Alligator Twist grip RR spike knife.

[Yamez-IMF]

I knew a real black smith back across the big lake that would never talk to again if he saw you using a ball ping hammer

So just mentioned what ya said, to some of my blacksmithing colleagues, and they gave me this video to show you.. the general consensus is that yes blacksmiths will and do use ball peen hammers. Past present and future..