Why a Cross Peen Hammer Belongs in a Knifemaking Workshop

April 2, 2026 Neels Van Den Berg

When people think about knife making, they often focus first on the forge, the steel, and the grinder. Those are all important, but the hammer is one of the most direct tools in the entire process. In Black Dragon Forge’s product range, forging hammers sit alongside forges, burners, and knifemaking tools, which makes it clear that they are treated as part of a serious workshop setup rather than just a basic accessory. The site currently lists forging hammer options including the Forging Hammer - 800g Cross Peen (Green), a Forging Hammer - 1Kg Cross Peen, and a Forging Hammer - Cross Peen.

What Makes a Cross Peen Hammer Useful

A cross peen hammer is useful because it is built to do more than one job well. Black Dragon Forge’s hammer pages describe the cross peen as excellent for drawing out metal, creating grooves, and shaping metal pieces with precision, while the opposite face is useful for general hammering tasks such as drawing, flattening, and shaping. That combination makes the cross peen hammer a highly practical workshop tool because it supports both directional shaping and more general forging work in one hammer.

Why It Belongs in Knife Making Specifically

In knife making, control over the shape of the steel matters from the very beginning. A hammer is one of the first tools that affects how the blade starts to take form under heat. Black Dragon Forge describes the standard cross peen forging hammer as an ideal tool for smithing because of its versatility, and that fits naturally with bladesmithing work where shaping steel efficiently and accurately is a core part of the process. This is an inference based on the product description and the way forging hammers are grouped inside the store’s knifemaking and forge-accessory collections.

The Cross Peen Helps With Drawing Out Steel

One of the biggest reasons a cross peen hammer belongs in a knifemaking workshop is its ability to help draw out steel. Black Dragon Forge specifically says the cross peen is excellent for drawing out metal. For knife makers, that matters because drawing out steel is part of how you move material and begin shaping the blade under the hammer. That makes the cross peen especially relevant in forging-focused knife shops instead of being just another general workshop hammer. The second sentence is my recommendation based on the hammer’s stated use.

It Gives You a More Versatile Hammer in One Tool

A small workshop benefits from tools that can do more than one thing well. Black Dragon Forge’s descriptions emphasize the versatility of the cross peen design. The peen is used for directional shaping and creating grooves, while the slightly domed or general striking face is used for broader hammering tasks. That kind of versatility makes a cross peen hammer a strong fit for a workshop where every tool should earn its place. For a knifemaker, that means one hammer can cover a useful range of forging tasks before you start needing more specialised variations.

Black Dragon Forge Positions Forging Hammers as Core Workshop Tools

On Black Dragon Forge, forging hammers are not hidden away as minor extras. They are listed across the Forging Hammers collection, the Forge Accessories collection, and the broader Knifemaking Tools collection. That repeated placement matters because it shows the brand sees forging hammers as part of the normal tool path for makers who are building out a practical workshop. This is an inference based on the way the same products appear across multiple store categories.

Ready-to-Use Details Matter Too

A good forging hammer is not only about shape and weight. It is also about how ready it is to work. Black Dragon Forge says its Forging Hammer - Cross Peen has faces and peens that are pre-dressed and polished by ABS Mastersmith Neels van den Berg, and that the handles are made from premium hickory, oiled and waxed for convenience and comfort. Those details matter because they position the hammer as a purpose-built workshop tool rather than a rough starting point that still needs extra finishing before use.

The 800g Size Makes Sense for Many Workshops

Black Dragon Forge’s store prominently features the Forging Hammer - 800g Cross Peen (Green), which suggests that this size is an important part of the range. The site lists it in the Forging Hammers collection, Knifemaking Tools collection, and Forge Accessories collection. That does not prove it is the right size for every maker, but it does suggest Black Dragon Forge sees it as a practical option for the kinds of forging and knifemaking users it serves. That is an inference based on the prominence of the product across the site.

A Good Hammer Also Supports Long-Term Workshop Use

One sign that a tool is meant for regular workshop use is whether the supporting parts are also available. Black Dragon Forge sells Replacement Hammer Shafts (Hickory) alongside its forging hammers in the Forge Accessories collection. That is useful because it shows the hammer range is supported as part of longer-term workshop ownership rather than one-off purchase thinking. For a knifemaking workshop, that kind of support makes the hammer category even more relevant.

Why It Is a Better Choice Than a Random General Hammer

Not every hammer is designed with smithing work in mind. Black Dragon Forge’s descriptions specifically frame the cross peen forging hammer as an ideal tool for smithing, with benefits tied to shaping, grooves, drawing out, and controlled forging tasks. That makes it a better workshop fit than just grabbing a random general-purpose hammer that was not chosen around forging needs. The final comparison is my conclusion based on the stated smithing-focused features.

Final Thoughts

A cross peen hammer belongs in a knifemaking workshop because it supports some of the most important forging tasks from the very start of the blade-making process. On Black Dragon Forge, the cross peen range is clearly positioned as part of a serious forge and knifemaking setup, with the 800g and 1Kg options appearing across the store’s forging, accessory, and knifemaking collections. The hammer design itself is described as versatile, precise, and well suited to drawing out, shaping, and general smithing work. If you are building a practical knifemaking workshop, a cross peen hammer is one of the smartest core tools to add early. That final recommendation is based on how Black Dragon Forge presents the hammer range and the forging uses described on the product pages.