One of my favorite broom-making tools is this rare C.D. Dickinson broom hammer. Also called a pounder, it is used for smacking the broom corn flat against the handle. It has a flat face for driving broom nails, and a beveled side for creating grooves in the corn for wire and twine. This hammer was likely made in the late 1800's, during the broom-making heyday. The Dickinson factory specialized in broom making tools and equipment. It closed in the early 1900's, but many of the quality hand tools are still used by craft broom makers today. It is an honor to hold this piece of history in the palm of my hand, and to still make brooms with it today!
Our shop will remain closed until after the new year, while we work on building maintenance and repairs. Purchases have been disabled, but you can navigate our site. We sure look forward to serving you in 2027. Thank you for your patience, and we will see you soon!
Kevin and Sarah Miller
Blog
Feb 10, 2015
We love to hunt for branches, especially up in the mountains. This was a dead willow branch we found on one of our excursions. It had the bark attached when we found it. When it's raining we stay in the shop to peel the bark from some of our finds. It's like opening Christmas gifts, peeling back layers to reveal character in the wood. A little whittling. Some sand paper. Every branch has a story to tell. Then we make a broom.