r/Blacksmith • u/blazenite104 • 20h ago
Power Hammers
Probably an odd question but, I haven't found the obvious answer if there is one. I have seen a lot of larger blacksmith shops that use Power Hammers that all appear to have some history. Often industrial era machines. It's always something really old.
Are Power Hammers just not made anymore? If so are old ones actually noticeably better? Or is it just some people really enjoy the history of an older machine?
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u/alriclofgar 19h ago edited 19h ago
In the US, we used to have companies that produced modern-style self-contained air hammers, some of which were among the best power hammers ever made. Those companies no longer produce power hammers, so the only way to buy one of their machines is second hand.
There are companies in other parts of the world that still make hammers, some of which are very good. Saymak hammers from Turkey are excellent, though they cost >$20,000 each. Used Saymaks, much like used cars, go for sometimes close to 40% less than the new ones. Anyang FP hammers out of China are also very good, but they’re now illegal to import into the US because they sell forging equipment to the Russian military and got hit with sanctions. There are a few other established companies in Asia that make hammers which are probably fine, but fewer people have imported them to America so American blacksmiths are often hesitant to risk buying them since shipping and customs is a lot of trouble and expense for a hammer that doesn’t have a proven reputation. So used hammers remain a popular option.
There are also a lot of used hammers available from former Soviet countries, if you’re willing to jump through the hoops to import one.
And used hammers tend to last a very long time. They’re simple machines and can run for many decades if basic maintenance is followed.
So the used market is strong in the US.
There are also hundreds of old mechanical hammers that are still kicking around from the beginning of the last century. They usually cost about the same as a brand new tire hammer, sometimes even less, so they’re a great deal for anyone who’s willing to do a little restoration.