Wordie: Peen: Comments

Comment by reesetee, 6 months ago

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:25:16 +0000

That makes sense. OED lists zillions of spellings, but it does define peen as "end of a hammer head opposite the face; (formerly) spec. the sharp or thin end." So we can both be correct. :-)

Comment by frindley, 6 months ago

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:54:56 +0000

That's quite possible; it's years since my dad taught me all this stuff. And the thing that makes me think you're right is that one of the hammers was the "ball pein" hammer (yes, different spelling), which had a rounded, mushroomy striking surface opposite the regular flat one. And then there was the "claw hammer", which was much better at removing nails. I have probably been misled by the name of the ball pein hammer into thinking that peins/peens are by definition rounded.

Comment by reesetee, 6 months ago

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 23:07:19 +0000

Isn't it still called a peen, though, despite the shape?

Comment by frindley, 6 months ago

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 11:32:54 +0000

Unless it's a claw hammer…

Comment by reesetee, about 1 year ago

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 07:53:06 +0000

The end of a hammerhead opposite the face (striking side)