Primitive tools: hammer?

Discussion in 'Woodlore Skills' started by daveb, Aug 13, 2016.

  1. daveb

    daveb Administrator Staff Member

    I'm interested in building a primitive hammer. Here is my first attempt at something that might be called a hammer, by some. Basically a rock tied to a stick. Its a piece of maple, I think, and the rock is lashed to it. It didn't quite work as I expected, but it was fun, and a learned a bit, so the next one should be better.

    hammer-1.jpg
     
  2. Flint Edge

    Flint Edge Administrator Staff Member

    Dave - That's pretty cool. I'll have try that. I've made a bunch of wood hammers, but, not with stone. Is the design typical of the prehistoric design, or did they split the top and lash?
     
  3. daveb

    daveb Administrator Staff Member

    Its a good question about the design technique. I am not sure, I'll have to look into it more. I was looking for an easy way to give it a try. I did fine some suggestions online to split the top, but it seemed more appropriate for a hatchet style tools.

    I found a similar hammer/tool design here and it looked like something I could accomplish on my first attempt http://www.instructables.com/id/Primitive-weapontool/
     
  4. Flint Edge

    Flint Edge Administrator Staff Member

    Very cool. I'll have to give this a shot...
     
  5. GP-B

    GP-B Administrator

    Dave, how are your knapping/grinding skills? If you can grove the stone you can lash it onto a handle, either on the side of or in the middle of splitting the branch.
    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    Or you can go this route.
    [​IMG]

    For lashing, try a rawhide bone. Soak it until it's soft, probably over night, and unroll it. Then cut it into strips, a half an inch or so should be wide enough. Wrap the head to haft as tight as you can, stretching the rawhide as much as you can. When it dries it will shrink up some.

    Could be a lot of fun, if you can figure out a way to grove the stone without making your arms fall off.
     
  6. daveb

    daveb Administrator Staff Member

    This is definitely the more reliable way to go. I might need to go further afield than my backyard for materials for this.
     

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