Last Updated on December 29, 2022
Blunt-headed hammers can be a real hammering chore, more force is needed to drive nails, and that takes energy. And when it’s extra tiring, mistakes are far too easy.
Have you been wondering if it’s possible to sharpen your hammer? The answer is a resounding YES! Doing so can make the process of pounding nails much easier. With its edge sharpened, your trusty ol’ hammer will be able to get that job done with less force and better efficiency – talk about an upgrade for DIYers.
For accurate placement of your nails, you can’t beat the control that comes with a sharpened hammer. No slipping or broken heads here. Just smooth and precise nail driving.
Learn how to sharpen and extend its life so you can keep using it for years. We’ll walk through everything from tools needed to steps taken, ensuring a fantastic result.
How Can You Sharpen Hammers: Proper Process
Sharpening a hammer takes some time and effort, but it is well worth the effort for the long term usability of the tool. Here are some tips for how to sharpen a hammer properly:
Point 1: Gather Supplies and Prepare Your Work Area
When sharpening a hammer, have the appropriate supplies. Depending on the size of the hammerhead, you will need a grinding wheel or diamond tipped grinder. You should also have protective gear such as safety glasses, gloves, and a dust mask. Your workspace should be well lit and free of cluttered objects.
Ensure all tools are secured in a vise so that they do not move when you are sharpening the hammerhead. Keep plenty of water handy to drench the grinding wheel when finished.
Point 2: Choose the Right Grinding Wheel for Your Tool and Workpiece Material
For sharpening a hammer, you should consider the type of material used in both your tool and the workpiece itself. Different types of metals require other grinding wheels due to their hardness or softness, so selecting the one that best suits your needs is essential.
It’s also important to note that grinding wheels come in different sizes, so measure your workpiece carefully ahead of time to ensure you get the right size wheel for proper sharpening.
Point 3: Use a Dressing Stick to Maintain the Grinding Wheel
When sharpening a hammer, use a dressing stick or stone file to keep the surface flat when applying pressure against the edge.
It allows it to sharpen correctly without producing uneven edges along its surface by removing built up particles from its surface.
Point 4: Inspect The Wear Pattern On Your Tool And Determine Where Changes Are Needed
Once you’ve chosen the correct grinding wheel and dressed it with a stick, inspect your hammerhead closely to see where changes may be needed to sharpen it properly. Look for deep grooves or chips in the surface that are preventing it from forming a straight edge along its entire length.
You may also want to check if there are any irregularities along its curvature that need some modification before sharpening begins.
Point 5: Make Adjustments As Needed With The Grinder Or By Hand Filing
If any adjustments are needed after inspecting your tool’s wear pattern, use either a grinder or perform hand filing in order to achieve desired results. When sharpening with a grinder, it’s important not to apply too much pressure as this can damage both tools and workpieces alike through overheating.
Hand filing can also be used to gradually shape the metal into an evenly angled blade edge, without putting too much strain on yourself or damaging any parts involved in the process, such as your fingers.
Point 6: Clean And Lubricate The Tool After Sharpening For Maximum Durability
Once you’ve achieved satisfactory results with your hammerhead’s shape and edge following sharpening, clean off all residue using an appropriate solvent. Then apply some oil onto both sides of the tool before putting it away in storage.
This lubrication helps reduce wear over time while ensuring maximum durability since moisture won’t be able to seep into any part of its body, causing corrosion.
Additionally, keeping your tools well maintained makes them last longer, so ensure this step isn’t skipped out during regular maintenance routines.
Reasons Why People Might Want to Sharpen a Hammer
A. Improving Hammer Efficiency
Sharpening a hammer can increase its efficiency in a number of ways. It helps to ensure that the edges of the striking surface are sharp and true, reducing any burrs or other imperfections that would reduce performance. Sharpening also helps to improve the balance of the tool, making it easier for the user to deliver more accurate strikes with a comfortable grip.
Additionally, sharpening can help to reduce hammer vibration and shock, allowing for smoother and quieter strikes. This greater efficiency can help extend the life of the tool by reducing wear and tear on both the handle and head.
B. Saving Money on Replacing Hammers
Hammer replacement costs can add up over time, so having sharp tools is cost effective in the long run. Sharper tools require less effort to use, which reduces fatigue and makes them last longer than duller ones.
The savings from buying fewer hammers over time far outweigh any costs associated with maintaining a set of sharp ones. Additionally, if you are able to sharpen your own hammers instead of taking them to a professional service, you can save even more money in the long run.
C. Creating a Customized Tool for Special Tasks
Having specialty tools allows people to tackle unique projects or tasks that require precision workmanship or specialized results. Sharpening hammers allow these users to create customized tools that match exactly what they need for their specific project requirements.
Something off the shelf options might not provide. Using a sharpened hammer will provide greater accuracy than non sharpened tools for things like detailed chiseling, removing small nails from woodwork pieces, and carving fine shapes out of stone.
Types of Hammers that Can be Sharpened
Claw Hammer
A claw hammer is one of the most popular hammers that can be sharpened. This type of hammer has a curved claw on one side used for pulling nails, and a flat, heavy head on the other side used to pound nails into wood. When using a claw hammer, keep it sharp so it can easily remove nails and do its job effectively.
Sharpening a claw hammer requires using a metal file or sharpening stone to file down the edges of the curved “claw” part of the hammer until they are smooth and even. This increases its effectiveness by giving it more power when punching through the wood.
Sharpening also helps prevent any slipping off of nails during use, which protects your hands from injury and damage to whatever surface you are working on.
Ball Peen Hammer
A ball peen hammer is another type of hammer that can be sharpened for better performance in specific tasks, such as riveting or shaping metal objects. To sharpen this type, start by filing the two striking faces with an appropriate size and shape file that complements the shape of the peen’s edges.
Take care not to over fill, as doing so may compromise strength or weaken these striking faces making them more prone to breakage or splitting under pressure. Once finished filling both sides, take a fine stone or sandpaper and lightly polish each face until they are smooth enough to strike without damaging what you are hitting.
This will prevent chipping and splintering while providing greater control when pounding metal objects into place or finishing them off with decorative touches like texturing or embossing.
Cross Pein Hammer
Cross pein hammers have two striking faces. One flat face and one pointed face. Designed for driving hard material like nails and pins into tough surfaces such as steel plates or solid wood where a regular hammer won’t suffice.
First, use a suitable file to shape both faces (make sure not to overfill) to sharpen this tool. Then run a fine stone along each edge before finally polishing them up with sandpaper for maximum strength and precision during use.
If you over sharpen your cross pein hammer beyond what is necessary for optimal performance, you risk damaging it or wearing out its edges.
Hatchet Hammer
There is a wedge at one end of a hatchet hammer’s head, which is designed to chop through dense materials such as ice blocks, dense bricks, frozen ground, etc.
Using either a drill bit grinder or hand filing tool, you can shape the edges of these tools back into perfect form after heating up their heads until they become soft enough to be sharpened.
Afterward to preserve their hardness once more for continued use in demanding environments where ordinary tools simply won’t cut it.
Recommended Article To Read: Is it easy to remove a bit from a hammer drill?
Final Thoughts
It can be said that it is possible, even relatively easy, to sharpen a hammer using either an angle grinder or by taking it to a professional blacksmith or metalworker.
It’s important that safety measures are adhered to when using power tools like an angle grinder, as well as making sure you have experience before attempting this task yourself.
If not, then professional help might be best sought instead. Additionally, once your hammer has been sharpened correctly then, regular maintenance will help keep it in good condition longer so it will last for many years into the future.
