Hit 5000 hours of hammer work and it got me thinking about manual vs power tools

I just passed 5000 hours at the anvil over the last 3 years, tracked from my first railroad spike knife. That number surprised me because I never thought I'd stick with it that long. But now I'm stuck on something: should I keep going 100% hand forging or start adding power hammers and presses to speed things up? I see guys on YouTube cranking out 10 blades a day with a hydraulic press while I'm lucky to finish 2 in a shift. On one hand, the hand work builds better control and feel. On the other, the power tools let you actually make a living at this. What's your take, are power hammers worth the money and the loss of that handmade touch?

2 comments

2 Comments

brianm275h agoMost Upvoted

I mean, you're quoting "100% hand forging" like it's some kind of badge of honor, but honestly that's just a slower way to go broke. I see guys burning out on hand work all the time while the press guys are actually running a business. Maybe it's just me but that romantic "handmade touch" doesn't pay the electric bill, and customers sure don't notice the difference in the final blade.

terry16h ago

Man I feel this in my bones. Hit 4,000 hours last month on the anvil and it's a weird milestone. The YouTube guys with their power hammers make me feel like I'm working with a stick and a rock sometimes.