after being apprenticed to a knifemaker, then a swordmaker in japan, i spent some time with hofi. in my ignorance, i thought i knew all there was to know about swinging a hammer. what can i tell you? i was humbled. his method is much faster, more accurate and versatile, efficient, and allows to forge for days and years without fatigue or joint damage. i am sold. so will be anyone who truly understands this method.
I love how Uri thinks. When I get into something I research the hell out of it and look into the science of why things react the way they do. I tell people to look up Uri all the time at my shop. I always get comments on how I can't be a real blacksmith because I'm a fairly small guy. I just laugh and keep hammering.
Exactly 10" long. At least that's what my hammer handles are cut to. Hofi ain't kidding. Good tools make a big difference. I cut down my blade forging time by 1/3 just by buying a new anvil. I'll probably buy one of Hofi's hammers too.
Is it not true that Hofi learned this particular style and hammer shape from Alfred Haberman? Haberman's family have been smiths for hundreds of years and have developed their own style. Hofi trained under Haberman as did many, many other smiths. The Germans also recently and formally retitled blacksmiths as metal technicians because they thought the name to be reminiscent of 'dirty men making horseshoes.' This alone discredits the German authority in matters of smithing.
I made same reply! Uri is a great blacksmith but is a bit too full of himself. The hammer is a Haberman and the proper way to swing a hammer is universal. I served an apprenticeship with the last U.S. Cavalry instructor in the 1960s and was taught how to hammer with maximum results with minimum body fatigue..Same style and same tapering of handle.
@Clelliiott I think Big Blu Mfg. sells the official Hofi hammers, but other blacksmith supply places sell a similar pattern sometimes called a "Czech hammer".
The video DVD is not so much about the hammer as it is how to ergonomicaly use a hammer. Hofi is in his seventies and he moves metal faster then people half his age. This is because he has figured out the best way of doing this without injuring his nerves and tendons and delivering the most power with the least amount of effort.And yes he learned a lot of his methods from Haberman, but I don't see them teaching the world the way Hofi has.
Uri, May I repost your video link on the three blacksmithing pages I either own or Admin. I own Modern Blacksmithing, and am an admin for Blacksmithing For Beginners, International Blacksmithing...Thanks Uri, I love the video and certianly in need of your hammer design. Thanks DocChuck
Germans have a long history of traditional blacksmithing. Hofi received an award from the German president for changing the way they teach blacksmithing in Germany. Tradition is not always a good thing especially when not much was known about ergonomics hundreds of years ago.You realy need to watch the whole video to appreciate his technique.A hundred dollars for the hammer, consider this. how much is your medical copay? And some nerve damage can be repaired but some is irreversable.
Here here. I have had much experience and know without doubt that there is a right way to swing the hammer and a perfect hammer. The difficulty is that this changes depending on the work, the material, and the person. Hofi is to be commended for forcing people to think about and question their hammers and their hammering form. Hofi needs to be reminded that he is too one-dimensional in his "answer" to these very questions.
I’m no master blacksmith, but I can do my math. 20000 hammer swings a day (taking the lower number in the range) means a hammer swing every 1.6 seconds, non-stop for 9 hours straight. Doesn’t make sense.
I agree, don't buy a hammer because you've seen it on TV. Uri is a great Smith, but forging is a simple business. The greatest tools in your box, are your skill and imagination. Get on and practice, and worry about the shape your hitting stick when you know the job...just like Uri (then perhaps you can re-invent......the hammer!) Re. other posting, what is a sexy match anyway?....a distracting way to light ur Forge.
And while were at it lets let our computers do all our art work for us so we don't tire our bodies in the process. Ever hear of hand made. Why don't we make a power hammer that also holds the metal and turns it that way we can just sit there and watch.
Why does his hammer look just like the one used and made by great late blacksmith Haberman.. Uri is a great blacksmith but is just a bit too full of himself.
It might be similar after all Hofi studied with Haberman. But it's not just the shape of the head you have to look at, the handle is ergonomically designed so instead of 3 joints used (shoulder, elbow, wrist) you are adding a 4th one by the shape and the way you use the handle. There are many other things involved in his method like how to stand and much more to not have nerve damage.
after being apprenticed to a knifemaker, then a swordmaker in japan, i spent some time with hofi. in my ignorance, i thought i knew all there was to know about swinging a hammer. what can i tell you? i was humbled. his method is much faster, more accurate and versatile, efficient, and allows to forge for days and years without fatigue or joint damage. i am sold. so will be anyone who truly understands this method.
I love how Uri thinks. When I get into something I research the hell out of it and look into the science of why things react the way they do. I tell people to look up Uri all the time at my shop. I always get comments on how I can't be a real blacksmith because I'm a fairly small guy. I just laugh and keep hammering.
one rule I read in an old book....get it hot, hit it hard! it works for me.....
Awesome design, love to have one..
I don't have CD/DVD for watching, can I buy it to watch online?
Exactly 10" long.
At least that's what my hammer handles are cut to.
Hofi ain't kidding.
Good tools make a big difference.
I cut down my blade forging time by 1/3 just by buying a new anvil.
I'll probably buy one of Hofi's hammers too.
Uri will visit Blacksmith Marathon in Sweden 6-9 in August !
And we are soooo honored =)
And I will buy my self a Hofi Hammer =D
Is it not true that Hofi learned this particular style and hammer shape from Alfred Haberman? Haberman's family have been smiths for hundreds of years and have developed their own style. Hofi trained under Haberman as did many, many other smiths. The Germans also recently and formally retitled blacksmiths as metal technicians because they thought the name to be reminiscent of 'dirty men making horseshoes.' This alone discredits the German authority in matters of smithing.
I made same reply! Uri is a great blacksmith but is a bit too full of himself. The hammer is a Haberman and the proper way to swing a hammer is universal. I served an apprenticeship with the last U.S. Cavalry instructor in the 1960s and was taught how to hammer with maximum results with minimum body fatigue..Same style and same tapering of handle.
thanks for many loving teach Hofi.
@Clelliiott I think Big Blu Mfg. sells the official Hofi hammers, but other blacksmith supply places sell a similar pattern sometimes called a "Czech hammer".
The video DVD is not so much about the hammer as it is how to ergonomicaly use a hammer. Hofi is in his seventies and he moves metal faster then people half his age. This is because he has figured out the best way of doing this without injuring his nerves and tendons and delivering the most power with the least amount of effort.And yes he learned a lot of his methods from Haberman, but I don't see them teaching the world the way Hofi has.
Hofi teaches at The Center For Metal Arts in Florida NY. For more information watch my other video on the Metal Arts Center
Uri, May I repost your video link on the three blacksmithing pages I either own or Admin. I own Modern Blacksmithing, and am an admin for Blacksmithing For Beginners, International Blacksmithing...Thanks Uri, I love the video and certianly in need of your hammer design. Thanks DocChuck
Sorry didn't see this, you can certainly repost link, these are just highlights of the 42 min video for sale on my site.
Vintage RUclips here boys
how do I contact Mr. Hofi? I'd like to buy a hammer.
Germans have a long history of traditional blacksmithing. Hofi received an award from the German president for changing the way they teach blacksmithing in Germany. Tradition is not always a good thing especially when not much was known about ergonomics hundreds of years ago.You realy need to watch the whole video to appreciate his technique.A hundred dollars for the hammer, consider this. how much is your medical copay? And some nerve damage can be repaired but some is irreversable.
Here here. I have had much experience and know without doubt that there is a right way to swing the hammer and a perfect hammer. The difficulty is that this changes depending on the work, the material, and the person. Hofi is to be commended for forcing people to think about and question their hammers and their hammering form. Hofi needs to be reminded that he is too one-dimensional in his "answer" to these very questions.
I’m no master blacksmith, but I can do my math. 20000 hammer swings a day (taking the lower number in the range) means a hammer swing every 1.6 seconds, non-stop for 9 hours straight. Doesn’t make sense.
I agree, don't buy a hammer because you've seen it on TV. Uri is a great Smith, but forging is a simple business. The greatest tools in your box, are your skill and imagination. Get on and practice, and worry about the shape your hitting stick when you know the job...just like Uri (then perhaps you can re-invent......the hammer!) Re. other posting, what is a sexy match anyway?....a distracting way to light ur Forge.
@MultiTurul
And while were at it lets let our computers do all our art work for us so we don't tire our bodies in the process. Ever hear of hand made. Why don't we make a power hammer that also holds the metal and turns it that way we can just sit there and watch.
Different hammers = different jobs .
hofi is from israel.
Israel
'
Why does his hammer look just like the one used and made by great late blacksmith Haberman.. Uri is a great blacksmith but is just a bit too full of himself.
It might be similar after all Hofi studied with Haberman. But it's not just the shape of the head you have to look at, the handle is ergonomically designed so instead of 3 joints used (shoulder, elbow, wrist) you are adding a 4th one by the shape and the way you use the handle. There are many other things involved in his method like how to stand and much more to not have nerve damage.