I started years ago with a Brownell's basic engraving kit. It had a few gravers, a chasing hammer, Niel Hartliep's book (it's good) and I also bought Meeks. I spent months struggling with the hammer just to make clean cuts, let alone decent scrollwork. In retrospect, my sharpening was incorrect, and that might have contributed to my frustration.
I was making flintlocks at the time, and by gum I was going to do my own engraving. One of my toe plates from long, long ago with hammer and chisel:
I didn't "hold back" trying to replicate a country gunsmith effort from 1790... this was the best I could do! I got frustrated and put the tools away. Then I found this web site, and my interest was rekindled 1000% So I can say with some honesty that I did work with a hammer, and that hammer is still a proud part of my tool set.