What is the function/purpose of this tool?
ball peen hammer
- Thread starter mjoekingz28
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It is used to work metal, such as peening over the head of a rivet. It can be used to work a sheet of soft metal like copper into a decorative surface with small round dimples, for example, or to hammer out the end of a threaded bolt to prevent the nut from loosening (old technology).
Also, my auto shop class instructor drilled into my head that a true auto mechanic has ball peen hammers in his toolbox and not claw hammers since you don't pull nails out of a vehicle. That is a lesson I will never forget.
I was told in jr. high shop class (1971 OK?) that steel ball peen hammers are much better suited alloys for striking punches, chisels, etc than claw hammer steel alloy. I have my doubts to this day, but I stick with that. I only use my claw hammer for wood work. It would indeed seem silly to use a claw hammer to beat on my cars.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_peen_hammer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_peen_hammer
I have seen claw hammers with chips out of their stricking service, but have never seen this with a ball peen hammer. These are U.S. made hammers ie: Plumb, Stanley ect. This was back in my retail hardware days of the '50's, '60's, and '70's.
With that said I saw many, many more claw hammers than ball peen, and even less framing hammers, aka straight claw.
With that said I saw many, many more claw hammers than ball peen, and even less framing hammers, aka straight claw.
When you are working in tight quarters like under your fender well you don't want the claw end of that hammer fouling things up. And it has already been said that the claw is a bit silly for mechanical work. "Use the right tool for the right job" kinda thing.
I find the ball end of a hammer invaluable when making a gasket.
Ball peen hammers are almost always maade of softer steel than claw hammers, and are available in a variety of weights and sizes/shapes so that you can tailor your brutal bashing to your particular bashee, be it a steering knuckle that won't give up a tie-rod end stud, or a hardened chisel for shaping/sizing flagstones in your walkway, or a piece of metal that you need to beat into shape whether hot or cold.
The steel is soft to a) avoid cracking either the hammer or the workpiece, potentially sending shards of steel into the wrong places at very high speed and b) avoid damaging the workpiece, as in the case of a frozen kingpin on your 1974 F-250--ya don't want to strike too sharply or you might crack the iron if you are applying heat.
Ball peen hammers are great, get one!
The steel is soft to a) avoid cracking either the hammer or the workpiece, potentially sending shards of steel into the wrong places at very high speed and b) avoid damaging the workpiece, as in the case of a frozen kingpin on your 1974 F-250--ya don't want to strike too sharply or you might crack the iron if you are applying heat.
Ball peen hammers are great, get one!
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