The story of Thor's hammer. (Really Jack Roy's old brass hammer)
As I stated before, I was lucky enough to meet Jack his family and many friends back in the early 70s.
I was also there after Jack passed on, helping liqudate the store.
It was totally mystifying to a punk 21, going on 22 year old kid, and I didn't even under stand most of what I was looking at back then. I just knew it was "cool as hell".
It probably would not have made much difference any way as the year Jack passed away, the economy was in a slump with the oil crisis and I only made a little more than $6,000 that year. I was installing floors and home remodeling had become a bit of a luxury. I had very little money to invest in guns at that point. Jack had always let me buy guns on layaway.
I did manage to buy a couple of used S&Ws out of Jacks parts gun drawers. With a little luck and a few trips to the S&W factory, these guns were put back into operation and I still have them. I'll have to dig them out and post a few photos.
So being on a tight budget, I focused on several items that others totally ignored. One of them was Jacks brass hammer.
Jack was a gunsmith. Not just a gun sales man but a true gunsmith. He did it all.
Being that kind of a "hands on guy", one can only imagine how many times Jack must have used a hammer in his business. Other than screw drivers, I can't think of another tool that is more useful in life.
I have no idea how many hammers Jack may have had over the years, but this was the one he was using when I met him.
It is not a pretty brass hammer, the one I bought after loosing Jacks original hammer is "pretty" by todays standards with it's perfect shape and synthetic handle.
Jack's old brass hammer is very spartin and plain. Handle was probbaly replaced at least once, and it is well seasoned as it was when his dear wife gave it to me when they closed the doors for good.
I said that I lost it. I did. It was one of those things where I didn't notice it missing for several days, possibly weeks. I remember using it on the right side of my reloading bench. Same side as my trash barrel.
I figured what had happened was that I had left it on the bench and it probably got knocked into the trash barrel and thrown out with out me even realizing it.
I was crushed. I felt stupid. I had kept and used that hammer for over about 35 years and now it's gone. Thats when I tore the house apart and finally ended up ordering my new "pretty brass hammer" from Northern Tool.
I got to use the new hammer a few times and it didn't feel right. Too heavy, awkward.
One day this spring after the weather broke and winter started leaving, I went out to start my 1939 Ford Tractor. There on the foot board was Jack's hammer!
I remembered that I had sent my son to get me a hammer while working on the tractor and he had brought out Jacks gunsmithing hammer. I had forgot it on the footboard for several months and now it was back.
It is back in use, and never goes out of my gun room or near my trash barrel side of the bench. I'll sell you one of my guns before I would sell this hammer.
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