Dead Blow Hammer

[UKRay]

Having heard about 'dead blow' hammers elsewhere on the forum but never having seen or used one, I would like to hear from anyone who has experience of using these for tooling - especially with large stamps that tend to jump? Do they really reduce stamp 'bounce'?

What is the best weight to buy and how should they be used to best effect? Are there any makes or types that are better than others? Any good contact details for purchase? Is it worth spending the money? Are there any better alternatives? Thanks in anticipation... Ray

Edited May 26, 2008 by UKRay

[Regis]

Ray,

I thought a dead blow hammer would be great but, I was wrong. I'm not sure why but, for stamping, my cheap tlf poly mallet easily out performs a slightly heavier dead blow hammer. I don't know if it is balance or what but but, the dead blow hammer takes a lot more effort and still just doesn't stamp as well.

my 2c

Regis

[Art]

Hi Ray,

For me, the deadblow hammer doesn't have the mass I need. Maybe it is that I just can't find a big enough one, two pound ones are positively whimpy; don't give a percussive impact but more of a kiss-your-sister kind of swat. I have a 96oz Barry King maul that does the trick for my makers stamp and for some cutting and punching. It is way too heavy for tooling. I use a 16oz King or Peters maul for tooling and setting small things like eyelets and glove snaps. I use a 2lb Maul Master for setting things like big snaps and punching small holes although the 96oz BK works wonders on big bag and trace punches. A big maul can reduce bounce quite a bit, but I think overall an immovable object like a big surface plate or an anvil does more to eliminate bounce or double-strikes.

Art

Having heard about 'dead blow' hammers elsewhere on the forum but never having seen or used one, I would like to hear from anyone who has experience of using these for tooling - especially with large stamps that tend to jump? Do they really reduce stamp 'bounce'?

What is the best weight to buy and how should they be used to best effect? Are there any makes or types that are better than others? Any good contact details for purchase? Is it worth spending the money? Are there any better alternatives? Thanks in anticipation... Ray

[JRedding]

I use a dead-blow to set maker stamps, I don't use it for anything else but I've got large maker stamps that it's the only thing that seems to work. Mine is three pound and I just bought it at the hardware store, nothing fancy.

[Johanna]

I use my deadblow for pounding down stitching or lacing. Since the surface is much smoother than my rawhde mallets, there is less of a chance of marring the surrounding leather. When stamping, sometimes it helps to give the stamp a little whack, then carefully position the stamp in the little grooves you just made, and hit it again, much more forcefully. That cuts way back on the bounce because the stamp is seated before the strike. I set hardware with a heavier maul. Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm not sure why, it was just the way I was shown.

Johanna

[charley]

Ray,

I thought a dead blow hammer would be great but, I was wrong. I'm not sure why but, for stamping, my cheap tlf poly mallet easily out performs a slightly heavier dead blow hammer. I don't know if it is balance or what but but, the dead blow hammer takes a lot more effort and still just doesn't stamp as well.

my 2c

Regis

I guess that makes sense -- I would have thought a dead blow hammer also is a good idea, but the physics principle might be counter-intuitive:

Hitting a surface and "bouncing" yields *twice* the impact. Because a dead blow hammer doesn't bounce, it yields *half* the impact of a blow that "bounces".

Further, it makes sense that the "bouncing" can really help when walking the tool. Theoretically, you could walk a tool with a mallet of *half* the mass required by a similar a dead blow hammer, *plus* the fact that the dead blow hammer would take more energy to operate (e.g., it didn't bounce after each strike, so you have to pick it up yourself).

A dead blow hammer might make sense for "single-hits", like setting a maker's mark, like was mentioned here. However, it would still yield half the force of an equivalent mallet that bounces.

It was a good thought, though. After much suffering for the bigger stamps (e.g., setting 1" square 3D stamps with kids), I decided it was just easier to use a press (no mallet at all!) ;-))

--charley

[pepeunidos]

Hello friends!

Sorry about resurrecting this thread, but I was curious if a 4lb dead blow hammer from the hardware store would work for oblong and strap end punches, and setting hardware? I'd plan to cap the ends with some heavy leather to prevent marring my tools, even though the hammer is plastic coated.

Thanks for your knowledge and insight,

Pepe

[plinkercases]

I only use the dead blow for my makers marks and 3D stamps like letters. Hard polly Mauls or mallets for punches and setting rivets etc.

[DV8DUG]

Being a carpenter I tend to use whichever is closest to me at the time. The years of swinging a hammer has given me the wrist turn to control the blow however i wish. I never use a deadblow for leatherwork though.

[BDAZ]

On 5/26/2008 at 9:56 AM, charley said:

I guess that makes sense -- I would have thought a dead blow hammer also is a good idea, but the physics principle might be counter-intuitive:

Hitting a surface and "bouncing" yields *twice* the impact. Because a dead blow hammer doesn't bounce, it yields *half* the impact of a blow that "bounces".

Further, it makes sense that the "bouncing" can really help when walking the tool. Theoretically, you could walk a tool with a mallet of *half* the mass required by a similar a dead blow hammer, *plus* the fact that the dead blow hammer would take more energy to operate (e.g., it didn't bounce after each strike, so you have to pick it up yourself).

A dead blow hammer might make sense for "single-hits", like setting a maker's mark, like was mentioned here. However, it would still yield half the force of an equivalent mallet that bounces.

It was a good thought, though. After much suffering for the bigger stamps (e.g., setting 1" square 3D stamps with kids), I decided it was just easier to use a press (no mallet at all!) ;-))

--charley

Bad logic! A bounce means that the energy is being deflected and not doubled. A dead blow transfers all of the energy to the work precisely because it doesn't bounce. I have a 2 lb and a 4lb and use them primarily for hole and slot punches.  I use a 2 ton arbor for all my 3D stamping and a poly mallet for stamping. For rivets I use a short handles steel hammer.

Best source for dead blows in Harbor Freight

Bob

Edited June 26, 2018 by BDAZ

[plinkercases]

I also follow the no metal on metal rule when hitting things with hammers...other than nails of course.

[DV8DUG]

21 hours ago, plinkercases said:

I also follow the no metal on metal rule when hitting things with hammers...other than nails of course.

There's a rule? I thought it was just no hammers against hammers... LOL 

[plinkercases]

Rule #1 - No hammers on thumbs

Rule #2 - Don't try to pick up Thor's hammer

Rule # whatever (perhaps more of a guideline?)- don't strike metal tools with a metal hammer - but some think that is not that important wrt to peening the end of the tools and possible eventually shrapnel. I follow it mostly because metal on metal gets to my tinnitus.... to many years banging things with my hammer with no ear protection.

[Brewerkel]

I use dead shot mallets for wad punching, strap ends, et cetera. I have a full selection of them for each level of force required, largest being 3lb for driving into sole leather. At some point I will invest in a heavy maul but the mallets serve well enough. I have a little nylon mallet for stamping, which I do very little of.

Dead shots are inexpensive, easily replaced and perform adequately. Useful addition to your tool rack.