Ball Peen & Deadblow hammer questiosn

[LSU]

I've got two ball peen hammers (one is an old CM and the other is a smaller "no name" brand.

I do not have a deadblow hammer (and not really sure I need one - like that's a reason not to buy one).

I'm thinking my next couple of hand tool purchases are going to be a couple of different ball peen hammers and a dead blow hammer.

Anybody got any suggestions on a deadblow?

Can anybody give me a good reason why I need one tomorrow?

Also, any suggestions on brands/types etc?

 

[blue dog]

Nupla dead blow with i steel face. Made in the USA and a great tool. My go to dead blow.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004J0ZHPU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Nupla ball peens as well, i like the sg handle, but they have wood and fiberglass as well

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004J0ZHPU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Epsteins has Grayvik { vaughan } ball peens very low priced.

http://store.harryepstein.com/c/VaughnGrayvik.html

 

[Syndicate]

Deadblows have less blow back and are a good choice when there is not much room to swing. There are several brands that make them. Price is from 7-8 bucks up too over 100 depending on brand.
I have snap on dead blows. Why, because I think they are the best, and I do not have to pay full price for them. HF, Craftsman, Knipex, Cornwell, MAC, Matco, Channel Lock are just a few brands. I am sure that there are many many more. Here is mine.

 

[mudflap]

heck yea !!!!!!!

 

[jtfc]

The snap on ball peen has the internal shot canister and is top of the line. The price unfortunately reflects that if you don't have the means for snap on or you are a snap on basher harbor freight has dead blows that work well for me, once they are trashed I just buy another for 8 dollars and life goes on.

 

[BobsurUncle]

Ball peens- I like any that are wood handled & US made. I have Williams. Look a Vaughn. Craftsman still has US hickory handled ones also.

Dead blow- Williams makes a dead blow that is the same as Snap On, but they are yellow. I own a couple Snap On's. Both are made here.

I've had some harbor freight dead blows and split them. I probably wouldn't recommend the Snap On's for occasional use, just because of price. The Williams are the same damn mallet at half the cost.

I'm sure there are others, but that's my suggestions. Pay a bit more and buy it once.

 

[pipsters]

FYI Vaughn makes the Crafstman ball peins

 

[Jagmandave]

I use dead blow hammers all the time, but horses for courses....you don't use a dead blow on a drift or chisel or to set a nail for example....

 

[blue dog]

.you don't use a dead blow on a drift or chisel or to set a nail for example....

WHAT, have i been doing this wrong all this time.

 

[woody 73]

I love hammers and this might surprise you but the orange dead blow hammers from HF in truth hold up really well; and they will not break the bank.

 

[SINISTER]

I like estwing ball peens, and snap on dead blows.

 

[Jagmandave]

WHAT, have i been doing this wrong all this time.

Well, the ones I have have plastic faces, someone mentioned having one with a metal face, I suppose that would work OK.

 

[dodge610]

I have three HF Dead blows and have yet to thrash any of them they hold up well as mentioned and are cheap to replace.

 

[humpdawg]

I like estwing ball peens, and snap on dead blows.

MAC tools has their rebrands on sale right now. I bought the 4 piece last week and they're very nice.

 

[byoungblood]

FYI Vaughn makes the Crafstman ball peins

Nupla must make their dead blows too, I looked at one a couple of weeks ago and looked at the link above, they are very similar to one another.

 

[dsch]

My Choices-

Snap On Deadblows - Warrantied when they split in -40

Fuller Wavex Ball Peins-

 

[Fordman7795]

Snapon deadblows are superior to the rest. Its a whole different feel

 

[woody 73]

If you have ever done any work and you don't want to Mar what you are working on the deadblow is the tool that will do the trick.

I thought I was reading somewhere that Trusty Cook made their deadblow hammers for snap on but I could be remembering that wrong.
Nupla makes very nice hammers , but they will set your wallet back some money.

Woody

 

[bmxr4life87]

Snap on metal faced deadblows are nice but I like my hf 2.5lb soft faced deadblow just as much it was >$10 iirc so its hard to go wrong

 

[kythri]

So, with Nupla, only the handles are US-made?

Edited to add: And apparently only the handles have the lifetime warranty?

 

[ZRX61]

Ballpeins: Proto & Fairmount

 

[Larwyn]

Most deadblow hammers are a bag/can of shot in a plastic shell. They all work pretty much the same in my experience. I have Mac and HF from 20 years ago and they both still function as before. One Eastwing of about the same age with replaceable heads has lost most of the factory rubber coating on the steel body but still functions as well as ever. Given the choice I would pay the HF prices for a deadblow hammer.

 

[Avgas]

I thought I was reading somewhere that Trusty Cook made their deadblow hammers for snap on but I could be remembering that wrong.
Nupla makes very nice hammers , but they will set your wallet back some money.

Woody

Yes, snap ons are made by trusty cook, Im thinking about picking up a set

http://www.trustycook.com/datasheet_ballpein.htm

 

[blue dog]

Nupla must make their dead blows too, I looked at one a couple of weeks ago and looked at the link above, they are very similar to one another.

Yes, the cman deadblows are rebadged nupla. So are SK and armstrong.

 

[Honda guy]

I like the feel and grip of the SnapOn deadblow. I use my 30 oz. a lot and they last me about 8 years before they wear down to the metal casing. I'm on my 3rd one and almost ready to exchange it for a new one.

 

[rlitman]

I've got the Snap On 56oz and 24oz, plus an SO ball peen (24oz IRRC).
I also have the HF 2.5lb, 3lb, and 4lb dead blows.

All of them are pretty good hammers. So far, I've managed to crack the 24oz SO, and break the handle on the 56oz SO (that one's taken some serious abuse first though), and bust apart the head on the 4lb HF (driving several 2x2 wooden stakes into the ground about 4'). All three broken hammers have since been replaced on warranty.

Here's an interesting note though. The SO 56oz measured closer to 60oz on the scale (I'd say that the head alone is 56oz). The HF 4lb was actually lighter than the SO 56oz in total. Go figure. They're overrating dead blow hammer weight AND compressor horsepower now.

Oh, and SO gives you a longer and more comfortable handle than the rectangular HF handle. The largest HF deadblow in particular feels like the handle is a couple of inches too short. The SO feels perfect.

 

[wornoutoldman]

Snap on will be the last deadblow hammer you will ever have to buy...

 

[LSU]

thanks for all the replies.

I'm an Estwing hammer fan. Had two framing hammers that managed to walk off.

I'll have a look and then post what I buy.

Again, thanks to all who took time to reply.

 

[rlitman]

Home Depot has been carrying Estwing ball peen hammers by me the past year or so.
I've been drooling all over them, but can't justify it when I already have a full assortment of ball peen hammers from 1oz up to 32oz.

 

[trolling]

I got a deadblow hammer from HF and been using it for almost 2 years and it still works like a champ. Cheap and pretty solid

 

[enrare]

Are the dead blow ball peen hammers worth the added cost over a standard ball peen hammer? I was considering either a 24 or 32 oz Eastwing ball peen at Home Depot. After seeing this thread I'm wondering if a dead blow ball peen is the way to go.

 

[davesnothere]

I too have the big HF dead blow, and its held up great for the $5 or whatever I paid for it.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, all my ball peens are s/o dead blow ball peens, and are worth every penny as far as I'm concerned.

 

[fivespdcat]

This is the set I picked up:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00938074000P?prdNo=15&blockNo=15&blockType=G15

The set is really nice, made in the USA and comes with a soft face to round out the hammer set!

 

[jtfc]

I too have the big HF dead blow, and its held up great for the $5 or whatever I paid for it.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, all my ball peens are s/o dead blow ball peens, and are worth every penny as far as I'm concerned.

+1 the snap on ball peens I have are awesome plus I've been lucky and was able to get them green off the truck.

 

[DARKSCOPE001]

I like both my Craftsman Deadblow and Ball peen hammers

Deadblow IIRC is made by nupla http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00938394000P?prdNo=5&blockNo=5&blockType=G5 Use it quite a bit and like it alot. Faces are a nice hard poly that doesn't get all chewed up from use. I really like it. Works good for setting seats on aircraft without making everyone's ears onboard ring lol.

For my ball pein I also really like my craftsmans, Made by vaughan http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00938465000P?prdNo=7&blockNo=7&blockType=G7

I always go for wood handled ball peens because I find it keeps your hands and arms from hurting as much at the end of the day. and I like the feel more than fiberglass and rubber.

Just my $0.02

 

[MattPersman]

the matco deadblows are pretty nice too I have this in red been holding up great http://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/DB53/53-OZ-DEADBLOW-HAMMER-GRN/

I also have a snap on is nice as well, it is just a lighter weight 48oz I think

in ballpeens snap on and matco are nice again

 

[enrare]

What is a good weight for an all around general purpose ball peen hammer? Main use will be for when working on steering/suspension, etc on a 3/4 ton Dodge Diesel.

 

[lwlobo]

My HF deadblow came apart after several years of occasional use. Took it back and they gave me another one (old one was black, new one orange). Their hand tools have a lifetime guarantee, after all.

Having said that, I'd love to get some better ones, especially the ones from this thread:

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26739

 

[jtfc]

enrare,

I have 2 snap on deadblow ball peens a 40 oz and a 24 oz. I usually use the 24 day to day and use the 40 for serious rampaging. Looking back maybe a 32 oz would be the best of both worlds but i'm happy with both.

 

[Bad Jackson]

At work, they bought us Stanley dead blow Ball ***** and dead blow Soft Face hammers. They are great, I've used them for years. I figured I would buy a set for home and when I finally tracked down my local dealer, they were MORE than the Snap-On equivelant. So I bought SO. And I love them!
Munsk.