Dead blow exploded.

[NoahG]

Well, got a solid 5 years out of this 22oz slimline. Picked it up in 2014 on Epstein’s day. Garland branded but sure looks like a Trusty-Cook. Who knows when it was actually made. I was smacking some wood into place when suddenly pieces went flying. Interesting, the internal canister was cast in on a angle (may be hard to see in the photo but it’s definitely off center)




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[Professional Tool User]

This is the problem with dead blow hammers. The plastic, rubber, or whatever material it is cracks eventually.

 

[NoahG]

This is the problem with dead blow hammers. The plastic, rubber, or whatever material it is cracks eventually.

Yup, no disagreement there. It’s just usually the ones I see are dead from misuse before the resin goes bad.


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[barrysuperhawk]

I've "killed" several Harbor Freight DB hammers, BANG! BANG! THUMP psssshhhhhhh (the shot going across the floor). Like most things the old school black ones seems like they lasted a lot longer than the newer orange ones but the last of the black ones died a couple of years ago so now all I have is orange ones

 

[matt_i]

That looks like the exact internal construction of an orange snapon I got about 26 years ago and did the same thing with plastic flying everywhere.

 

[bwringer]

Yep, they're a consumable item. NBD.

Thanks for the pics, and hey -- at least the furshlugginer thing didn't explode and send shot BBs all over the place.

 

[INSP380]

I have a very large SO dead blow, kinda looks like something you’d ring a bell with..�� It was split to death all over, even down the handle. SO took forever, but they replaced it. Must be common...

Steve

 

[Djosbun]

Dead blow dead.

-- Dave

 

[finn]

My HF exploded by itself sitting in the toolbox drawer in an unheated garage.

No operator intervention requi.

Same thing happened to the air hose on my HF planishing hammer.

Apparently HF plastic isn’t designed for cold climates

 

[dr_clyde]

I've blown up a hammer or two in cold weather. It happens.

Now I buy dead blow hammers from the tool truck and they hand me a new one if it gets busted.

 

[bobcatdan]

I had three orange snap on ball pein deadblows I bought 20 years years ago. About five years ago, one by one they went poff. Turn them in for warranty and now I have the new red ones. My green matco deadblows from the same era are still going strong.

 

[rlitman]

Dead blow dead.

-- Dave

I saw that post and your avatar and all I can think is that it's "pining for the fjords".

My HF exploded by itself sitting in the toolbox drawer in an unheated garage.

No operator intervention requi.

Same thing happened to the air hose on my HF planishing hammer.

Apparently HF plastic isn’t designed for cold climates

I've broken a few HF dead blows through heavy use. The only dead blow I've had disintegrate in a drawer was a Snap On.

Plastic doesn't last forever.

 

[senlow]

I saw that post and your avatar and all I can think is that it's "pining for the fjords".

'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This hammer is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisible!! THIS IS AN EX-HAMMER!!

 

[lis2323]

I had the same experience with the DB hammer my Snap-on guy sold me.

 

[Newt]

+1 on the Snap On dead blows. Temperature change seems to be the killer from what I've seen. I go through about 1 a year. They keep replacing them though.

 

[Djosbun]

My avatar? That's Ava. She used to like me until Toby came along, who I rescued. Toby is now her boyfriend and Toby hates my guts.

-- Dave

 

[PureLeaf]

They should do a recycling policy. Give them the internal metal hammer, and let them recast the plastic around it again.

 

[turnthewrench 2.0]

PB Swiss to the rescue

https://www.shop.pbtools.us/Dead-Blow-Mallet-with-plastic-heads-fiberglass-handle-size-2-3032.htm

 

[rlitman]

They should do a recycling policy. Give them the internal metal hammer, and let them recast the plastic around it again.

I guess you’re not familiar with lead hammers. It’s not a new idea.

 

[racingtadpole]

I left a small snap on dead blow in a box of tools in storage for several years (I live in Aus so no issues with them freezing) It literally disintegrated to powder. When I attempted to warranty it the dealer refused to believe it was a snap on it had powdered so bad there was no identity marks that were legible on it.

 

[i4ni]

Well, got a solid 5 years out of this 22oz slimline. Picked it up in 2014 on Epstein’s day. Garland branded but sure looks like a Trusty-Cook. Who knows when it was actually made. I was smacking some wood into place when suddenly pieces went flying. Interesting, the internal canister was cast in on a angle (may be hard to see in the photo but it’s definitely off center)




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That looks like a brand they use to make that i think they called Compo-thane.
Material looks indentical. They get about so old and explode.

 

[Rickster]

OK, please school me on the difference between these plastic dead blow hammers and the rawhide mallot.

 

[dr_clyde]

OK, please school me on the difference between these plastic dead blow hammers and the rawhide mallot.

Dead blow action has steel shot inside the head to “deaden” the blow. Makes it so it doesn’t bounce.

 

[Rickster]

I have two rawhide mallets that I use that give you the ability hit without damage and deliver a solid hit with very little bounce back. You can beat the hell out of these and either shave back worn edges with a side cutter or just replace the rawhide slug.

 

[lis2323]

I left a small snap on dead blow in a box of tools in storage for several years (I live in Aus so no issues with them freezing) It literally disintegrated to powder. When I attempted to warranty it the dealer refused to believe it was a snap on it had powdered so bad there was no identity marks that were legible on it.

I’ve had the same happen with a SO composite handle ball pein.

 

[MattT]

I have two rawhide mallets that I use that give you the ability hit without damage and deliver a solid hit with very little bounce back. You can beat the hell out of these and either shave back worn edges with a side cutter or just replace the rawhide slug.

Rawhide don't bounce much but definitely bounce more than deadblows. Really noticeable when seating work on parallels in a machine vise. One smack and it's done with a deadblow.

 

[milwaukeephil]

Now's your chance to saw it open and eat the Skittles inside!

 

[kythri]

That looks like a brand they use to make that i think they called Compo-thane.
Material looks indentical. They get about so old and explode.

Compothane was/is SBD, yeah?

OP's hammer looks like one of these, though:

http://www.garlandmfg.com/mallets/deadblow_standard.html

 

[Wamsutta]

That looks like the exact internal construction of an orange snapon I got about 26 years ago and did the same thing with plastic flying everywhere.

But yours got replaced, correct?

 

[NoahG]

Compothane was/is SBD, yeah?

OP's hammer looks like one of these, though:

http://www.garlandmfg.com/mallets/deadblow_standard.html

Yup, that’s it. Mine was just a “slimline” model garland discontinued.

@rickster, I’ve been watching flea markets for a used split head rawhide mallet. I really want one but they aren’t cheap new!

 

[Southern83]

We tape the heads at work if we're working inside a system (valve, turbine etc). We mainly use a dead blow sledge hammer. Have see several bust but the tape saved us from a mess.

 

[Honda guy]

My SnapOn 32 oz deadblows last about 8 years. I think I'm on my fourth one now. No problem getting it warrantied.

On the other hand, my Mac deadblows get kind of sticky and start crumbling apart. Not covered under warranty.

 

[overkill19]

I have a very large SO dead blow, kinda looks like something you’d ring a bell with.. It was split to death all over, even down the handle. SO took forever, but they replaced it. Must be common...

Steve

I have two SO ones in a bucket! SO won’t replace so now I just show everyone the comes in my shop how great the warranty is!


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[MattT]

On the other hand, my Mac deadblows get kind of sticky and start crumbling apart. Not covered under warranty.

Who told you they're not covered? I just checked a price list and it shows the deadblows being lifetime.

 

[rlitman]

I have two SO ones in a bucket! SO won’t replace so now I just show everyone the comes in my shop how great the warranty is!


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That’s not SO. That’s a crappy driver. Give them a call, and they will honor their warranty.

 

[welder4956]

The plastic used in dead blow hammers is an industrial grade of urethane. Urethanes can decompose in the presence of a warm humid or moist environment, a process called hydrolysis. The urethane will lose all of its strength and crack/crumble. In a dry, low humidity environment, urethane will last much longer.

My take on this is that I clearly need to air condition my garage, if for no other reason than to protect my dead dead blow hammer.

 

[Vvmvbb]

PB Swiss to the rescue

https://www.shop.pbtools.us/Dead-Blow-Mallet-with-plastic-heads-fiberglass-handle-size-2-3032.htm

...or Lixie:

https://www.lixiehammers.com/prod1DeadblowHickorySpecs.shtml

 

[davethorik]

...or Lixie:

https://www.lixiehammers.com/prod1DeadblowHickorySpecs.shtml

I love my Lixie and Nupla dead blows, but you bring em up on here and nothing but crickets, because your average GJ member thinks there are only 2 dead blow options, HF and trusty cook.

Don't get me started on pb Swiss either, because it's perfectly fine to overpay if tools come from Switzerland. But not the USA.

 

[mr.lemons]

Gedore also make non exploding deablows. Made in Austria.

 

[MattT]

I love my Lixie and Nupla dead blows, but you bring em up on here and nothing but crickets, because your average GJ member thinks there are only 2 dead blow options, HF and trusty cook.

Let 'em keep ignoring Nupla. Stuff nobody's heard of goes on clearance

But yeah you're right, it's hf or TC with this crowd. And don't go overpaying for a TC rebrand with a lifetime warranty

Don't get me started on pb Swiss either, because it's perfectly fine to overpay if tools come from Switzerland. But not the USA.

Did you click the link to that "100% Made in Switzerland" hammer? Handle looks more like CA than CH.......................