Henry Cheney Hammer Company

Prospectors’ Pick

The full-finish Prospectors’s Pick below is marked No. 161.

Henry Cheney Hammer Company Rock Pick Hammer

Here's a “Railroad Finish” version of the same hammer. It is marked No. 61, but could be a No. 361 — keeping in line with the “Railroad Finish” ball pein hammers. There is a No. 61 listed in the 1904 catalog, but it’s a “Boston Pattern” Farriers’ hammer — which ironically is shaped somewhat similar to this rock pick.

Henry Cheney Hammer Company Railroad Finish Rock Pick

Here's an interesting example, thanks to KatManTwo. It is marked No. 461. Let’s call this the Black Finish. The head appears to have the same treatment as “Railroad Finish” while the handle is octagonal and painted black — with an interesting variant of the gold on black decal.

Henry Cheney Hammer Company No. 461 Prospectors' Pick

Believe it or not, this hammer, and specifically the image below, is, as of 2018, featured on the National Park Service brochure for the Blue Ridge Parkway (North Carolina side).

This example also has remnants of the “Handle Secured by Cheney Safety First Wedge” decal.

A better example of this decal, on a second-generation No. 777, is provided for comparison.

Second Generation Cheney No. 777 Adz Hammer

This wedge is based on US Patent 1,600,960 which was issued to Titus Sheard Hose on September 21, 1926 and is the only patent found so far that was assigned directly to the company.