Key stamping techniques/tricks

[cledry]

32 ounce hammer for those larger stamps.

[mastersmith]

I'm going to jump on an older post because my perspective is a bit different. When you use a really light hammer you have to really wail on that stamp to leave an impression. The harder you have to swing, the easier it is to let something slip. That usually results in smashed fingers! Those of us in colder environments know how much EXTRA joy there is in hitting a finger in the cold! I use a 2lb. drilling hammer. You literally hold it above the stamp and let it drop a couple of inches. No wind ups needed. It is extremely controlled and very forgiving on those delicate digits! Just my 2 cents.

[bitbuster]

Ah yes..... the EXTRA joy of metal making contact with flesh on a cold day.

[GWiens2001]

My son refers to a small 2 lb hammer as a “thumb detector”. He started calling them that after his own experience with detecting his own thumb.

He usually adds some colorful words with thumb detector, too.

Gordon

[jeffmoss26]

[demux]

My son refers to a small 2 lb hammer as a “thumb detector”.

Sounds like that works in much the same way as a buried fiber optic cable detector:

[GWiens2001]

My son refers to a small 2 lb hammer as a “thumb detector”.

Sounds like that works in much the same way as a buried fiber optic cable detector:

They were building another dealership near my workplace and saw when one of those fiber optic cable detectors became a buried gas line detector. Huge clouds of dust. Luckily no ignition.

Gordon