A while ago we had a thread about the difficulty of pegging our awnings down into hardstandings rather than into grass. We shared some ideas about the hard ground pegs that we used.

I want to move it sideways a bit and suggest something about mallets and hammers.

For ages as tenters we used a great Outwell rubber mallet and also a wooden mallet that my Dad used as a camper 50 years ago. These were both brilliant at hammering the pegs into even baked hard ground. However when we got the Eriba we started to pitch more on hardstandins with perhaps only a few pegs being hammered into grass.

We soon discovered problems with solid hard ground pitches. I sadly broke the head of my Dad's vintage wooden mallet (from the Shipyard where he was a coppersmith) and the Outwell mallet really struggled to hammer stone ground pegs into the pitch.

Someone suggested a copper headed camping hammer. I bought myself one and it is great for hammereing pegs into hardstandings.I only bought one so Kath had to still try to use the rubber hammer, with limited effect..

However recently it was her sixty something birthday and as a true romantic her main birthday present was an even heavier copper headed peg hammer - she was thrilled with my generosity................

IMG_20211117_121631176_HDR (2).jpg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)


I have attached a photo showing the mallet and the two copper headed hammers. If you have a hint of romance in you one of these would make a perfect Christmas or Valentines Day surprise gift for your loved one. They really do work.........

MikeT

Mike, it's good to know that romance is still alive and well in your home. My advice would be to sleep with one eye open and don't leave any hammers lying around....

The advantage of copper being slightly softer than steel is the mallet doesn't slip off as readily when striking a steel peg at less then the perfect angle.
Mine is a Thor branded one I picked up cheap because the hide face insert had shrunk and fallen out. I fitted a delrin insert to this side to make it a copper/plastic mallet rather than copper/hide. The plastic side I use on plastic pegs when on grass, less likely to damage the peg than with metal. The additional weight over a wood or rubber mallet makes it a lot easier to use.

Watching people try and knock in rock pegs on a hard standing with a rubber mallet can be quite amusing too.

If I gave 'er indoors a mallet for Christmas I know where it would quickly end up, so it will never happen.

Jef

hi Randa

I don't think that they are just copper. I think that they are some sort of alloy with copper in it. But they do seem to have a bit if "give" compared to using and ordinary hammer - you don't get the same "ting" .

The hook on the end is also good for getting difficult pegs out

Mike

Colin

That will be an expense for me in 2022. Where did you get them from?

Skinflint a bit harsh as I also got her a large tub of my favourite chocolates.........................

Mike

I just use a normal club hammer and storm pegs, but I agree that some hardstandings are a real issue so I try to pitch at the edge and put the awning on grass if I can. Beats me why some independent sites haven't grasped the need to make 'hard' standings accessible for pegs. I had to pitch on tarmac in Cheddar recently. Most of the club sites of either club are reasonable.

Hi H
That brings up the other problem of poorly constructed hardstandings in that once you have battered the pegs through the stone they then can become really difficult to remove from the ground when you come to take the awning down.

On one private site after some strong winds I damaged my Kampa awning front skirt getting the peg out. The steel peg ended so bent I had to throw it.

Mike

I use an electric drill. Saves a lot of effort and no bashed thumbs.

Stewart

This post reminded me that I needed to check my pegs. I looked in the peg bag and found spare plastic pieces and little rubber rings to hold them at the top of the pegs. I realised that I had no spare rubber ladders for the awning sides, so I have ordered some. I also use an electric drill as its easier that putting my back out trying to pull the damn things out ! I am sure that the worms these days think it is fun to stop them being pulled out. I do also carry some hammer in pegs and a large hammer...just in case.

I use a 2lb lump hammer and rock pegs, the first time you miss it certainly focusses your aim and concentration for the next peg....

Never had a problem with rock pegs and a decent claw hammer for bashing in and pulling out. Job done!

2lb or 4lb lump hammer, and claw hammer for removal, sometimes use a drill if if hard standings not too bad.