Objectively Best Way to Swing a Hammer in Blacksmithing

Excellent Video ! This is vital information ! Thank you for posting this !

Thank you for this great educational video! Love to see more of these kind of videos! Love from Austria 🇦🇹💪🏼

I gained some excellent learning from this video!

Brazeal Nuts was the term i heard, I'm ok with that. 😂😂😂

If I held my hammer that close to the head, I'd be shouted at for choking it.

That was a joy to listen to! It makes sense ;-) and as always; practise makes perfect. I always find it hard to explain to students how I swing my hammer, this has been very helpful thanks! Keep up the good work. Cheers Lute

I am a pretty big guy and swinging the hammer has never given me any discomfort, so I have not given it any thought. After watching this I want to be more conscious about my technique to not only help with my long term health but also I am curious of the change I might see in my work. Thanks, very informative.

Thanks for the fantastic video and making the effort to add some real experience based information to a conversation which is plagued by controversy and theories which I feel have no place in the real world being based purely on physics and thought experiments.

I especially like your comment on a "natural" feeling swing. I would agree that it should indeed feel awkward at first just like any other physical activity. Take riding a bike or writing - we must be taught basic motions and learn these techniques through practice before they begin to feel "natural."

My only disagreement is an exception for those trying to match a historical aesthetic. My thought is that most historical blacksmiths especially career and industrial Smiths would have been well schooled in the most efficient and ergonomic way of forging. Smiths from this period often worked long hours spanning decades. This would have been simply impossible using poor techniques which damaged their bodies.

Thanks again for this valuable information and I would encourage you to make similar videos on other topics - especially interested in sledge technique!

I wonder if any blacksmiths in history have considered fitting a pommel onto a hammer handle shift the center of mass closed to the hand and to lessen the torque applied to the wrist joint.

The best example I've ever seen of using a hammer was 60 years ago in my engineering apprentice days. We worked mostly with cast iron and chiseling was a quicker way to remove large amounts of cast iron.than filing. The boss used to send us to an old guy named Harry Hall who would demonstrate using a 2 lb ball pein hammer and a cold chisel how to cut through a piece of 1/8" steel plate held in a bench vice by cutting across the top of the jaws. After demonstrating this firstly (with his eyes closed) Harry then went on to show off with his party piece which was to rotate the hammer 1/4 turn after each blow and hit the chisel with the face, the side, the ball pein and the other side of the hammer. To cut through a 1/8" steel plate 3"wide requires considerable force and Harry did not take prisoners. As engineering apprentices we all all took up Harry's challenge and all went home that night with varying degrees of hammer rash and a huge amount of respect for an old guy who made it look so easy.

Great video.
As a blacksmith, and a career hand surgeon, you need to use your small finger and ring finger to rotate that hammer around right at the end of your swing. The small and ring finger are the strongest flexors (grippers) of all fingers. Try to grab a hammer with only your thumb, index and long finger. You won’t be able to swing the hammer. Now, try to swing a hammer while gripping it with ONLY your small and ring fingers. You’ll be able to swing it. So, the small and ring fingers are very strong. Your swing grip is perfect. Just use the small and ring finger to push the handle end, and cause the hammer end, to rotate quickly right before impact. That’s the only thing I have to add. And I think you already know how to do this. Just wanted to point it out for the others.

As an axe swinger, can assure you the lift is done by the whole body (thx Neuton) with the input energy coming from the shoulders and quads, the head raise is best done close centre of the body line. Peak swing isnt the loss of upward momentum to gravity but the capture of this remaining energy into the swingers body for use on the downward swing.

I like a light hammer because I use longer handles than most people. There is more material to dissipate the shock from the hammer and more distance from my finger to the hot metal.

A very good presentation Ethan IMHO, I would add that perfecting form is a goal that is to be constantly worked toward. Different body types well be able to do better than others. Make the best use of what you got and like Grandad used to say "Son use that lump on top of your shoulders for something more than a hat rack. Work smarter not harder."

Seems like the grip should be like a good drumstick technique. Back of the palm facing up, the smaller fingers providing support, drawing the sound out of the skin. All wrist muscle, not the whole arm

I wanted to check out your video because I have lower spine injuries that now, a decade after my first surgery. I’ve now been told I have bulging disks… I asked which ones and was told”all of them”. I wish I was joking… I always wanted to do metal work. I really wanted to not just knives but doing lathe, milling and even things like custom sheet metal work. I finally managed to get a little single burner forge and a makeshift anvil. Unfortunately I just can’t do very much before I have to stop and end up stuck in bed for a few days. I did learn a solid anvil and hammer make a big difference my railroad chunk didn’t have any rebound and the small hammer I had just wasn’t big enough. I still don’t have the best of hammers.. and the anvil is just a cheap harbor freight one. I’ve looked into finding a power hammer or hydraulic press or maybe even repurpose an electric log splitter. I just don’t have the tools, skill or physical ability. I did look into other press forms but never found anything useful that I could afford or trade for.
As far as swing mechanics, a would love to see you speak with a reputable physical therapist. The back and uneven use can really leave a person in pain not to mention how fragile our skeletal system is to in proper functioning. I fractured my back the first time as I was putting a part in place on the aircraft I worked on. As I lifted I had a bit of a weird twist and bang, that was it. I wish I had a better story of how I ended up the way I am today.. Regardless, I worry about others having to go through the same stuff. I had friends that did and a couple of them couldn’t manage the depression and anxiety that comes with the pain and agony, and they took their own lives. I know we tend to not have our body weight centered correctly or over use in one side of the body compared to the other, fosters injury and joint problems as well as affecting other parts of your body. For the longest time, I thought I had something wrong with my knees and hamstrings but it was my hamstrings working overtime to pickup the slack for my lower spine. The reason I thought a PT would be good, is they could point out the even the smallest things and tell you what’s wrong but how to go about fixing it. I just wish I had the strength that my grandpa and great grandpa did working in mines and constant physical labor. Anyhow, thanks for the tips and best of luck!

Thank you Nathan. Always good to have a refresher. BTW I like the Elmer Roush style hammer you made for me. Seems like whomever I ask, they have an excuse why they can’t make that style of hammer.

Bang on, Ethan. Thanks. I'll look for a video from you on tong selection and use. Fatigue & frustration aint limited to the hammer side of things. Keep it up 👍 (Vancouver Island)

Nice video. I think you underestimate or under explained the use of legs, hips and back. You spend the bulk of your time talking about wrist/arm/shoulder mechanics (correctly) but your video of tapering a 1" bar shows just how much you use your hips, knees and I would argue, even your toes in bringing the hammer up and down. Blacksmithing is a whole body activity IMO.

Good video Ethan. That`s a beautiful 4# hammer too... I`m a farrier by trade and made a step to blacksmithing years ago. I never had any problems while shoeing but my hammer technique was no good when drawing out heavier material. So, long story short, I had to quit swinging the forging hammer ( swinging body hammers nowadays...) to get all joints healed. I`m looking forward to do some hot work again, but still hesitant...

🤙❤️🤙

Do you use hearing protection while working ? Sounds rather loud on the video .

Can’t touch this

Is there a story above the electrical disconnect behind and to your left that's behind and to the right of the transformer and beside and to the right of the smaller disconnect?

Just get yourself a 2 3/4 pound cross peen and you'll be fine.

I am not a blacksmith, but I have swung a hammer many times. This was interesting and makes sense. I give you a 👍

Lotsa heel nipping chihuahua haters out there who cowardly hide behind a screen and keyboard. Expect them and ignore them. Should they have the guts to say those things to your face, then they should rightfully expect a broken jaw.

I didn't expect a 25 minutes video on just this topic. But it's very relevant of course. Reminds this is quite a physical job.
I wonder how I would do this myself , just following my own tendency.

Seeing you really forcefully hit, I think you should instead let the hammer do the work more.
Or use a power-tool, like that steam-hammer.

"I'm not going to say I have objectively the best way.." titles video otherwise 😂

Well let's be objective: the handle has to be shaped to your hand in the first place.

I dont no much about this stuff but id love to learn it. You r very good at teaching peaple !! Great video !!

Uri Hofi has entered the chat..

one bit of advice that i didnt see mentioned is when lifting the hammer to strike yous want the hammer above your fist not in front of your first. It is much easier on all the joints lifting the hammer with it a top your hand than dangling out in space in front of it. A way to prove this is take a 3lbs object that has a bit of length and try the different positions.

Whip it with the arm and snap it with the fingers , 2yrs of nail roofing will get you dialed in cuz that is ALL DAY swingin just tappin and driving!

Amen, brother.

Hold it with your pinky and ring finger mostly. You keep changing the grip depending on situation. What kind of forging moves you have to make make a difference.
Another thing is that you should change your stance. It's completely wrong.
If you do it right, the power that moves the hammer comes from your whole body. (By forging the way you show in the video you would last a few hours at a low efficiency at most)
NOW THE FUN STUF
Spread your legs more, bend towards the anvil a little and to the left as well(if right arm is dominant).
You lift the hammer by twisting your torso, than your shoulder follows naturally, than your arm.
Downward motion goes in the same order.
This way you can forge for days and weeks and the hammer will feel as a part of your body.
Also i recomend keeping your left hand locked to your side if posibble. It's more steady.
Hopefully it helps 🙂

Early humans must have all been walking around with sore shoulders.

You are a wonderful man and your explanations are logical and well versed. Please don't let the "nay sayers" make you take it down. (Sorry you took your sideburns off... even Burt Rutan has them. And he has designed aeroplanes one of which flew non stop around the world.) Greetings from New Zealand.

Wonderful thank you for the video. It puts to rest a lot of questions I've had.

I’m new to blacksmithing and could only get a couple hits before my entire forearm was exhausted. This video helped me so much to realize my mistakes in my form. I spent 3 hours hammering today! Thank you so much for your help

Thanks for the tips

Carpal tunnel syndrome, ganglion cyst, and tendinitis are ailments which are PAINFUL. I have had 5 different surgeries because of hand injuries.

My farrier mentor told me I have a weak wrist in the fire without telling me how to change it. Thank you for this video! Very important

excellent; thank you

You have an awesome shop! I hauled grain with a KB7 just like the one you have, color and all. I do more machining than blacksmithing so I appreciate your lathes and milling machine as well as your impressive smithing equipment. Great video. I am a 71 year old beginner with 60 years of experience!