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Acer
Big Wall climber
AZ
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 13, 2010 - 06:31pm PT
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Question??
I have been collecting hammers and watching for more on EBAY and looking at the pics of others that have collections.
Why are there so many hammers that are UNUSED?!?!?
I see like half or the hammers are unused.
Is this going to happen to the D5 hammer??
Do I have to buy 2? One for the mantel and one for climbing??
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Mar 13, 2010 - 07:28pm PT
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poseurs
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Mar 13, 2010 - 09:40pm PT
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I sold my (second) A5 hammer back to the guy I bought it from some years ago, at the original price.
Hey, it was too heavy for me to swing anyway!
My old Chouinard is the perfect weight for me, and was made with the harder steel, so it doesn't mushroom like the newer BD ones.
I do need to replace the tang nail/rivet, and should probably replace the original webbing that goes into the handle before it gets more frayed.
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couchmaster
climber
pdx
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Mar 13, 2010 - 10:06pm PT
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Yes, don't go all beating the hell out of your finely tuned D5 hammer when you get it:-)
BTW, Bryan Schmidt called me out for a pic of my hammers on another thread so I'll get to that, but I want to say that the Kong Eagle, which comes in 2 weights, is an awesome hammer. I have 2 (TWO) near new A5 hammers, and it's hard to take either out into the dirt and the rain, like today when all I needed to do was to drive one fixed Bugaboo (Ujahn did it) and smash a wobbly loose flake off with it. Boom, back in the pack.
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Acer
Big Wall climber
AZ
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 15, 2010 - 01:45pm PT
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I am missing the McDivitt Hammer and the BIG Kong.
I do have Sue M.s double plastic boots now. For my daughter, silly.
I like the hammers and I admit that I keep them at the house and use the BD hammer for the dirty work. HAHA
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Roger Brown
climber
Oceano, California
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Mar 29, 2010 - 01:04am PT
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Clint, I just bought a Chouinard hammer on E-bay. It was bought in 1978 and never used. That is gonna change this summer:-)
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Mar 29, 2010 - 01:12am PT
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I think I bid on that hammer, does it have a blue leash? If so, never used and the price was LOW!
Such a nice find.
Let's see a pic Roger!
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ec
climber
ca
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Mar 29, 2010 - 06:15am PT
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Clint,
Was that Ron who you sold it back too? I gave him that hammer and it was used on Angel Wings and Tehipite FA's. I was bummed when he told me he sold it.
 ec
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Mar 29, 2010 - 06:59am PT
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Can't believe that proud original Yo Hammer only went for $68! Those are fantastic hammers, probably the best ever for all around aid climbing. For FA's where you might be drilling a bunch, it's a little light in my opinion, but for alpine big walls, they're the best.
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Roger Brown
climber
Oceano, California
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Mar 29, 2010 - 02:19pm PT
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Mucci,
The one with the blue leash was a BD and I was out bid. This was the one Clint posted a photo of. John, BD's don't seem to hold up too well. I turn while hitting and usually do sets of 100. I try for 30 sets per bolt, and that is kinda hard on a hammer head. Light hammer, more reps works for me:-)
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Mar 29, 2010 - 02:34pm PT
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The 68$ one had a blue leash, I remember the BD, it had black tape on it and a modified pick end.
Is this the one?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190382785163&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_1182
That Chounard I bid on was the best looking one I have seen!
Roger- have you tried putting some lead tape on the head of a BD? I guess that won't improve it's life but would make it a proper bolting hammer.
Also- what type of bit do you use, hilti/bosch? I have yet to find one that works that great.
Greg sent me some of those silver pointed hilti bits, Best one yet.
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ec
climber
ca
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Mar 29, 2010 - 02:39pm PT
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'best hammer I ever had is my Forrest Wall Hammer w/the fiberglass handle. I know it saved my wrist from ruin and outlasted any Yo Hammer (2) I used. My A5 is second up.
ec
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Mar 29, 2010 - 04:59pm PT
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Definitely an original Chouinard Yo Hammer. Fine tools, they would go for up to $100 back in 1984 in Yosemite when there were no forged hammers in production (in fact, when no big wall hammers were available except for some lightweight European ones) . These, along with the Forrest blue fiberglass handle, were the most coveted of the day.
No biner hole, but you could just tie a supertape collar below the head for a clip in for funkness purposes.
Here's some trivia--did you know that these hammers, and some of the early diamond C arrows (but post Ventura forged), were also produced at the Ajax Forge, where Theron is getting the D5 hammers from? That's what one of the guys who worked there told me (later, Chouinard discontinued the Yo hammer, and sourced the arrows from CAMP in Europe--the European ones weren't quite as good, in my opinion).
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Roger Brown
climber
Oceano, California
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Mar 29, 2010 - 06:29pm PT
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Mucci,
Your right, I didn't look at the second picture. Duh. I have tried all kinds of bits and now just use what ever Greg sends me:-) If this new hammer feels too lite I was also thinking of the lead tape. I figure just below the head to help protect those clips that help hold the head on. The clips seem to break on the BD hammers in the first few weeks anyway so I question if they really do any good or are just for looks. The last hammer I wrapped the clip area really heavy with tape but when I took the tape off to check them, one was broke already. The tape was undamaged. I put a stubby handle on one of my framing hammers and I really like the feel. I will try it this summer also. Maybe start a new trend:-)
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Mar 29, 2010 - 06:40pm PT
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^^^ HA!
That just happened to my BD. I pulled the tape off and the plate was swinging like a door.
Very nice pick up, sorry for bumpin the $ :)
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cragnshag
Social climber
san joser
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Mar 29, 2010 - 07:17pm PT
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My last two BD hammers suffered the same fate at Roger's hammer. The little side plates snap off just below the head- really thin metal there.
The first thing that happens is the nail with the plugged ends that holds the plates together pops a plug on one end (like Clint's has done- by the way Clint I may be responsible since I'll sometimes use your hammer).
Then I replace the nail with a thin threaded rod with nuts on each end to hold everything together.
Then one plate snaps off.
Then the other plate snaps off.
Then the head itself starts to come off the shaft.
Twice this has happened now. I sent the first one back to BD and they replaced it for me. Then the replacement failed two weekends ago. And I don't think it's because I swing too hard. The same thing has happened to Roger's hammer and he could snap me in two. I think it may have to do with the angle/ attitude of the hammer as it hits the drill. And different folks have different styles. Maybe we hit it in such a way as to create the same force that torques the head just right. I dunno.
I'm going to try swinging a heavy Piccard french milling hammer (named after France's prodigal son, Jean-Luc) this summer and see what happens.
I'll post a photo of the hammers later tonight after RR's slideshow.
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cragnshag
Social climber
san joser
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Mar 30, 2010 - 10:39am PT
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Roger Brown
climber
Oceano, California
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Mar 30, 2010 - 02:00pm PT
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Wow,
I just set my BD hammers up the same way your hammers are in the bottom view and guess what? The new BD hammer they sent me is narrower than the old one. The striking head is way fatter on the old one. I wonder where the new ones are made? Any BD employees lurking out there? Your milling hammer looks stout, kinda like my McDevitt(sp) hammer.
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Acer
Big Wall climber
AZ
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 3, 2010 - 11:48pm PT
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There's my original UN-USED hammer question.
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