On creating a antler-hammer

When working fine equipment sometimes you need fine tools. When working with copper or silver alloys to make small items such as sewing needles, temple rings or closures (see this post for more on that work), I sometimes don't want to dent the materials but still whack them with something. For this purpose I have decided to create myself an antler hammer.

The antler was given to me by a friend for this purpose. I suspect it used to be mounted to a stag head. However now it isn't any more.

I selected a section that I wanted, sawed it out using a metal saw. Then I used a wooden drill bit to drill a 1.8cm hole through the middle (carefully and going slowly, antler is much harder than most woods! If you're not careful it will get very hot). A (already blunt, so fully abusable) file blunted the edges quite well.

From a scrap wood pile I found some nice maple wood, carved it to form a handle. It's held in place through a beech wedge. The head is neither very heavy (so the handle does not have to withstand much force) nor does it do much damage if it does come lose, so to be honest I wasn't too fussed with the details of the attachment.

Formalities:

• Materials: Antler, maple, beech
• Tools: metal saw, drill with wood drill bits, old file, knife
• Time: ~1.5 hrs to cut and drill the horn, ~1 hr to make and insert the handle