How to clean your "Hammer Face"? => 18 photos

 We all have hammers in our possession, but how do you clean them? This particular hammer has decades of history and has seen many projects.

This 'family hammer' was used by my father prior to 1968, of 57 years ago. 

 

 Here is the face of this well used steel face. I haven't put it to any use as it weighs in excess of 350 grams including the handle.

 The correct name of this hammer is "Ball Peen", you can figure out where these words come from 😇

 For comparison, here is my hammer that I use for gemstone setting. 

 

 In using different polishing papers, I start with a #600 grit and rub it gently along the wooden board.

 The 'face' of the hammer is kept totally flat at all times. I make sure that the face of the hammer is kept horizontal and not leaning towards the edges. This is so very important in resurfacing the 'Face'.

 The next softer polishing paper is the #800 grit.

 Once these "Medium Grade" of papers have been worked on, the next step in polishing is to use the finer grit, namely #1,000 grit.

 Finely the last polishing paper in my inventory is the #1,200 grit. We won't be metal carving, but when the metal is being hammered that must be no deep indentations remaining on the surface of the bezel.

 My hammer weight is calibrated at 84.7 grams. This hammering tool MUST BE KEPT IN PRISTINE CONDITION at all times. If there is possibility of indentations due to constant hammering, GET RID OF THEM IMMEDIATELY. 

 I used a "Snap-On, Emery Paper" to initiate the metal grinding, but the steel markings were too deep.

 I'm showing just how deep the steel markings are on this steel face. 

 I wanted to use an Emery wheel, but it came with little success, pity! 

  With this Emery wheel, I had to endure sharp pieces of steel hitting my glasses,

 For a comparison photo, half of the steel face was left untouched. I didn't want to use a grinding wheel as this would be a major cleaning process for the very heavy hammer.

 I use a Drafting Pencil to have the Graphite Pores be imbedded into the polishing paper. In essence, the paper of #1,200 grit would be transferred into #1,800 grit without buying extra sheets of paper.

 The steel face MUST BE KEPT (virtually) FLAT at all times on the polishing paper. This will give you the exact finishing that is required.