Why would a hammer be copper plated? (Not solid copper)

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I bought this great little supposedly copper cross-peen hammer on eBay to use for adjusting planes. It is very small. The head is maybe 3" long and 3/4" diameter. I was really stoked because I was looking for a hammer that would be easy on the plane but have some weight to it. I figured this copper hammer was made for non-spark applications around flammable liquids, but would be perfect for what I intended to use it for.

The hammer arrived with tire tracks across the package, and the handle was broken. No worries, because I really had in mind to make my own handle for it out of flamed maple. Since I had the head off, and after much contemplating, I decided to polish it up. I really liked the patina, but since I had a new handle I thought the head would look nice polished. Since it looked really coursely sanded, I decided to start by smoothing it out with some 1000 grit paper. To my surprise, when I did this, the copper came off, and below it was steel or some other silver metal.

Why would a hammer be copper plated? Corrosion resistance? Really cheap fake copper hammer? Perhaps some sort of welding application like solder removal with some metal that won't stick to copper so that the head doesn't stick to the work? I can't figure it out. I am sad now that I sanded it, but it still serves well for the intended purpose.

This is the before pic. I don't have a picture handy of the aftermath, but it's basically same thing, just silver. My only regret is I probably paid way too much now that I know it isn't copper.


Copper Hammer.jpg

[Dan Hintz]

I figured this copper hammer was made for non-spark applications around flammable liquids, but would be perfect for what I intended to use it for.

Why would a hammer be copper plated?

You answered your own question (or that is at least one application for it). A solid copper hammer is expensive, but coating it in a thin layer solves the problem on a budget.

[george wilson]

Is it a Japanese hammer? Looks like Japanese oak. I like the style of the head. Might be plated to not rust. Could be any of several reasons why it is plated.

[Pat Barry]

I don't know why you would want it to be copper except copper is very malleable and soft. Your post made me wonder about getting a copper finsih by plating. I think it would be fairly easy to do that. Here is what I found with a quick search
http://www.instructables.com/id/Clea...lectroplating/

[Malcolm Schweizer]

If it was non-sparking, and you hit something hard, it would scrape off the copper and still spark. Not sure if it is Japanese, but it looks similar to some steel Japanese hammers I have seen. The handle was sure sturdy- it was bent, but not broken.

[george wilson]

I'm pretty sure it was a low cost effort to make the hammer non rusting.

Very nice that they managed to drive a vehicle over your package.

[Dan Hintz]

I'm pretty sure it was a low cost effort to make the hammer non rusting.

Seems like better (and lower cost) ways to rust-proof something.

[Joe Bailey]

Why not return it, since it was advertised as having a "copper head"?

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Well I never would have guessed it was plated, or I would certainly have left it alone. I feel like I ruined an artisan's work, but at least I didn't do what this person did to a beautiful clock: http://divinetheatre.blogspot.com/20...ack-clock.html

Anyway, I will still give it love and it already has a new flamed maple handle. It's going to get lots of use.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Why not return it, since it was advertised as having a "copper head"?

It was sold by an antique dealer who just advertised what he thought it was. Until I sanded it, I also thought it was copper. No big deal. I still like it and will use it.

[Joe Bailey]

Hey, if you're happy with it, that's all that counts.

Now how about a shot of the finished product?

[Mike Henderson]

You can make a brass plane adjusting hammer pretty easy. Just buy some brass bar stock and turn it into a hammer (Online Metals is one source). Search the forum for brass hammer and you'll find some people who made some really nice hammers. I think George Wilson posted one some time back. Here's a tutorial I did on how to make a very simple brass hammer.

Mike

[Jim Koepke]

At one time I worked on the plating line in a circuit board shop. We would plate things just for the heck of it. Belt buckles, hammers or whatever we or our friends happened to have with them at the moment.

Why? Because we are human.

jtk

[george wilson]

Here's a quick brass hammer I made for a fellow member here,in trade for something I STILL haven't figured out the use of!! But,I still LIKE it!!

There's no real reason to make a brass hammer even this fancy. It will get thoroughly beaten up with use. A cylinder with an oval hole through it will do nicely. This one is about 2 1/2" tall,if I recall.

[Frank Strazza]

George, I sure wish you would write a book or put some DVDs out. I watched again part of that series you did on making the spinet. Grainy or no grainy, those videos are amazing! There are a lot of skills that you have that I hope can be recorded and passed on. Where are your journeymen and apprentices. Are they carrying on what you taught them?

Thanks for continuing to post and please keep doing so, I admire your work, you are a craftsman in the truest sense.