Appreciation post: that old timer's advice on hammer weight

Had a chat with a retired farrier at the co-op in Laramie last Saturday. He said I was swinging a 3 pound hammer like it was a sledge, and told me to drop down to 2 pounds for detail work. Tried it on a set of leaf hooks this morning, night and day difference. Anyone else find lighter hammers give better control or am I just late to the party?

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jamie_smith22d ago

Man, I was the exact opposite for years. I figured heavier meant more power and that was that, so I was swinging a 2.5 pounder for everything, even tiny scroll ends. Bought a 1.5 pound cross peen on a whim last month just to try something new, and it's like my wrist finally woke up. The control on those little leaf curl transitions is night and day, I'm not fighting the tool anymore. I was honestly feeling like a fool for not listening to the old heads sooner. It's a whole different game when you let the hammer do the thinking and your arm just guides it.