High-Dollar Cross-Peen Hammers
By Sean O'Hara
I can’t imagine a time when I would lose my mind enough to consider spending $85 on a cross-peen hammer — in fact, I have people standing by, ready to smack me in the head should I attempt such a maneuver. That said, these Lie-Nielsen hammers look good.
As you can see from the tool porn picture above, they all sport beautiful cherry handles and either brass, A-2 steel, or hardened A-2 steel heads. Lie-Nielsen says they’re good for tacks, brads, and fine blade adjustments on your planes. Personally, if I’m paying just shy of $100 for a tack hammer, it had better have zombie-slaying magic or be able to summon the power of Zeus or something.
If not, I’m sticking with my cheapo tack hammer and small ball-peen hammer which put together don’t total $25.
Cross-Peen Hammers [Lie-Nielsen]
Street Pricing [Google]
February 24th, 2009 at 10:25 am
Lie-Nielsen makes some great planes and other tools - but ouch on the price.
Cross Peen Hammers were once produced in wide array by Stanley and others - and were sometimes called Warrington Pattern.
Here is a link to a hammer supply firm:
http://www.hammersource.com/Metalworking.html
February 24th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Zeus? Come on - a magic hammer would clearly summon the power of THOR.
February 24th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
You are missing the whole esoteric experience of owning one of these.
These are precision hammers. Much more accurate in hitting one of your digits than those cheap ass hammers.
February 24th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Yuppies love ‘em. They think they’re “working”.
February 24th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
If “youth is wasted on the young” then expensive tools are wasted on the old and complacent. 20 years ago I had a lot of energy and ambition and did a lot with my collection of tools that was small enough to fit in the trunk of my Honda with room to spare for my stereo and clothes. Now I have the means to buy lots of tools and hang them on the pegboard running the perimeter of my garage. I only glance at them when I pull my car into the garage when coming home from work at 9 p.m..
So, these are certainly nice wall hangings…….
February 25th, 2009 at 6:38 am
Lee Valley sells Warrington hammers for less than $10.
February 25th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
I think they look cool, kind of like my perfect handle screwdrivers.
February 25th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
I suppose you could build a shadow box to display them in. Although you would probably use your trusty $5 hammer to build it as not to scratch that wonderful shiny brass finish.
March 10th, 2009 at 11:41 am
I bought a set of the Lee Valley Warrinton hammers by Stanley of England. What pieces of crap! I didn’t return them because the people at Lee Valley have always treated me so well.
I had owned a quality Warrington hammer for a couple decades and used it daily. I gave that hammer to an aspiring young woodworker when I ordered the new set from Lee Valley. After seeing what I received, I almost asked for my old hammer back.
Well now I own the A2 hardened cross peen hammer from Lie-Nielsen. Yes, it was tough to push the “buy” button, but I’m sure glad I did. This is a beautiful hammer that I’ll own and use the rest of my life. It is precision made and the handle is very comfortable. So I paid $50 too much for it… I’ll be enjoying it while friends are cussing their hammers.
Scott