gistfile1.php

<?php
// in the User Model
App::uses('AppModel', 'Model');
App::uses('SimplePasswordHasher', 'Controller/Component/Auth');

class User extends AppModel {
	public function beforeSave($options = array()) {
		if (isset($this->data[$this->alias]['password'])) {
	        $passwordHasher = new SimplePasswordHasher();
	        $this->data[$this->alias]['password'] = $passwordHasher->hash(
	            $this->data[$this->alias]['password']
	        );
	    }
    	return true;
	}

	public function hashy($string){
		 $passwordHasher = new SimplePasswordHasher();
	       return  $passwordHasher->hash($string);
	}
}