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Anybody got an old “Bluegrass” hammer?

Toolpig | Posted in General Discussion on December 19, 2006 06:19am

A builder friend of mine lost his favorite hammer — a 22 oz. “Bluegrass” framing hammer with a wooden handle. I’m told they “ping” when used. It was about 25-years-old and had sentimental value.

Anybody know where I can find one of these things? I checked e-bay but found nothing that matches exactly.

TF

Toolfanatic (a.k.a. The man formerly known as “Toolfreak”)
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Replies

  1. DanH | Dec 19, 2006 07:59pm | #1

    "Bluegrass" was the trade name used by a large regional hardware distributor in Louisville for many years. They went out of business 5-10 years ago, IIRC. The hammer would have been made by someone else and given their badge. I know that Seymour made many of the "Bluegrass" garden implements, but I don't believe that they made hammers (and I think maybe Seymour has gone Chinese as well).

    People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck
    1. DanH | Dec 19, 2006 08:08pm | #2

      Also, I lost my favorite 20oz hickory-handle Plumb framing hammer about 5 years ago and was not able to find anything equivalent. Hickory handles seem to have vanished into history, at least from the major manufacturers.
      People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck

      1. notascrename | Dec 19, 2006 10:23pm | #6

        W. W. Grainger sells wood handles. Gotta know what you;re looking for, I get them for my plumb rigging axe there. Jim

      2. JonE | Dec 20, 2006 12:20am | #8

        My favorite hammer is a 20-oz Vaughn '999' with an extra-long hickory handle.  The hammer I got at a used-tool store; the handle came from Home Depot, sized specifically for the 999.    You can get new Vaughns all the time on eBay, both smooth and waffle. 

      3. User avater
        dieselpig | Dec 20, 2006 04:17am | #12

        Vaughan still uses very good hickory.  I get about three times the mileage out of a Vaughan handle compared to any others I've tried.View Image

    2. User avater
      BillHartmann | Dec 19, 2006 08:12pm | #3

      How time flys when you are having fun.Belknap closed in 1986.I knew that it has been lot longer than 5-10 years. My step-father retired from there.But I had to look it up to get the date..
      .
      Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

      1. DanH | Dec 19, 2006 08:36pm | #4

        Yeah, my mother worked there briefly pre-WWII, and my aunt worked there for many years, in accounting, I believe.It was neat -- if you had the determination to go downtown to their office you could get darn near anything. (In the early 60s, at least -- they started cutting back on their stock 1965-1970.) The trick was being able to identify what you wanted and pick it out of a catalog, in the era before computers.Like many such outfits, if they had gotten in some computer-savy folks in the early 80s and caught the cusp of the wave they could be the biggest hardware distributor in the country now. But that was a lot to expect from those dusty hallways.
        People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck

  2. MikeSmith | Dec 19, 2006 08:48pm | #5

    gunner has a good collection of bluegrass hammers

    Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
  3. rez | Dec 19, 2006 10:29pm | #7

    bump

    http://www.quittintime.com/

     
    damn, am I fat!

  4. Snort | Dec 20, 2006 12:39am | #9

    I've got a few Blue Grass hammers, no 22ozers, though. I found most of them at farm sales and flea markets...might find one hanging around an old hardware store.

    I don't really care for 'em for hammering, if I see one I'll pick it up for ya.

    Oh God said to Abraham, "Kill me a son"

    Abe says, "Man, you must be puttin' me on"

    God say, "No." Abe say, "What?"

    God say, "You can do what you want Abe, but

    The next time you see me comin' you better run"

    Well Abe says, "Where do you want this killin' done?"

    God says, "Out on Highway 61."

  5. User avater
    Gunner | Dec 20, 2006 01:40am | #10

     I don't have any 22 .oz wooden handle. Keep this page in your favorites. Check it all the time. There's a 22.oz fiberglass handle on there now. And I think I saw a 24 .oz wooden handle. Just keep watching that link and your bound to find it.

     And the prices fluctuate with the season too. I paid less then $20.00 for a 22 oz. a couple of summers ago. They are fairly easy to find on Ebay if you just watch this link.

    http://collectibles.search.ebay.com/blue-grass_Tools-Hardware-Locks_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQfcclZ1QQfclZ3QQfromZR10QQfrppZ50QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsacatZ13849QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZbs

     

     

     

    Expert since 10 a.m.

     

     http://www.hay98.com/

     

    1. Toolpig | Dec 20, 2006 06:40pm | #15

      Will do. Thanks very much!TFToolfanatic (a.k.a. The man formerly known as "Toolfreak")

  6. joemetzl | Dec 20, 2006 02:00am | #11

    I had an 18 oz (yes 18 oz) Bluegrass framing hammer that got stolen decades ago. Still looking ...good luck

  7. stevent1 | Dec 20, 2006 04:54am | #13

    TF,

    I have a 22 oz. BG smooth face with a 16" octagonal handle I use for trim. I also have a 32 oz waffle head BG that I used for framing back in the 70's (no pneumatics) Start and set 12cc. It took about 2 months before I could use that hammer all day.

    Chuck S

    live, work, build, ...better with wood

  8. sawzall | Dec 20, 2006 07:04am | #14

    Yep, we listen to "bluegrass" all the time.

    Favorite is ' Nine Pound Hammer'

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