Polish Cobbler's Hammer?

[DBV]

I just had to get up and look at my CS Osborn and it is smooth as a babies butt. Bought it about 4 years ago. 

[Squid61]

Make it as smooth and shiney as you think it should be or you will never be happy with it.  I use a $3 WallyWorld hammer that is just as sold, never caused an issue with the leather.  I'm probably the most destructive thing in my " shop" (one end of the kitchen table) not my economy tools.

[fredk]

When I first read the title of this thread I thought; do cobblers in Poland use an especially interesting 'ammer?  

[Northmount]

I've been using an automotive body hammer.  Not polished or or buffed up.  It works fine for tapping down stitching.  Really, you are just trying to tap the thread down so it doesn't stand really proud above the leather.  As long as the leather is not wet, it's not likely to leave impressions in the leather.  It should smooth out the feed dog marks and presser foot marks.

Looking at your new hammer, I would smooth it out more than what it is.  I don't like the pit in the face.  Some gentle work with a smoothing file should make quick work of it.

 

[bruce johnson]

Late to this party but I can address a few things

The creasers you mentioned - I buy them a couple dozen at a time. They bear no resemblance to the original style creasers that worked. The new ones have the sharp edge you described. The head is all the same no matter the size, the channel is what changes on them now. sometimes the channel is somewhat in line with the axis of the head to the tool and sometimes not. Do not confuse these with real creasers. I make other tools out of the new ones.  

The hammer - some new ones come smoother than that, some don't. You can use some sandpaper on a soft surface (mouse pad) and smooth the surface and break over that sharp transition without affecting the slightly domed face too much. Go through a few grits up about 2000 and then polishing compound. I probably end up with as many used hammers as anybody, and maybe half end up in the garbage. Too many deep pits to make them worth the time (even using mechanical means to grind) or cracks is the usual reason. The cracks don't always show up until you get them almost finished and the surface really smooth to highlight the defect. I rehandle a bunch in the summer when the humidity is low. I enjoy that but it is really a time drag and by the time I'm done, not worth it if I was a production accountant. 

 

[chrisash]

Mine is very different its just a small handle metal hammer with the head covered in soft goat veg tan stuck to it so only leather on leathern contact, seems to work well for me hammering down wither glue pieces or stitches (actually hammer is the wrong term tap is the correct way i do it)

[Samalan]

14 hours ago, MtlBiker said:

Was it like that when you got it?  If not, what did you do?  Sandpaper?  Like 2-4000 grit?

It was smooth when I got it but then where I have a lot of metal working machinery part of which are 2 polishing lathes I figured I'd polish it took about 5 min like battlemunky say's you can do it by hand just as good and depending on certain things by hand can be even  better take your time it's worth doing.

[MtlBiker]

12 hours ago, Northmount said:

I've been using an automotive body hammer.  Not polished or or buffed up.  It works fine for tapping down stitching.  Really, you are just trying to tap the thread down so it doesn't stand really proud above the leather.  As long as the leather is not wet, it's not likely to leave impressions in the leather.  It should smooth out the feed dog marks and presser foot marks.

Looking at your new hammer, I would smooth it out more than what it is.  I don't like the pit in the face.  Some gentle work with a smoothing file should make quick work of it.

 

Turns out that the pit in the face doesn't show/mark the leather if I pound it.  BUT... the sharp transition from the face to the sides does mark the leather.  So I willhvae to round that edge off and at the same time I'll polish the face and get rid of that pit.  It's the pits! 

 

[MtlBiker]

5 hours ago, chrisash said:

Mine is very different its just a small handle metal hammer with the head covered in soft goat veg tan stuck to it so only leather on leathern contact, seems to work well for me hammering down wither glue pieces or stitches (actually hammer is the wrong term tap is the correct way i do it)

Good idea to glue some soft leather on the face of the hammer.  I'm first going to try to round off that sharp transition (it does mark the leather) and polish it.  And I may end up putting some leather on the face.  Thanks.

[MtlBiker]

1 hour ago, Samalan said:

It was smooth when I got it but then where I have a lot of metal working machinery part of which are 2 polishing lathes I figured I'd polish it took about 5 min like battlemunky say's you can do it by hand just as good and depending on certain things by hand can be even  better take your time it's worth doing.

I'm going to try doing this by hand.  I'll first take a fine file to the hard transition edge which does leave a mark, and then I'll sue fine sandpaper and eventually some polishing compound.  I'm sure I'll get it into better shape, but I'll keep in mine @chrisash's suggestion to put some soft leather on the face.