Yet another "What the heck was this used for....?"

[Bojangles]

Hi Guys,

I have had this "mallet/hammer" in my stuff for quite a number of years.

It is clearly marked with the broad arrow, 1941 and the makers mark.

The handle is about three feet long, but I believe it NOT to be the original handle.

It reminds me of the mallets once used to "bonk" cows in the forehead.

Any idea what this was used for?

Cheers !!!

B

 

[Cocked&Locked]

beyond saying the handle isn't original, can't say....maybe for the cooks to bonk cows with

 

[fenceline]

Driving rail spikes?

 

[fenceline]

Googled "joe brand sledge hammer" and found a similar picture of a 1960's GI Joe Hasbro brand sledge hammer off of ebay. This is the pic....

 

[Bojangles]

The striking faces are rather rounded so it was not likely used for tent pegs.

 

[chofo]

Think my Uncle Fred had to use one of these in the Glasshouse back in WW2...

 

[Bojangles]

My father used to joke about equipment that needed a "ball peen adjustment". Maybe this was the tool......

 

[BernDawg]

Round face, could be a rock-breaker.

 

[davemccarthy707]

Standard equipment for a tank crew? Maybe for changing tracks etc.?

 

[Coyote Ugly]

Used by the Inglourious Basterds !

 

[Rule 303]

Dimly, in my mind, I think this item has a rairoad affiliation.

Perhaps a hammer to strike the driving wheels of a steam engine in order to detect a defect?

 

[skip1600]

... Probably used for hammerin ####....

 

[highlander]

beyond saying the handle isn't original, can't say....maybe for the cooks to bonk cows with

Actually, when I was growing up, we used a maul just like this one to kill cattle. Don't know if that's what it was designed for, but it sure worked.

 

[plinker 777]

Turning big rocks into smaller ones!?

 

[Grizzlypeg]

The rounded face must be a clue. You wouldn't use a rounded face to drive anything, it would slip off. It's not quite a peen either.

 

[IronCanadian]

Well, since no one else has said it I guess I will... you have the BAN HAMMER!

 

[Coyote Ugly]

Here you can see the Hammer on the Back of the Sherman Tank.

 

[plinker 777]

....Hmmm, that looks like a proper 10/12lbs sledge. The OP's hammer isn't designed for driving a drift that is most certain. I'd say its for busting sh1t, seriously. Sappers tool, mining WW1 tool carry over to WW2 ( C broad arrow), trenching (big mother rock in the way of a trench line), old school military bridge building (rivets). Something to this effect as the chamfer on the heads would slip and peen the bjeebus out of whatever you were trying to drift out/in or the drift itself for that matter.

 

[sunray]

"...cooks to bonk cows..." Army cooks didn't use hammers to bonk cows. No 'French letters' either.
Hammers are used by weapons techs to fix things. Engineers use 'em when not using their shovels to dig holes.

 

[Baribal]

I agree with plinker, the tankers used standard (flat headed) sledge hammers.

http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/pics/m4sherman.html