How to Hammer Metal to Harden

Hammer hardening metal gives your jewelry projects durability.

If you are working with metal for a jewelry piece or other project, you may have noticed that it has become soft from manipulating and working with it, especially if you used heat. Occasionally you may need to harden it with a hammer in order to give it more strength and durability. By using a plastic mallet for the hammering, you will be able to harden the metal without flattening it or changing its shape.

Things You'll Need

• Bench block
• Plastic mallet

Instructions

1. Place your bench block on a stable flat surface in front of you and put the metal piece that will be hardened on top of the bench block. The block should be close enough to you to make hammering comfortable.

2. Hold the plastic mallet a few inches above the metal piece. If you hold the mallet too high above the metal, it may slide and shift on the bench block when you hammer, making the job more difficult.

3. Bring the mallet down on the metal piece to hammer it in the places where you want it hardened. You will use a moderate amount of force to hammer the piece several times, about four or five to start with.

4. Pick up the metal piece to feel it and see if it has been hardened enough with the desired amount of durability. The amount of hammering required will depend on the thickness of the metal. For instance, a piece of wire may only take 5 to 10 smacks with the hammer, while a thick piece of sheet metal will need twice as much or more to harden it completely.

References

• "The Complete Jewelry Making Course"; Jinks McGrath; 2007

Resources

• Contenti: Hammers and Their Uses