We Don't Just Personalize Gifts- We Co-Create Your Story

In a world of template engraving and mass-produced "handmade" imports, we're the only Ontario woodworker who designs WITH you, not FOR you.

When you work with Mike W. Hammer you get:

  • Unlimited Design Revisions

    Draft 1 starts the conversation. Draft 2 gets closer. By draft 3 or 4, we've usually nailed it. But we'll keep going until you're thrilled.

  • Email Collaboration

    Send us your photos, ideas, even rough sketches. We'll create a design draft within 48 hours, then refine based on your feedback.

  • Custom Graphics Created Specifically For You

    Competitors offer template designs. We create from scratch- combining your photos, text, and ideas into something that's never existed before.

  • Professional Photo Editing

    We'll remove that ex from the family photo or combine people from different pictures from different years seamlessly. We'll get it done, whatever you throw at us!

  • Any Font Imaginable

    Not just 5 boring options. We have access to thousands of fonts, we're practically drowning in them, and we'll find exactly what you're looking for.

  • We Bring Your Ideas to Life

    Design WITH you, not FOR you. Share your story, we'll suggest creative ways to tell it. You're the director, we're your design team.

Made in Ontario, Not China

While competitors get caught with "Made in China" stickers on their "handmade" products, every Mike W. Hammer piece is made in our Canadian workshop with Canadian Wood by Canadians.

Every Mike W. Hammer Piece Is:

My Dad (Mike) in his workshop joining a piece of Basswood to be made into one of our wall arts.

1. HANDMADE IN CANADA

Crafted In Our Keswick Workshop by Mike

Mike brings five decades of hands-on woodworking expertise to every custom creation. While some competitors rely on automated production or overseas manufacturing, your gift is shaped by a master craftsman who's perfected his art since high school. From hand-selecting premium Canadian woods to the final quality inspection, Mike's experience and commitment to excellence ensures your personalized piece meets the high standards that only come with a lifetime of dedication to the craft.

A picture at a Century Mill Warehouse with a forklift lifting our large order of four-quarter Basswood planks.

2. MADE FROM HAND-SELECTED CANADIAN WOOD

Made with Wood Purchased In Stouffville, ON

We source exclusively from Century Mill in Stouffville - a family-owned Ontario mill operating since 1851. We ensure every piece starts with premium Canadian hard and softwood. When you choose Mike W. Hammer, you're supporting two Ontario-based family businesses committed to quality, sustainability, and keeping traditional craftsmanship alive in our communities.

A small selection of our wall art samples standing up on a table. Two wall arts with the picture of our family are most prominent, behind a decorative skull illustration with flowers growing out of the side, and our "What Would You Put on Yours" wall art to the other side.

3. COMPLETELY SEALED AND FINISHED

Extensively Finished

Except for our food-safe products which we apply a coat of natural board oil to, every piece receives our signature multi-stage finishing process that transforms raw wood into a lasting heirloom. UV-resistant, water-resistant, and built to withstand decades of display. While others rush orders, we invest the time to ensure your memories are preserved as beautifully in 50 years as they are today.

Me (Talon) sitting at my desk before my computer with a custom engraving order mockup in Adobe InDesign on one screen and a birthday message illustration in Adobe Illustrator.

4. PERSONALIZED AND ENGRAVED

Engraved With Designs Made By Talon

Every custom engraved order includes Talon's professional design services using industry-standard tools like Photoshop and Illustrator. Whether it's removing backgrounds from photos, creating custom illustrations, or finding that perfect vintage font you imagined, our design process ensures your vision becomes reality. No templates, no limitations, just unlimited revisions until you love it.

A picture of our family from a long time ago on a cruise we went on where my Dad and my step-mom Aileen got married. Pictured is me (Talon), my Dad (Mike), Aileen, Jenna, Tara, Thomas, Sheryl, and her husband Alex.

5. FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS

Crafted With a Love For Giving Touching Gifts

We've seen the tears when grandmothers receive their grandchildren's handwriting preserved forever. We've watched couples speechless at their wedding photos transformed into heirloom art. This isn't just our business- it's our privilege to be part of your most meaningful moments. That's why we treat every order like it's for our own family.

Two custom engraving draft sheets for Mike W. Hammer with measurements and design elements.

While Other's Offer Templates, We Offer Partnership

Every competitor we've researched offers the same thing: pick from their catalog of predesigned templates, add your text, then get your product. That's not personalization- that's basic data entry.

We Offer Professional Design and Photo Editing From Scratch

Want to join people from different photos together because they couldn't make it in-person? Want to remove that pesky ex from your photo? Want to see a cool design for something you have in mind? A decorative skull perhaps? A fun cartoon? Whatever you can think of, we can do it. Just say the words.

Ready to Create Your Gift?

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