On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 01:32:44 GMT, wrote:

Boy, you learn something new every day.

Would have been more useful if I'd read the original message more
carefully though. It's clearly not an engineer's hammer at all, but a
jeweller's hammer (variously called a chasing or repousse hammer).

http://www.kayneandson.com/catalog/i...rs/chasing.jpg

The main use of the hammer is to strike a punch or graver, not the
work itself.

Note the swollen palm bulb to the shaft. These hammers are hard to
find and expensive to buy. A shaft is worth more than a head ! If
you're doing this sort of rapidly bouncing work, like engraving, then
you really need that bulb.

If the face is bigger and very slightly domed, it's a silversmith's
planishing hammer. This is used for a surfce treatment (planishing)
after shaping a soft metal.

--
Smert' spamionam