Mysterious mushroom hammer...

[vlad_d]

So, I'm still relatively new to Land Rover mechanical repairs. I've been a DIY/shade tree mechanic for American cars for over 20 years...just new to British cars. I've been watching some great YouTube videos from the usual suspects, and I keep seeing something weird:

All these British guys seem to use these weird little mushroom headed hammers. It's like every Land Rover mechanic has one. So, I'm starting to go nuts trying to find one. I'm using every keyword on Amazon and Google. They have a short handle, maybe just palm size. And the head looks like a mushroom. No, get your head out of the gutter, that's not what I'm talking about. But it's driving me crazy. I have been buying up specialty tools: driveshaft bolt socket tool, hub nut tool, those slotted tools for taking out gear oil plugs. Okay, so I'm thinking I need a little gnome mushroom hammer for some reason. I mean, they must have a special purpose in LR mechanical repair.

Fast forward to yesterday, when I'm using my brass hammer to drive out a pressed in part. I've only had this hammer for about 3 months. It's my first brass hammer. I never needed one before the LR. Well, it's starting to bulge out at the business end. It finally hits me - I'm dumb. The mysterious weird British gnome mushroom hammer is just a brass hammer that's been used a bunch. These guys on the YouTubes are just showing off how many times they used their tools. Like, "look at me, my hammer looks like a comical elf tool because my pappy and his pappy used it!"

All of this is fine. It's fine. I just feel stupid for searching for "elf mushroom hammer" with a straight face. [face palm]

[biffidum]

Do you mean a ball peen hammer?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball-peen_hammer

[jimrr]

no, i think he's prob right about the hammer being "hammered" but now Vlad has me thinking there may be something more to it. I first thot of a smashed hammer or a body work tool but he says it's British so who the hell knows?

[vlad_d]

I tried to to find the videos, but I can't sit through 5 or 10 half-hour videos about hub bearings again. But, after digging around...it might be one of these:

The first one is an antique THOR brass hammer. They have a very snub nose head on them...then... you can see this one is well-worn. It could be an "heirloom" tool, like something you're proud of having, so the fact that it's so warped kind of gives it character. Maybe the handle was shortened to make it really portable?

The other image is a woodworking tool(for hammering chisels), I guess. It's new in that image, but it's a soft brass, so you could see how it would mushroom pretty fast.

Maybe my imagination is running wild...but I suspect it's the type of thing a rough neck, cockny English guy in the 1970's might carry around in their pocket. Concealable, but plausibly "for work" as a mechanic...but really more like brass nuckles.

Anyway, it's a strange rabbit hole to go down. I could be wrong.

I know about ball peen hammers and other shaping hammers for sheetmetal (various rounded heads, or no sharp corners, etc.). This was genuinely lumpy. :)

[jimrr]

awwhh!, that's too cute to be a tool, you sure it isn't edible?

[vlad_d]

awwhh!, that's too cute to be a tool, you sure it isn't edible?

Ha-haaa! Sure, it's probably gold foil over chocolate...like those holiday coins. Nom-nom!

[brooklyndave]

Thats a Thor copper head hammer. Sometimes sold with copper on both ends and sometimes with copper on one side and a coil of hard rawhide on the other. Here is a link for the best price for these. (The prices on the internet range from in the thirties to over a hundred for the same product.

https://hammersource.com/thor-04-310-iron-hammer-with-1-1-4-copper-faces-2-lbs-11-wood-handle/

I bought two as Christmas presents for a couple of my car minded friends. Its good for when you have to bang on a steel part and don't want to mess up the steel. Some people think they are for removing knockoffs from wire wheels but my experience is that it still can mar the knockoffs and that a lead based hammer is better.

Its a good tool in a shop.

Dave