Fretz HMR-7 Insert Hammer: Inserts, Setup, and Uses
By Pepetools - Precision Engineered Professional Equipment | Published: 2026-10-31
Category: How-to Guides
How the Fretz HMR-7 double ended insert hammer works, what its nine plastic inserts do, and how to change faces and set it up for jewelry texturing.
Quick answer
The Fretz HMR-7 is a medium-weight double ended insert hammer supplied with nine plastic ends shaped to stand in for planishing, embossing, and raising hammers. Swap inserts by hand, match the face shape to the mark you want, and use controlled strikes to form metal without stretching it.
Why plastic inserts change how you work metal
Plastic faces spread the strike over a shaped surface instead of concentrating it at a steel edge. That is what lets the HMR-7 move metal without leaving marks and without stretching it the way a hard hammer can. The trade-off is that you are forming rather than forging: deep, rapid displacement is not the job here, and the plastic ends are the part that wears.
Because the nine ends duplicate planishing, embossing, and raising shapes, one handle covers work that would otherwise need several hammers. The catch is that you must choose the insert deliberately; a domed end and a flat end leave different marks on the same sheet.
Where the HMR-7 fits and where it does not
This is a texturing and forming hammer for jewelry-scale work, not a replacement for a heavy raising hammer on thick stock. The medium weight gives enough force to move metal with assurance on typical sheet and wire, but the 220 mm handle and 72 mm head without ends keep it a bench tool rather than a two-handed striking hammer.
If your work depends on precise, repeatable surface patterns, the interchangeable faces are the main reason to choose it. If you need maximum material displacement per blow, a solid steel hammer will do that faster, at the cost of marking and stretching.
HMR-7 insert and setup questions
- How do I change the inserts on the Fretz HMR-7?
- Work at the bench with the hammer resting head-down. Remove the insert from its end by hand, seat the replacement fully into the head, and check that the face sits square before striking. The catalog does not specify a locking mechanism, so confirm the fit by hand before each session and never strike with a loose end. Check insert seating every time you switch faces.
- Which insert should I use for jewelry texturing?
- Start with the end whose shape matches the mark you want: a flat or gently curved end for planishing-style surfaces, a rounded or shaped end for embossing and raising effects. Test on a scrap of the same gauge first, because the nine ends duplicate different hammer profiles and leave different marks. Keep a labeled scrap card showing the mark each insert leaves.
- How hard should I strike?
- Use controlled, repeated blows that let the plastic face move the metal gradually. The hammer has enough weight to move metal with assurance, so let the head do the work rather than forcing it. Stop and reposition when the metal stops responding instead of hitting harder. If the metal stops moving, change the insert or anneal; do not add force.
- Can I use the HMR-7 on steel stakes and anvils?
- Yes, the hammer is intended for forming metal against bench tools, but keep the plastic faces clean and free of embedded metal chips. Inspect the ends for wear or deformation before use, since a damaged face will transfer its shape into the work. Wipe and inspect the plastic ends before each use.
- Does the HMR-7 replace separate planishing, embossing, and raising hammers?
- It covers those actions at jewelry scale through its insert shapes, but it is not a like-for-like substitute for full-size steel hammers on heavy stock. Treat it as a compact, mark-reducing bench hammer for sheet and wire, and keep heavier hammers for bulk displacement. Match the hammer to the gauge, not just the pattern.
Product facts
- Double Ended Insert Hammer - Fretz HMR-7: Nine plastic ends duplicate planishing, embossing, and raising hammer shapes. You can change the mark and the forming action by changing the insert rather than buying another hammer.
Double Ended Insert Hammer - Fretz HMR-7 - Double Ended Insert Hammer - Fretz HMR-7: The hammer is designed to work metal without leaving marks and without stretching it. Plan finishing and texturing passes around this behavior instead of treating the hammer as a shaping shortcut.
- Double Ended Insert Hammer - Fretz HMR-7: Face sizes are 19 mm, head length without ends is 72 mm, and handle length is 220 mm. The compact head reaches into small work, while the medium handle length suits controlled bench strikes.
