April 2025 Newsletter Part Two

3. The History in your tool box:-(3) Hammers and Mallets

The hammer is probably the most common tool in the world and every home has at least one standard claw hammer and that hammer probably gets used, misused and abused frequently The first hammer, believed to have originated more than 3 million years ago, was basically just a heavy, round stone, usually a hard stone like granite, shaped by water in rivers or the sea. This primitive hammer was used to shape other stones like obsidian and flint to make hunting tools and fire starters. Metal was introduced some 20,000+ years after the handle was invented. The hammer, and the bulk of metal things, were made of bronze, thus starting the Bronze Age. Bronze tools were a huge step up and far stronger than their stone predecessors and the hammer in particular became more reliable. Not being held together by string probably helped. These bronze hammers were probably used for many jobs, including metalworking. Bronze gave way to iron around 2000 to 1800 BC and as this led to steel and the hammer evolved even more. Hammers were then made for specific jobs from carpentry to blacksmithing to mining. The advent of iron and the strength it provided led to the hammer being adapted for just about any job. Throughout the Early Medieval there are a number of different hammers and mallets in use by the various trades. By the mid 20th century over 250 examples were known to be in use. The name hammer originates from the Middle English ‘hamar’ or Old English ‘hamor’

Alongside the hammer in your tool box is the mallet, often made of rubber or sometimes wood. Wooden mallets are usually used in carpentry to knock wooden pieces together or drive dowels, chisels and to apply pressure on joints. A wooden mallet will not damage the wood as a metal hammer would. Carver’s mallets have rounded heads to ensure the hitting surface is always round, designed to drive a chisel or wedge and allows for a face to strike when swinging from any angle.

May edition: (4) Benches Clamps and Vices (Bet that’s got your attention!)

4. Parish notices:

1. If members use any wood or materials they would be expected to make a financial contribution to WMS.

2. Members are reminded that the little blue tin next to the kettle likes to hear coins entering it. 30 pence per cup please which helps finance the social programmes throughout the year.

3. With the warmer days now nearly upon us a timely reminder that once you have completed for the day please tidy the workbench of scrap wood and sawdust and return the tools you have used to their rightful stowage so other members can find them.

4. With the warmer days hopefully ahead of us we now have an opportunity to purchase a T-shirt or Sweatshirt bearing our logo. There is a now a list up in the galley should you wish to purchase either. Note the two options for each. I believe there will be an apostrophe between the N and S in Men’s Shed on the finished embroidery.

5. The menu list is now up in the galley for the fish & chip supper and talk. Please place your requirements on the list and place the monies in the safe in an envelope with your name and food order on it.

6. Have you signed up for the ‘easy funding’ app? I have registered WMS as the chosen charity so if you purchase anything online Amazon, M&S, TESCO for instance through the easy funding app. a percentage of what you paid is donated to your chosen charity hopefully Waterlooville Men’s Shed. There is no extra cost to you but the Shed will benefit with donations. So please give it some thought and help us raise funds for the numerous projects we have on-going. If not sure how, go to the APP Store and type in easyfunding and the app will lead you through the registering process.