Hit 1000 hammer blows without a single miss on the horn

I was working on a big leaf spring knife yesterday, just trying to draw out the tang. I was in a good rhythm, and I started counting in my head. I got to 1000 hits right on the sweet spot of the anvil horn before I finally slipped. It surprised me because I usually mess up around 300 or so when my arm gets tired. That focus really made the steel move faster and cleaner. Has anyone else hit a weirdly high number like that and felt their technique just click?

3 comments

3 Comments

rubys8016d ago

Had a day like that last fall working on a railroad spike tomahawk. My focus was just locked in, and I got to about 850 clean hits on the horn before my mind wandered. It felt like the hammer was part of my arm, and the steel was flowing instead of fighting. That kind of rhythm is rare for me, but when it happens, the work goes so much smoother and faster. It's all about finding that quiet spot in your head and just letting your hands do the work.

veraj5315d ago

Wait, 850 hits without losing focus? That's wild, @rubys80. I'd have messed up by hit twenty, easy. Getting into that zone must feel like hitting the lottery.

bennett.mason16d ago

That "quiet spot in your head" is the real trick, isn't it? How do you even get back there once you lose it?