"best wire" wrote in message
...
Which is better(tougher), a forged hammer or one machined from a
single piece and heat treated(hardened and drawn)?

Given equal materials, the grain structure in forged tools makes them both
tougher and stronger. A good forged hammer is, of course, also heat-treated
and locally drawn. If it's a hammer for driving nails, the drawing is deeper
on the outside edge of the face. Most other high-quality hammers, but not
all, are drawn in a similar way.

--
Ed Huntress