Ok, I need a real plane hammer. Any tips?

[Kees Heiden]

Until now I have been adjusting my woodenplanes with the big mallet and a very small home made brass hammer. I feel that I really need something else. The mallet is bruising the backs of the planes quite a bit and the brass hammer is just too light.

Any tips on the ideal plane hammer?

How about an all wooden hammer? Should I install strike knobs on all my planes and learn to use them? Maybe brass with a wooden face on one side? What about weight?

All tips are welcome.

I think David Weaver just uses and iron framing hammer.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

The Best Things has two, one with an 8 ounce head, the other they do not say. I have not tried either.

[Keith Mathewson]

I have the Lie Nielsen hammer but would rather have this- http://www.sterlingtoolworks.com/sam.../plane-hammer/

[Kees Heiden]

Any idea about the weight of that Sterling hammer?

And do you use Krenov type wooden planes or traditional wedged types? I feel that the latter needs more impact to move anything, especially the larger planes.

[Patrick Chase]

Until now I have been adjusting my woodenplanes with the big mallet and a very small home made brass hammer. I feel that I really need something else. The mallet is bruising the backs of the planes quite a bit and the brass hammer is just too light.

Any tips on the ideal plane hammer?

How about an all wooden hammer? Should I install strike knobs on all my planes and learn to use them? Maybe brass with a wooden face on one side? What about weight?

All tips are welcome.

I think David Weaver just uses and iron framing hammer.

I use the Lee Valley one. It's utilitarian and not very good looking compared to, say, the Sterling, but checks all required boxes IMO.

w.r.t. bruising that's why most dedicated plane hammers have both wood and brass faces. See the aforementioned Lee Valley for a low-budget implementation.

[Keith Mathewson]

I've seen one but not used it, I would guess it to be about 80g-100g. I have traditional wedge planes. The Lie Nielsen is about 60g and is a little light but does the job for adjusting the iron. For the wedge I use a joiners mallet.

[Tom M King]

I know most hobbyists wouldn't dare lower themselves, but I keep one of these, along with a cheap 4 oz. brass hammer, in each molding plane toolbox (probably 30 to 40 molding planes in each water tight toolbox). It works ideally to me on the wedge and plane body, and I've never bruised a plane with one.
http://www.estwing.com/sf_red_yellow_mallet_hammers.php

[george wilson]

The wooden head on that Sterling hammer may look cute. It will very soon get chunks broken off of the flared edges. The design is too delicate,period. An all brass hammer would be much more appropriate. Even a plastic one.

[Kees Heiden]

I'll just let you guys discuss all there is to know about plane adjusting hammers while I go to bed.

[Jim Koepke]

My little plane mallet has served my quite well. It is made from one of my early attempts at a chisel handle and a piece of lignum vitae for the head.

Plane Hammer.jpg

This has served me well for years for everything from molding planes to a pre-lateral #6 Stanley/Bailey.

It is nothing fancy. If I was to make another, I would likely use a piece of brass stock and make one end taper down to a flat wedge like cross peen.

For loosening blades that have been sitting awhile or really stuck, I use a small mallet or even a big mallet. I will hold the plane by the wedge and blade while holding over the bench while striking the back of the plane.

jtk

[Allen Jordan]

I've made a couple out of 3/4" brass rod. They're pretty easy, though kind of tricky to make the slot for the handle. Here is one:

6cV7lTE.jpg

[Patrick Chase]

I've seen one but not used it, I would guess it to be about 80g-100g. I have traditional wedge planes. The Lie Nielsen is about 60g and is a little light but does the job for adjusting the iron but for the wedge I use a joiners mallet.

The LN is ~2 ounces? That seems really light to me. My LV is 8 oz and feels about right for tapping plane irons.

[Matthew N. Masail]

I use two mostly:

1. the HNT gordon mallet, very nice to use, you could make one if you have a piece of heavy hard wood that isn't splintery.

2. search for "prestige brass hammer" on the bay. I suppose this is the same as making a small brass hammer, but one end is nylon so a little more forgiving. the nylon of these is pretty hard though and will mark the end of your plane. personally I don't mind marking the plane after a while the wood compresses and it seems there are no new marks, it attests to the fact the someone uses the plane.

edit: on that same page there is a hammer with 5 heads I didn't see when I bought mine... looks ideal actually.

[Chris Hachet]

I've made a couple out of 3/4" brass rod. They're pretty easy, though kind of tricky to make the slot for the handle. Here is one:

6cV7lTE.jpg

Nice looking tool.

[Keith Mathewson]

The LN is ~2 ounces? That seems really light to me. My LV is 8 oz and feels about right for tapping plane irons.

It is really a tack hammer, I'm guessing but I think the brass part is about 2 ounces +/-