Author |
Message |
Austin Demshar
|
Posted: Tue 30 Aug, 2005 6:36 pm Post subject: Received my weapon |
|
|
Ok, after all the excitement about what to get....i ordered and just today got my war hammer from MRL. ITs very nice. The Steel head is super solid and the fastenings are strong. The wood is also to me very sturdy. Its a pretty good looking and solid instrument. I was thinking though, the wood is very light and yellowish; if i could stain it with a wood oil finish to make it dark oak or something of the sort. What do those of you with the experience thinK?
By the way, thanks to everybody for the input. I really enjoy the weapon now
|
|
|
|
Adam Welch
|
Posted: Tue 30 Aug, 2005 7:39 pm Post subject: Congrats! |
|
|
Thanks for posting Austin, hammers don't get alot of screen time. Congradulations on your new aquisition!!!
Factus est Dominus Protector Meus!
|
|
|
|
Austin Demshar
|
Posted: Tue 30 Aug, 2005 8:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I will post pictures as soon as possible for the sake of those people out there who want one as well. And because i never came across any user taken pictures, i will feel honored to show people interested
|
|
|
|
Tim Lison
|
Posted: Tue 30 Aug, 2005 9:48 pm Post subject: MRL hammer |
|
|
Austin-
I got one of their hammers not too long ago as well. I tried to darken the wood but it was coated with varnish or wax that prevented the wood from taking stain or oil. I tried sanding it lighlty to help the wood take the stain. It still didn't quite work as the varnish they used seemed to go pretty deep into the wood. I actually used a heat gun at very high heat to slightly burn the wood, and then used a bit of stain to darken it. It came out reasonably well, a bit uneven but much better than the butter colored wood that it came with! My camera is on vacation right now or I would post pics for you to see. Anyway, hope this helps. Enjoy.
-Tim
|
|
|
|
Randolph Howard
Location: Bath, England. Joined: 09 Aug 2005
Posts: 29
|
Posted: Wed 31 Aug, 2005 3:34 am Post subject: |
|
|
Dyeing your hammer 'dark oak' wouldn't have been a good idea. Oak is pale and only darkens with age, so I imagine that the real thing would have had a pale rather than dark handle: these weapons weren't always antiques! I guess there's no accounting for fashion though...
"A collision at sea can ruin your entire day."
-Thucydides.
|
|
|
|
Austin Demshar
|
Posted: Wed 31 Aug, 2005 5:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I finally got some pictures of my weapons up on angelfire. you can see them here. http://www.angelfire.com/co4/austin7704/Weapons/They arent too good or anything because i cant work the camera very well, but they explain a thing or two.
Tim Lison, if you ever get your camera would you mind putting some pictures of the hammer up ?
|
|
|
|
Michael P Smith
|
Posted: Wed 31 Aug, 2005 7:02 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Randolph Howard wrote: | Dyeing your hammer 'dark oak' wouldn't have been a good idea. Oak is pale and only darkens with age, so I imagine that the real thing would have had a pale rather than dark handle: these weapons weren't always antiques! I guess there's no accounting for fashion though... |
You can darken oak by exposing it to amonia fumes. In period, this was done with manuer and other "products." The darkness can be controlled with lenght and intensity of exposure.
It apparently was done in period, so I'd say you could do it with a weapoin haft if you liked.
|
|
|
|
Steve Grisetti
|
Posted: Thu 01 Sep, 2005 3:12 pm Post subject: Re: Received my weapon |
|
|
Austin Demshar wrote: | ...The Steel head is super solid and the fastenings are strong.... |
The hammer seems to be a very nice looking piece. Well, except for the 'WINDLASS MADE IN INDIA' marking. Is that marking printed or etched or what? I'm wondering what sort of mess might result from trying to grind out the mark.
Another question is with respect to the fastenings. in particular, what is the device securing the head to the haft? Is that a riveted pin? I wonder about the potential for that to loosen up with use. What do you think?
|
|
|
|
Michael P Smith
|
Posted: Thu 01 Sep, 2005 8:02 pm Post subject: |
|
|
usually, the marking is just printed on. A quick hit with scotchbrite will take care of it, than match the finish with sand paper.
|
|
|
|
Austin Demshar
|
Posted: Thu 01 Sep, 2005 10:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Steve Grisetti:
The label is printed as M Smith said. Nothing too serious. As far as the head connected to the haft, it is some sort of 1/4 inch rod that looks like it might go through the haft. As for it being a rivet, i really cant say, ill try to post more pictures for you too look at it because im really not sure. It used both ends of the hammer today on a wood stump and a tree, hitting pretty hard and nothing budged. SO.... i think the head is very well fastened.
|
|
|
|
|