hammerforged

Hammerforged refers to metal that has been shaped by hammer forging, a metalworking process in which heated stock is repeatedly struck by a hammer, typically on an anvil. The repeated plastic deformation aligns the grains, often yielding a refined microstructure and improved mechanical properties compared with as-cast material.

The process involves heating the workpiece to forging temperature, then applying successive blows with hand or power hammers to shape the part. In industrial settings, power hammers or drop hammers automate the sequence. After forging, parts may undergo normalization, annealing, quenching, and tempering depending on the alloy and desired properties. The technique can produce complex geometries and can reduce porosity and internal defects when done correctly.

Hammerforged products are most common with steel alloys but are also used with aluminum, copper, titanium, and other metals. Control of temperature, strike pattern, tooling, and tooling geometry influences grain flow and directional properties; hammering can impart a characteristic forged grain and surface texture that is sometimes sought for aesthetics as well as performance.

Applications range from traditional crafts—where hammerforged blades, chisels, and tools are valued for toughness and edge retention—to industrial components where grain flow and near-net shapes matter. Hammerforged parts are distinct from those produced by other forging methods such as closed-die forging or drop forging, which follow different tooling and process regimes.

Historically among the oldest metalworking techniques, hammer forging remains in use today with modern equipment, including power hammers and smith-forges, requiring skilled operation to ensure consistent properties and performance.