It’s no secret that a hammer is one of the most useful tools to have in a tool box. As you can see from the article that we’ve written below, hammers have existed for hundreds of years, and have aided humans in doing various kinds of difficult tasks.
In this article, we’re going to look more closely at some of the world’s oldest hammers and oldest types of hammers, so let’s just get right in and take a closer look.
4 Oldest Hammers in the World
4. Sledge Hammer
Year or time period of invention: 20th century
Primary use: Carpentry and woodworking
Still in use today: Yes
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
The sledgehammer is one of the most commonly used hammers in the world today, and it is also one of the oldest types of hammers. The size of the sledgehammer ranges from around one foot, and can even be around one meter long. Since sledgehammers are so large, it’s worth noting that their heads are also extremely heavy, weighing anywhere from one to nine kilograms.
They are typically used to demolish walls and break things. It’s interesting to note that although sledgehammers are used for demolition purposes these days, they used to be used in mining operations, particularly to dislodge something that was trapped.
Did you know?
The word ‘sledgehammer’ comes from Old English! It comes from the word slægan, which means “strike violently.”
3. London Hammer
Year or time period of invention: Early 19th century
Primary use: No
Still in use today: No
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
When it comes to the London hammer, it’s important to note that this particular hammer didn’t serve any purpose when it was discovered, and researchers remain unclear where it came from or what it was used for. This hammer was discovered by a couple near the Red Creek in London while they were out for a walk! They noticed that a piece of rock was loose, and that it seemed to have a piece of wood embedded in it.
After looking more closely, they realized that the hammer itself was embedded in the rock and took it home. It’s funny to note that although the couple had the rock in their possession for a long time, they only cracked it open a decade after they found it! The hammerhead is only six inches long, which led researchers to believe that it was used for fine work.
Did you know?
The London Hammer was thought to be millions of years old, but after inspecting it closely, experts concluded that it was manufactured in the 19th century, and most likely in America.
2. Claw Hammer
Year or time period of invention: 16th century
Primary use: Carpentry and woodworking
Still in use today: Yes
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
The claw hammer is one of the most widely used tools in the world today. Although we don’t know when exactly this hammer was invented, the earliest depiction of it was in an engraving that was done during the Renaissance period. The engraving is entitled “Melencolia I,” and is dated 1541! In this artwork, the artist Albrecht Dürer has depicted the claw hammer, along with several nails near it.
There are two primary types of claw hammers. They are the two-piece hammer, which is used for demolition, and the other is a framing hammer, which is used primarily by carpenters and in framery. The framing hammer is oversized, and is physically quite different from the two-piece hammer.
Did you know?
The claw hammer was primarily used for woodworking when it was first invented, but today, it is used for all kinds of purposes.
1. War Hammer
Year or time period of invention: 14th century
Primary use: It was used as a weapon
Still in use today: No
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
As its name suggests, the war hammer was used as a weapon and not as a tool during its time. This particular hammer seems to have emerged in the middle of the 14th century, and it emerged mainly as a response to the armor that was constantly used on the battlefields in Europe. As time went on, and the 14th century drew to a close, members of the French infantry developed war hammers that had new features. These include side flanges, thrusting tips, and even a beak.
Over the next few century, the war hammer evolved further and developed into what was known as a pole hammer, and became commonly used on the battlefield. They were also used in duels, in dueling tournaments, and even in judicial settings.
Did you know?
The war hammer remained popular in Hungary and Poland until the middle of the 18th century, until it became less popular.
Conclusion
In this article, we looked more closely at some of the oldest hammers and oldest types of hammers in the world. We had no idea that some of these hammers had existed for as long as they had, but were interested to learn about them anyway! We hope that you enjoyed reading this article, and that you learned something new from it.
