The Crucible Cross-Peen Hammer is in production, and the first tools will go up for sale in a week or two. This has been a year-long project that required a lot of programming, plus finding a new handle supplier. The result? Craig Jackson, our machinist at Machine Time, said about the finished hammer “I’m happy for once!”
Here are the details on the hammer, which has the in-house nickname “Peeny Weeny.”
The hammer head is milled from a solid block of hardened steel. Weighing 4.5 ounces, the head is 4” long overall with a 5/8”-diameter striking face. The cross peen at the opposite end has a striking surface measuring 1/8” x 1/2”.
The handle, made for us by Hoffman Blacksmithing, is hickory and is 11” long overall. The neck of the handle is a scant 3/8” x 1/2”, which was a challenge to cut without chattering. The handles are all sanded and hand-finished with oil. The wedges are walnut.
Overall, the hammer weighs 5 ounces, and is an ideal weight and size for small workshop tasks. In addition to sinking small brads and pins, the cross peen is ideal for starting headless nails without mashing your fingers.
The head and the peen are also ideal for adjusting handplanes. For my entire career, I have used one of these hammers to tap my irons laterally to get the iron centered in the plane’s mouth. I also use the cross peen with side-escapement planes, knocking the iron in place against the blind side of the plane’s escapement.
Antique versions of this tool can be hard to find in the United States, especially with a decent handle. Modern imported versions are – sorry to say – not a pleasure to use.
We don’t have a retail price yet. It likely will be about the same price as our standard lump hammer. Though there is a lot less steel, the machine time for this head is considerable. The handle is custom-made and is about three times the cost of the lump hammer handle.
As always, we will first fulfill all domestic orders for the hammer before we can offer it to our other retailers.
— Christopher Schwarz
Would the name “Warrington Pattern” apply to your new hammer?
Yes. It is based on a Warrington Pattern hammer in my possession.
Would you consider just selling the head sans handle? Being we are woodworkers we could fashion our own!
I was just wondering the same thing. I’d love making my own handle for one of these awesome hammers.
We’ll think about it. Right now we are focused on getting this one launched.
I’d buy a hammer, and a head only. If you ever go that way.
Thanks John. Things like this will be easier when fulfillment comes to Covington. Right now it’s a right pain to do.
Get Fitz one of those little electric engravers, like Thomas Lie Nielsen uses. If she packs my hammer, ask her to sign it.
Have you seen her signature? She should have been a doctor.
Even better!
Congrats on this new addition. Love the refined design and the walnut wedge looks great. I’m currently using a Picard with similar specs, but these are tempting. Great to have so many new offerings from Crucible lately.
Oh, that looks really very nice! (Even acoustic instrument builders need hammers sometimes..!)
Finally. I’ve been looking for a good crosss-peen hammer. The new ones are poorly made and not worth the cost. Looking forward to getting one.
Very sexy.
A domestic Warrington, finally!
Take my money.
One more “gotta have.” Nice.
You need to talk to your handle makers about runout. The handle next to the hammer in the second picture should be scrapped for too much runout. I would have thought as a chair maker you would know this. I do like your hammer, but I would send it back if I got that handle.
too much run out? Are you talking about the grain?
Yes.
There is a good reason that handle does not have a head on it. I wonder what it could be?
Perhaps think a moment before unleashing the self-righteous scorn on others.
I apologize for sounding self righteous. However why include an obviously defective handle in your picture? I do like your products. I have bought many of your tools and most of your books. I just thought this was a glaring error you should correct. Your standards are usually very high, and I thought you might have somehow missed it. Glad to know that you didn’t.
Because it shows the color variation, which was the point of the photo and the caption. I honestly did not think anyone would give me grief about the runout (which is why it is here and not in assembly). But I thought wrong.
It’s primarily used for fine adjustment, and is not a lump hammer, so the grain is not that crucial for me, personally. I would like a handle that looks good to me.
Don’t toss that handle! I like tools with history, and if you let me buy it I can remember this exchange and smile ruefully every time I pick it up.
I like it, and plan to order one.
Also, can I order the Gibson Chair video this week?
You have great products!
Nice work. Looks good!
great looking hammer. i too am in the camp of mostly interested in just the head and make my own handle. i have a very limited income and enjoy making my own handles. so, would jump at the chance to “pay myself the difference” for a bit of hobby time.
Same here.
Care to share the back-story of Craig saying,”I’m happy for once.”?
Craig is a true perfectionist. Very little makes him happy.
Do America Peasant subscribers get first dibs? If not, that’s cool. It will be like the early days on ebay; when one would hover over the “enter” waiting to depress, and depress……….
I don’t think that’s in the cards for a tool that is unrelated to the book.
I know we will offer to subscribers signed copies of “The American Peasant” and tools that relate to the book.
Can we pre-order?
Sorry, we don’t take orders until the product is in the warehouse.
I’ve never used one of these. My Grandfather was a carpenter and used a 13 ounce claw hammer for framing and a 11 ounce claw hammer for finish work. My father bought me a 13 ounce plumb brand hammer when I was a lot younger and that is what I have used ever since. I have tried to find a 11 ounce plumb with no luck. I may give this a try when you make it available.
“Peeny Weeny” looks great. I look forward to purchasing one, when available. I currently have three cross peen hammers, two Stanleys – a 6oz that I bought in the early ’70s, and a 3.5oz that I bought about 10 years later, after deciding the 6oz was too heavy for plane adjustments, and an antique that may have belonged to my great grandfather, Shadrach Barker (1862-1926). The two Stanleys are both marked “England,” and are clearly cast heads. I cannot decipher the antique’s marking, but the head and iron handle are cast as a single piece. I would attach a photo of the three, but . . .
That’s one sexy little hammer.
It’s about the head not the handle. Be kind or be gone !
I look forward to owning that hammer.
Owning this hammer would be the fulfillment of my dreams…Hope your fulfillment center is running soon.
This is very nice, one of the few things I have not been able to get a nice vintage version of. As you say hard to come by in the US
The hammer should be submitted to the MOA as a work of art….the lines, the function blend together.