forum Jon welcome me and asked what would be my next project and I said a chasing hammer.

I wanted to make something special, but not just one hammer; I wanted a set of 3 hammers, 2, 3 and 4ounces.



Anyway, I hope you enjoy the video.

All the best
Dimitris

[DIYer]

Thanks Dimitris Polychronis! We've added your Damascus Chasing Hammer to our Hammers category,
as well as to your builder page: Dimitris Polychronis's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Damascus Chasing Hammer by Dimitris Polychronis

tags: hammer

[bruce.desertrat]

Those are truly beautiful tools; the only proper storage would seem a display case in a museum or at least on the wall of your shop. Those handles seem perilously thin; it's been a very, VERY long time since I did anything like repousse or chasing, though, and mine was done with an old, beat up small ball-peen hammer with a sawed-off handle.

[Dimitris Polychronis]

Thank you Bruce!

A display case would be nice, not only for these but for some other tools as well; at the moment I’m trying to make a roll fabric case for storing these hammers, because the space on the wall infront of my bench is very small.

The handle must be thin and flexible; it may seem odd but the handle is the most important thing in a chasing hammer. Chasing hammers work differently than other hammers, instead of relying on slow powerful blows, chasing depends on fast light blows. With every blow the handle flexes forming a spring that stores energy, this energy accelerates the hammer head torwards the chasing punch. Here is a very nice article which explains the subject in more detail: Picking a Chasing Hammer

All the best
Dimitris

[rossbotics]

That is beautifull work Dimitris
The grain structure in the steel looks like wood, you better put those two beuaties in a cabinet and leave them there !

Great work and video

Doug

[Dimitris Polychronis]

On the contrary, I'm looking forward to use them!!!
Thanks for the comment Doug, I really appreciate it.

All the best
Dimitris

[tonyfoale]

On the contrary, I'm looking forward to use them!!!
Dimitris

I'm with you. Tools have no value unless used. The nicer the tools the more pleasure there is in using them.