Hand forged vs. factory made: which actually holds up better in the long run?

I've been going back and forth on this after my buddy's store-bought hammer chipped on the third job while my grandpa's old forged one is still going strong after 20 years. What's everyone's experience with durability between the two?

4 comments

4 Comments

wells.karen22d ago

I saw a YouTube video from a blacksmith explaining that forged tools actually realign the metal's grain to flow around stress points rather than cutting through them. That's why your grandpa's hammer just keeps going no matter what you throw at it.

norab2122d ago

Wait, your buddy's store-bought hammer chipped after three whole jobs? That's almost impressive, like the factory workers knew exactly how long it needed to not fall apart. My grandpa's old forged hammer has a chip in it too, but that's from when he tried to use it as a pry bar in 1987, and it still works fine. Forged stuff usually holds up better because it's got the grain of the metal working for it, not against it. But hey, if you like buying a new hammer every month, I guess those factory ones keep the economy rolling.

charles44218d ago

Nobody's mentioning that your grandpa's hammer will still be around long after that factory is shut down and sold for scrap.

brooke76718d ago

Yeah, the way you put it about the metal grain being cut through instead of flowing around stress points makes a lot of sense when you think about it. I read somewhere that forging basically "bends" the grain structure to follow the shape of the tool, so stress gets spread out instead of piling up in one spot. That's probably why my grandpa's old hammer took that pry bar abuse and still works fine, but a factory one chips just from normal use. The grain in the factory one is just a straight line through the handle, so any hard hit is right where the metal's weakest.