Old hammer

[Lons]

A nice old hammer to clean up and restore a little, a London pattern I think but not certain. It doesn't look as it it's ever been used in anger, not a single ding on the striking faces just neglected.
The photo of the makers name is out of focus. It says "GEO Barnsley & SONS, Sheffield". I did a quick google and they seem to be still going under new owners.

 

[AndyT]

That's a shoemaker's hammer. It would have been used for driving in nails, but the extra wide head is optimised for spreading and shaping leather.
Barnsleys made a wide range of leather working tools.

George Barnsley & Sons : Illustrated Catalogue of Shoemakers' Tools : George Barnsley & Sons : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

74 p., illus., 25.1 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

 

[Cabinetman]

That's a shoemaker's hammer. It would have been used for driving in nails, but the extra wide head is optimised for spreading and shaping leather.
Barnsleys made a wide range of leather working tools.

George Barnsley & Sons : Illustrated Catalogue of Shoemakers' Tools : George Barnsley & Sons : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

74 p., illus., 25.1 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

The breadth of your knowledge Andy astounds me!
Interesting shaft though, it almost looks as though the head could be fitted to either end, no outward swelling to stop it flying out of the users hand.

 

[AndyT]

This was an easy one - I acquired a similar hammer in a mixed box of tools and looked it up long ago.

The bit about usage is from Salaman's Dictionary of Leatherworking Tools.

Good point about the handle. I'd guess it's been salvaged from another hammer and put in upside down. There's a telltale line across the visible end.

 

[Lons]

That makes a lot of sense Andy as the company supplied leather working companies. The handle hasn't been touched though, the line you can see in the photo is where there's been a sticky paper lable wrapped around., probably a price sticker some of which is still there.
I've just googled it and this is on the company website.

EDIT: I missed your link to the 1927 catalogue, thanks for that Andy, very interesting.

 

[AndyT]

Ah yes, if it had been trapped inside the hammer head, the tip of the handle would be clean, not dirty...

Fascinating to learn that they are still making such a huge range of specialist tools, in Sheffield.

Here's mine, in much poorer condition than yours.



Interesting that they also sell tools for bookbinding, including the similar looking backing hammer. If you ever want to do any trad leather binding, you could probably manage with the hammer you have!

 

[Mike G]

That's a shoemaker's hammer......

I recognised it immediately. All cobblers had hammers like this. But you beat me to it.....

 

[Lons]

Interesting how I aquired the hammer.

My daughter has been in hospital for a few weeks and I've taken the oportunity to do a few outstanding repair jobs while she isn't around. I also spotted a s/h 8x6 shed for sale at £50 which I snapped up but the downside was that not only did I need to dismantle but also had to clear it.
The woman I'd presumed was a widow but began to suspect her husband had left her as she seemed quite bitter and wanted nothing to do with any of the contents apart from keeping a chain saw so along with the shed panels I brought home half a large trailer of full bin bags.

All sorts of stuff and the dozens of unopened tubes of silicone and Stihl oil and grease alone were worth far more than I paid for the shed. Loads of useful timber, tools, screws, electrical wire and bits as well as the rubbish I weeded out and dumped.
She offered to knock off £20 for me taking the stuff away but my conscience wouldn't allow me to accept so for a £50 outlay I got several hundred quids worth of stuff, and daughter has a very useable shed.

My wife didn't quite see it the way I did of course. A not so subtle reminder that I'm supposed to be slowly clearing out. - OOPS

 

[AndyT]

I don't suppose it's any comfort to Mrs Lons, but I'd say you did the right thing there.

 

[Lons]

I don't suppose it's any comfort to Mrs Lons, but I'd say you did the right thing there.

She has a short memory Andy so I don't worry too much. Anyway I'm deaf in one ear, which one depends where shes standing at the time.

 

[Lurker]

I had assumed that these were cobblers hammers.

The one on the right is stamped belgrave road Leicester, so I assume an ironmongers mark. The other one, I can just see Sheffield.
Never used them and they live in a large box of various hammers that remain unused.
I ought to get rid of them somehow.

 

[AndyT]

They do look rather like the Rivetter's Pattern hammers in the same Barnsley catalogue;



The angle of the heads looks distinctive and is presumably important inside a small shoe. Is one of yours the opposite way up?

 

[Lurker]

That’s interesting.
You a font of knowledge sir!
I think “the box” contains a version of number 3000.

 

[AndyT]

You may call it knowledge... Some would call it a load of old cobblers!

 

[CHJ]

You may call it knowledge... Some would call it a load of old cobblers!

Well it's a riveting read regardless.