I am considering buying a framing hammer, should I go for a drop forged head or a cast head? Which is stronger/more durable?
2006-11-02 18:09:30 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
A drop forged hammer is made by heating a block of steal and "beating" it into a hammer shape. A cast hammer is made by pouring molten steel into a hammer shaped mold. Generally a forged hammer will be stronger and more durable. During the casting process, air and impurities can get into the mold and affect the quality of the finished product.
2006-11-02 18:14:36 · answer #1 · answered by jeffma807 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Drop forged hammers are made by impacting a block of steel into a hammer-shaped cavity. Interestingly, when steel experiences this kind of sudden trauma, it actually becomes stronger, because of the deformation of the steel at the molecular level.
Anyway, forged anything is going to cost a lot more than casted, so be prepared for a price difference. If you are a professional-user of hammers, then get forged. If you are a Saturday handyman, save your money as you will never break your hammer doing "house" work.
2006-11-02 18:23:10 · answer #2 · answered by sunseekerrv 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A steel casting is just the steel poured into a mold in the shape of a hammer head. In drop forging the steel is hammered into the shape and in doing so the molecules are forced closer together making it more dense and giving greater strength to the piece.
2006-11-02 18:29:43 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Drop forged are superior. They use a large hammer to beat the hot metal into shape. That aligns the grain of the metal with the direction of stress (like lenghtwise along the handle for instance).
In casting they just pour molten metal into a mold and there is no orientation of the grain to make the metal form strong parts. Cast is more susceptible to breaking.
2006-11-03 06:47:11 · answer #4 · answered by Rich Z 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have never seen a Cast Iron Hammer, they are all forged. If this is a pro, get the one with Wooden handle-.
2006-11-02 23:51:16 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Forged.
2006-11-03 08:00:06 · answer #6 · answered by Dawg 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Forging is the term for shaping metal by plastic deformation.
Casting is term when metal in its molten state is poured into a mold, whose form it retains on solidifying.
Forging makes stronger tools.
2006-11-03 06:01:55 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
drop forged are stronger.
2006-11-02 18:12:31 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋