What is a Cross Peen Hammer Used For? Cross Peen Hammer Uses & Functions.

A cross peen hammer is one of the most common tools used in forging. Beginner, intermediate, and experience blacksmiths rely on this tool for much of the hammering work required for most projects.

This type of hammer is recognized by its peen, which is perpendicular to the handle.

Let’s take a look at how cross peen hammers are used in blacksmithing and some further defining features of the tool.

Cross Peen Sizes, Weights, & Where to Find One

Because cross peen hammers are so popular in the blacksmithing world, you can find them at online retailers, second-hand tool sales, and artisan craft fairs. There are also many tutorials on forging your own cross peen hammer, which is a great project idea for any smith.

Cross peen hammers are available in a range of sizes and styles. The most common is the German style, which features a balanced and centered peen. The overall shape of this hammer is minimalistic and functional, making it perfect for any project.

The Swedish style cross peen is similar to the German style. It possesses balance between the cross peen and the flat face. This style has a more graceful appearance and heavy taper to the cross peen, but works about the same as the German style.

Finally, the French cross peen has a peculiarly shaped peen that is set to one side. This type of hammer is less common in America and other places, but if you find one it would be a nice addition to your tool collection.

It doesn’t matter what style your cross peen hammer is as long as it has a well-made peen. Look for a peen that is forged flat on the end with rounded corners. There should be no sharp edges or angles that would leave a lot of marks in your work.

Cross Peen Hammer Uses in Blacksmithing 

The cross peen hammer is an essential tool for forging. Most blacksmiths use this style of hammer for all projects. Most forging will be done using the flat face of the cross peen hammer.

The perpendicular cross peen is used for drawing out and spreading material. Drawing out with a cross peen is quick, yet not the most ergonomic process. Spreading is the more common technique for a cross peen and is one of the best uses of this hammer.

Forging Your Own Cross Peen Hammer

Blacksmiths of all experience levels can make their own cross peen hammers using a few tools and fundamental forging techniques. Making your own cross peen hammer ensures that you are achieving the weight and style you prefer. 

If you already have all the tools and materials needed in your workshop, forging your own hammer can also be more cost effective than purchasing a new one. 

The following videos by Black Bear Forge show the entire forging process from initial measuring to fitting a handle. They are excellent resources for any smith and include some great tips for forging safely and effectively.

We recommend watching the videos in full before attempting to forge a cross peen hammer, but we have also summarized the main points below. 

Part 1

Begin with a piece of 4140 steel and make the necessary measurements for forging the eye of the hammer. The eye is made by drilling two holes with a drill press to remove excess metal. This makes the process of punching the eye a lot faster and easier. 

If you do not have a drill press, you can do this step by hand. It will just take a lot more effort to get the eye punched out evenly. 

Once the holes are drilled, heat and punch the eye of the hammer as shown in the tutorial. This process will require many reheats and turns of the hammer head to evenly punch through the eye. Make sure to cool off your punch in water periodically to avoid damaging the punch. 

Once the eye has been punched, use a drift to widen out the eye. Hammer the sides of the piece to maintain an even shape. 

Knock the corners of one side of the piece down to create the cross peen. This process is shown in detail in the tutorial and helpful tips for shaping the cross peen are provided along the way. 

Work the hammer face as shown and chamfer the edges to create a more smooth and rounded shape. 

The hammer will weigh around 1.5 pounds at this stage. 

Part 2 

Now that the overall hammer shape has been achieved, it is time for grinding, heat treating, tempering, and attaching a handle. 

Begin by grinding down the hammer to refine its overall shape. Heat treat the hammer at a lower heat than you would usually use for forging. 

Harden the hammer further by dipping it into heat treat oil. Make sure to watch the video for more information on this step and how to perform it safely. 

Temper the hammer in a toaster oven. You may want to repeat this step a few times to achieve a good hardness. 

Place the hardened hammer on a hot vice to further temper the hammer. Again, this step is discussed in detail in the video. 

Grind the hammer once more to finish it up. Then attach a handle as shown in the tutorial. 

More Information

The Black Bear Forge YouTube channel by John Switzer was an indispensable resource for this article. We highly recommend this channel for blacksmiths of all experience levels because of the detailed explanations of forging techniques and the emphasis placed on forge safety.

For more in-depth commentary and a smithing demonstration using a cross peen hammer, check out this video by Black Bear Forge: