What is the purpose of a ball-peen hammer?

[KansDem]

I've read a few general descriptions about this kind of hammer as used in metal-working, but are there any other insights that DUers can provide?



What uses for this hammer would I have around the house...?

[qnr]

1. um, you could use it as a pestle when you find a lonely mortar? n/t

[Breeze54]

2. meat tenderizer....

[Archae]

3. Makes a dandy all-purpose repair tool.

Something busted, hit it a few times with that hammer.

Then go to the store and buy a replacement for what's now REALLY busted.

[XNASA]

4. You could make a steel drum with one I suppose.

If you're into that kinda thing.

[leftofthedial]

5. you can peen intruders in the balls

[Archae]

7. You owe me a new keyboard!

[Taverner]

6. It's a Dr. Dobson accountability stick

And blessed by the LORD

[HEyHEY]

8. Extracting information from people.

[idgiehkt]

9. yeah, this one

because I've never used one, and I've never even really seen one, but I've heard enough people threatened with one to think it's more of a weapon than a tool.

[LaraMN]

10. For peening balls. Duh.

[mad-mommy]

11. I don't know why, but your post...

cracked me up. As many a post does here...I needed to laugh.

[Monk06]

12. Used for setting and shaping rivets.

[BrotherBuzz]

13. The ball-peen hammer is used for cutting gaskets..

the ball is especially handy for cutting inside shape like bolt-holes, but in todays throw away society, it's easier to go the the hardware store and buy factory made gaskets. Most modern hardware stores don't even sell gasket material these days.

Rivets are upset using a riveting tool struck with a heavy object like a ball-peen hammer.

[meldroc]

14. Yeah, it's basically for metal working.

I used one in metal shop back when I was in high school, doing old fashioned forging. Stick my piece of metal in the forge, heat it to that nice bright orange color, pull it out with tongs, take it to the anvil, and go to work on it with the ball peen hammer.

They're also used for things like shaping sheet metal (if you're working on your car, you might be able to take a dent out of the fender with one.