I need help identifying a hammer.

[cogar]

I purchased this hammer at a farm auction about 15 years ago and have yet to find any info about it or what it was used for. The head portion is like that of a lathe hammer but the "hooked blade", which can be struck with another hammer for cutting or splitting, completely baffles me.

The hammer was made by the ... L. A. Sayre & Co., Newark, NJ, and is stamped as said on the side of the blade. Any info or guesses would be appreciated.

[Sass2050]

I bet if you sent a picture to this man....he could tell you exactly what it is.

http://www.roseantiquetools.com/id121.html

[joylj5732]

Best guess would be for splitting cedar roofing shingles. Roofing hammers still have blades.

[cogar]

Thanks Joy, but for splitting wood one needs a thin straight blade like an ax.

Like this one pictured here:

http://www.blackrhinotools.com/construction-supply/roofing-hammer.html

I also have an old lathe hammer which looks like that new one pictured there.

I believe my hammer was used for applying metal roofing and/or rain gutters such as tin, copper, zink, .... but that is only a guess.