By Nick Morrison

The hammer on the right was given to the Orkney Mens Shed, now here’s the thing, none of us ken what type of hammer it is or its use. Considering the decades of experience held by my fellow sheders that is very surprising. The closest hammer I have seen with that shape of head was a cobblers hammer, but I cant see a cobbler having a nail removing claw at the other end of the striking face.

The one on the left was given to me whilst working in Manchester and told it was a blacksmiths hammer. It is 50 cm long.

I put a standard carpenters hammer twixt them for scale.

Can any of our readers throw any light on either hammer?