If like me you know very little about these occupations here’s a little background, Looking at the two occupations; steam hammer driver and striker, they are both occupations that can be traced to work in a forge.
- a steam hammerman is sometimes in charge of forge in which a power hammer is operated by steam.
- a striker is a title frequently found in forges and sometimes specifically designated, e.g., anchor smith's striker, angle iron smith's striker, anglesmith's striker, anvil smith's striker, anvil striker, auger striker, back maker's striker (scythe), blacksmith's striker, blade striker, chain striker, coach smith's striker, edge tool forger's striker, edge tool striker, fork striker (agricultural implements), general smith's striker, hand forge smith's striker, hand forge striker. These are usually involved in forging iron or steel articles from bar, rod, plate, sheet, etc., by placing bar, etc., in furnace or forge fire, tending to damper which admits blast to forge fire under direction of smith; withdraws metal when smith judges it to be sufficiently hot for forging process, e.g., welding, bending, swaging, etc., and places it, by means of tongs, on anvil of steel table, using sledge hammer, strikes hot metal.
Viv.