Hammer Question! :)

[happyheathenmom]

Heilsa! :)

I believe it is time for me to get an actual hammer, instead of just using my hammer pendant in the hammer rite, does anyone know from experience and of any 'general guidelines' to choosing and purchasing a decent hammer? I know, obviously, not to get a ball-peen hammer.. that's just silly.. :lol: what I am referring to is length or weight, you know.. what works in a ritual setting.. I don't believe I would want a sledge hammer either lol..
I was 'window shopping' at Menards (hardware and appliance store, if you don't have one in your area) a while back.. trying to get a feel for what I wanted, and I saw a short wooden handled one (most of the ones I had seen are fancy-schmancy type things with rubber handles and shiny silver heads) it had a decent weight.. although I was wishing the handle would have been a bit heaver so I decided not to get it.

Any suggestions? :)

[Rick]

I inherited mine from my grandpa via my dad (it looked ancient the first time I laid eyes on it, & I'm now 51)... 4 lb. sledge, short handle (needs a new handle... maybe my son will put one on it one day)... I know it got moved into the new place, but I'm not exactly sure where it's gotten off to... if I find it, I'll post up a pic...

Flea markets & pawn shops... most hammers (or tools in general) found in those places won't be new, but will have some character.

[happyheathenmom]

I inherited mine from my grandpa via my dad (it looked ancient the first time I laid eyes on it, & I'm now 51)... 4 lb. sledge, short handle (needs a new handle... maybe my son will put one on it one day)... I know it got moved into the new place, but I'm not exactly sure where it's gotten off to... if I find it, I'll post up a pic...

Flea markets & pawn shops... most hammers (or tools in general) found in those places won't be new, but will have some character.

Wassail Rick! :)

Hmm.. :) I never thought of that.. of course I haven't been to a flea market in ages.. most of the pawn shops around here just carry video games and silly stuff.. but perhaps in the college town 30 minutes from here would have some nifty stuff.. As I looked at the one in the hardware store..I did find myself thinking about how to give it a less than new look... lol

I did find some nifty stuff at the local Big Lots.. I found what I use as my blotbolli there. I didn't buy it the first time but I couldn't quit thinking about it, so I when I went back it was still there and I bought it. It's a clear 'cracked glass' bowl inlaid into what looks like an oak leaf with a face. The face looks pretty wise, I suppose it reminded me of Mimir, so I bought it.
I don't really have a ton of tools, (I'm a bit of a minimalist) but I do have a rune-set I made out of those little bricks of clay stuff you bake and let harden in the oven. I had made a really nifty looking golden-clay set I made, and painted the runes on with red paint, but my four year old got ahold of them and, after seeing me paint them, he decided to get a bright green permanent marker and draw all over the backs of them. It upset me, but I found that he had made some Runes perfectly.. however I let him have them since every time I looked at them it upset me.

So I bought some metallic silver clay and decided to try to make them and then paint them with an electric shade of blue, they turned out pretty good. I put a few drops of my own blood and mix it into the paint when I painted them. They work quite well.. even though I didn't rist them out of wood.
The colors remind me a little of Odin's midnight blue cloak with the stars set in it. Even though the colors are reversed.

Here's a pic.. sorry it's not excellent quality They do look better in 'real life' lol
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/HappyHeathenMom/myruneset.jpg

[seapearls]

I still haven't bought an actual hammer, nor a horn for that matter. lol I'm just slow I guess, ok Rick no jokes.

[happyheathenmom]

I still haven't bought an actual hammer, nor a horn for that matter. lol I'm just slow I guess, ok Rick no jokes.

I don't have a horn either.. I scan Ebay once in a while, but I haven't tried bidding on anything yet.. just lurking.

I do have a set of silver chalices that I bought at a flea market years ago.. about 12 years ago roughly.. and I use one of them in place of a horn, until I can get one. I had some of that silver tarnish remover.. but I was watching Martha Stewart one day (not something I do a lot.. but I was flipping channels, got up, made coffee, and there she was..) and she was using baking soda to clean silver.. which at the time I had never heard of.. but I think it works 10x better than that tarnish remover and no funky rotten-egg smell.

[Mjollnir]

Here is the hammer gifted to me when I became a member of my kindred, it was carved and painted by Denise Bowen...who also carves the most unbelieveable horns...and I have posted pics of the horns I have in another thread around here somewhere.

[Eldred Grimm]

I got my hammer at a white elphant sale the Oklahoma Psychic educationl Reaserch Association had many years a go I spent more than it was whorth the guy from scopio herbs keep biding on it
hey rick where were you when your bother was getting fleced by that bald headed kahos Magi man it a 2 lb hammer you can get at wally world every day at 7.50 for $30.00 bucks
so dont get in a bidding war with a balheaded kahos magi

[Vigdisdotter]

I bought mine at the local hardware store :P The shape and heft were perfect for me, but the varnish on the handle was atrocious....so I stripped it, carved it and stained it to my liking :)

[Rick]

I got my hammer at a white elphant sale the Oklahoma Psychic educationl Reaserch Association had many years a go I spent more than it was whorth the guy from scopio herbs keep biding on it
hey rick where were you when your bother was getting fleced by that bald headed kahos Magi man it a 2 lb hammer you can get at wally world every day at 7.50 for $30.00 bucks
so dont get in a bidding war with a balheaded kahos magi
Hey, it was all for a good cause, right? :lol:

[happyheathenmom]

Here is the hammer gifted to me when I became a member of my kindred, it was carved and painted by Denise Bowen...who also carves the most unbelieveable horns...and I have posted pics of the horns I have in another thread around here somewhere.

Wow! I love the wood carving! That is awesome! My husband had a dremmel, but I think my brother in law borrowed it and he left it in his garage and he thinks it was stolen by a neighbor. *sigh*

[Eldred Grimm]

Hey, it was all for a good cause, right? :lol:
oh yea :abanana:

[happyheathenmom]

Yay! I bought it today.. it's still 'naked' but I sanded the handle down.. now I'm just waiting for a decent day to take the stain I bought outside, and stain the handle. The color of the stain is minwax's "American Colonial" (I believe .. I don't have it right in front of me at the moment.. I needed to put it up straightaway because I have a four year old... that likes 'paints' and things.. I doubt he could get it open.. but just when you think they can't....)
Anyway.. here's a pic .. I put a piece of paper behind it so it would show up better..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/HappyHeathenMom/myhammer.jpg

The handle is made of american hickory, and it has several interesting lines of light and dark in the wood (Actually it would have shown up on a side view, but I didn't want to take tons of pics of it. On one side of it, it has dark bands running vertically down the side of the handle.) the smaller lines probably wouldn't show up on the camera.. but I think it looks pretty cool.

I plan on decorating it, l thought about putting a leather grip on it by making like a leather-laced up "girdle" on the handle, and carving some runes (or all the runes) into the handle. The wood is pretty hard though, it doesn't make a fingernail dent when you press into it, so I may have to end up getting a dremel.. which is a little scary because if I screw it up it's permanent.
Well.. I guess over the next few weeks or even months I may be deciding what to do with it.. I've got a few ideas.. but nothing solid yet.

:) Have a good 'un..

[Vigdisdotter]

Speaking of wood stains, I stained my hammer with....





Shoe polish.

Believe it or not it works VERY well as a stain :)

[happyheathenmom]

Speaking of wood stains, I stained my hammer with....





Shoe polish.

Believe it or not it works VERY well as a stain :)


really?? Shoe polish?? wow.. wish I had known that.. might've been cheaper.. I'm still wondering if I should add a clear coat to the color stain afterwards? The directions on the back of the minwax say to, but I suppose I could wait to see if it would be sticky .. I haven't stained it as of yet.. I have this weekend off so if there is a nice day this weekend I may try it.. I was hoping for a day when the barometric pressure would be higher.. because I figure it would help it dry faster.. plus I have to do it outside because my son has asthma and even though it's a small area of wood I don't want to take any chances with the fumes.. did I already say all that?? Hmm.. I've slept since then.. lol..

:)
HHmom

[Vigdisdotter]

really?? Shoe polish??

Yup :) you want to by a polish about 3 shades darker then what you want. But it doesn't NEED a clear coat once done nor will if rub off (though it's a good idea to take the access off with a soft cloth...this ALSO make it shine :P)

You'll have to redo it about once every couple of years, though.