Planishing is the process of smoothing or flattening of metal. And with raising or sinking of holloware or other hollow forms - and that can include some jewelry; a traditional silversmith will use a highly polished hammer. The hammer can be flat, with softened edges for working on synclastic curved pieces thus preventing the edges from "dinging" the surface. On flat work, usually the hammer face has a slight dome to it thus keeping the edges, again, from dinging the surface.
If the time and patience is taken, a very shiny and smooth surface can be obtained even before proceeding to polishing.
I already have a few planishing hammers but during my workshop at Nechamkin Silver Studios, I was shown a light weight hammer and told how to make one. If you watch the little movie I made you can see it briefly.
As with all the other tasks I came home with, making one was on the list. I bought the metal and a week ago I spent time in the garage with the shop elf drilling a center hole for the handle mounting. The next day, while I was at work, the shop elf was very excited and decided to mount the handle - BEFORE I had finished the faces. Yes, I know I could have knocked out the wedge and removed the handle except for the fact that the shop elf, in his eagerness also epoxied the handle in. Oh well.
Today I went into the garage and with hand files, sanding belts, several grades of sand paper and finally the polishing wheels I shaped the faces. One face is flat with rounded edges and the other face is ever so slightly rounded.
And while the shop elf was drilling I was shaping a cheapie nylon hammer from Harbor Freight so it could be a small raising hammer. Hey, for 12 bucks, why not??!!!
So here are the process. Remember, you can click any image to open a larger version and then use the arrows to move to the next.
If the time and patience is taken, a very shiny and smooth surface can be obtained even before proceeding to polishing.
I already have a few planishing hammers but during my workshop at Nechamkin Silver Studios, I was shown a light weight hammer and told how to make one. If you watch the little movie I made you can see it briefly.
As with all the other tasks I came home with, making one was on the list. I bought the metal and a week ago I spent time in the garage with the shop elf drilling a center hole for the handle mounting. The next day, while I was at work, the shop elf was very excited and decided to mount the handle - BEFORE I had finished the faces. Yes, I know I could have knocked out the wedge and removed the handle except for the fact that the shop elf, in his eagerness also epoxied the handle in. Oh well.
Today I went into the garage and with hand files, sanding belts, several grades of sand paper and finally the polishing wheels I shaped the faces. One face is flat with rounded edges and the other face is ever so slightly rounded.
And while the shop elf was drilling I was shaping a cheapie nylon hammer from Harbor Freight so it could be a small raising hammer. Hey, for 12 bucks, why not??!!!
So here are the process. Remember, you can click any image to open a larger version and then use the arrows to move to the next.
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