Stop babying your hammer, the drift is a tool too

I keep seeing folks on here treating their hammer face like it's made of glass. If you're punching or drifting a hole and the hammer is doing the work, let it bounce, don't fight it with a light tap. I've been at this since 2016, and my old 2.5 pound cross peen from a garage sale in Ohio still has its original face. I watched a guy at a demo last month use a rubber mallet to set a drift on a 1 inch billet, took him 20 minutes and he nearly bent the drift. The steel wants to move, you just need a solid hit, not a gentle pat. Has anyone else stopped using softer hammers and just let a decent swing do the job?

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the_richard1mo ago

Jump right in and you'll see the same thing everywhere, not just in the shop. People are scared to use the tool they bought for what it's for. I see it with my neighbor and his lawnmower, he pushes it so slow and gentle it just tears the grass, then he complains it's junk. Same with folks babying their cast iron pans, they won't get them hot enough and then wonder why the food sticks. Honestly, it's like everyone thinks being careful means being timid, but real control is knowing when to commit. You gotta trust your gear and your swing, otherwise you're just fighting yourself.

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