My husband and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary this week, which reminded me of the gift I gave him on our 5th anniversary – an engraved wood-handled hammer. Then I realized I’d never actually shared this idea with you lovely readers! It’s such a simple, unique, and inexpensive gift idea that I thought it was worth a quick post.
The traditional 5-year anniversary gift is wood, and so I thought long and hard about a wooden gift to give to my handy “Mr. Fix-It” hubby. I think I originally came across this idea after seeing an Etsy listing, though it’s been so long I don’t know which one. I could have created a DIY version of this just using vinyl cut with my Silhouette, or even used a wood burner, but I really wanted it to be professionally engraved. And of course, being the procrastinator that I am, by the time I came up with this idea I didn’t have time to buy an engraved hammer on Etsy and get it here by our anniversary. I did a quick online search, though, and found a local guy that did custom wood engraving projects from his home with a laser engraver. (Local folks, I used Iron Horse Engraving – I’d highly recommend him!)
I just purchased a $7 wood handled hammer from Lowe’s, took it to the engraver, and paid about $10 for him to engrave the handle with “building a life together since 2010.”
The engraving looks so nice! It’s actually engraved pretty deeply into the handle, deeper than a wood burn would be.
We’re still working on getting a nice “finished” workshop area for my husband…but when we finally get it together, I am envisioning this hammer will be displayed prominently on his pegboard or even in a shadowbox.
If you’d like to have one of these made as a gift, your best bet is probably Etsy – or do a little detective work to see if you can find a local wood engraving place that will do it for you.
So there you have it – not really a craft or DIY tutorial like you usually find around here, but I hope you’re inspired by this unique and special anniversary gift!
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That’s a great idea, Meredith! I never would have thought to buy an everyday item, like a hammer, and have it engraved. I’m going to add this to my running list of gift ideas that I like to refer to for birthdays and holidays.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and what a great, out of the box idea!!!
Its perfect for my upcoming 5 year Anniversary to MY Contractor and handyman hubby! Thank you for the inspiration!
What a thoughtful and creative gift idea for your anniversary! The engraved hammer with a personal message is such a unique and meaningful gesture. It’s great that you shared your experience and the process of getting it done locally. I’m sure your husband treasures the hammer, and it will make a special addition to his workshop decor. Thanks for the inspiration!
What a wonderful anniversary gift idea! The engraved hammer is not only unique but also holds sentimental value. It’s great that you shared the source for the engraving too. I’m sure your husband cherishes it. Simple gestures like this make anniversaries extra special.