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Estwing, are they moving production?

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Renegade1LI

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I was thinking of picking up one of their hatchets. A sale or clearance price would def push me over the edge.
I picked up a campers axe and 14" hatchet, the hatchet feels so nice with the leather handle. Tomorrow morning I think I will split some kindling, just can't wait to use it. It's also pretty **** in a lizzy bourden way, lol.
 

2oolhound

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I picked up a campers axe and 14" hatchet, the hatchet feels so nice with the leather handle. Tomorrow morning I think I will split some kindling, just can't wait to use it. It's also pretty **** in a lizzy bourden way, lol.
I hear you on the ****. Honest truth, I dreamed I bought a house a few nights ago and I found an estwing axe in the back porch. It's a good thing something woke me up or I think I'd have had to get up and change the sheets soon after. I used them when I was falling timber and building log homes when I was younger. I really liked those axes and still have them on my mind a lot.
 

AA/FC

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I was in my local Home Depot last night and I specifically went over to look at the Estwing hammer inventory. They only had two Estwing claw hammers left in stock. (not two different models, only two claw hammers of the same model.) They were marked down about 7 bucks from full retail, with a yellow tag. Everything else in the entire hammer section was Dewalt, Husky, or Milwaukee. There were a few Estwing hatchets near the bottom of the hammer display but for hammers specifically..... only two Estwing in the entire store. What a shame.
 

Bubba Fett

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As a geologist, I love my Estwing rock hammer. It's been through many Kilauea Volcano eruptions, Mojave Desert and the Grand Canyon. I use the 3 lb drilling and 2 lb ball peen hammers working on vehicles. I hope they'll still make most in USA.
That rocks!

HD getting rid of Estwing is a stupid move, IMO. Generally tool companies that only make a certain type of tools tend to be really good at it. Then again, maybe the Estwing and Vaughan hammers last too long, so HD wants to sell disposable ones to keep customers coming back.
 

neophyte

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That rocks!

HD getting rid of Estwing is a stupid move, IMO. Generally tool companies that only make a certain type of tools tend to be really good at it. Then again, maybe the Estwing and Vaughan hammers last too long, so HD wants to sell disposable ones to keep customers coming back.
How many professionals actually break hammers?
The only time I’ve done it, is accidentally hitting an ancil rather than the metal I was whacking, causing a chunk of the hammer face to go flying,
And another time trying yo use way to small of a hammer to break apart a large cast iron item.

Wood hammer handles break, but I doubt often enough to cause enough hammer sales to be trackable.
Any professional using hammers enough to break them, will likely nail order a more durable hammer online, rather than buying whatever is on the rack at HD.
 

KnurledNut

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I broke an old steel shank Estwing claw about a month and half ago.
Bent a claw once. Also have seen them broken off.
Milled faces wear fast. Claws wear relatively quick. Have seen chipped faces. They are strong though. All hammers wear out if they get used.
 

gerlbaum

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I just went and snagged one of their 26" axes for $37. That almost pre pandemic price! I asked the home Depot guy and he said they were getting a new version. A lot of Milwaukee and other hammers were on closeout too. I have no idea if he knows anything but that's what I was told for what it's worth.
 

dchawk81

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I just went and snagged one of their 26" axes for $37. That almost pre pandemic price! I asked the home Depot guy and he said they were getting a new version. A lot of Milwaukee and other hammers were on closeout too. I have no idea if he knows anything but that's what I was told for what it's worth.
"New version"

I'd be looking at that COO.

🤔
 

anndel

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That rocks!

HD getting rid of Estwing is a stupid move, IMO. Generally tool companies that only make a certain type of tools tend to be really good at it. Then again, maybe the Estwing and Vaughan hammers last too long, so HD wants to sell disposable ones to keep customers coming back.
Exactly!
 

f121

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My 46 year old claw hammer still has the nylon grip in perfect shape.

As is the rubber handle on my 25yo Stanley $15 claw hammer (and the identical one of unknown vintage that came free with my house).

I'd say the estwing market is for people who want a nice hammer (or a few nice hammers) not people who wear out hammers.
 

qqzj

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I don’t understand why estwing is nice. Wood handle seems nicer. So I thought Vaughn is nicer
 
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Renegade1LI

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I don’t understand why estwing is nice. Wood handle seems nicer. So I thought Vaughn is nicer
It's built to take abuse, go on any big construction site & most hammers are either the 20 or 22 oz straight claw. When doing concrete formwork you need a soild steel hammer, it has to hammer, pull nails or pins, chop, dig, pry you name it. Estwing is the only one I've seen really hold up.
 

Handyandy23

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I checked out a Michigan HD close by and saw the same as some others reported - the Estwing framing and claw hammers were marked down by a few dollars with yellow tags. The fiberglass handled sledges and "engineering" style hammers were still full price, as were any of the pry bars or nail pullers.

The clearance prices weren't anything special. I can get the standard claw ones on Amazon cheaper than HD's "discounted" price. I was hoping to find a good deal on something with a leather handle, but nothing like that was left.
 
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Cooter Brown

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I don’t understand why estwing is nice. Wood handle seems nicer. So I thought Vaughn is nicer

Vaughan is nicer.
There's no doubt that if you're going to swing a hammer all day a wooden handle is way better. Back in the very early 80s I framed houses for a summer and I knew after two days why the rest of the crew was using wooden handled hammers, mostly Vaughns. Even at 20 years old my Estwing beat me up and made my elbow hurt, and you sure can't choke up on the handle for close or precise stuff. They kidded me that Estwings make a great pry bar--most of them had one for rough use but they used the Vaughn for nail driving. The third day I had a nice new 24 oz. milled face Vaughn and it made a huge difference. I've still got it with original handle--and I've still got the Estwing but they're used for different things.

Back then we were doing a lot more hand driving of nails. As time went on pneumatic nail guns were more and more common, and the hammer on your belt came to be used more for demo, prying, pulling nails, and other rough use. The Estwing is great for that stuff. And as 1982fxr said things like concrete forms etc. are perfect for the Estwing.
 

qqzj

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I thought the big things with professionals who swing hammers all day long is titanium because they absorb the shock better?
titanium does not absorb the shock better. it is lighter and can be swung faster. 1/2 mv*v. so hit harder. they typically have sleeve hitting part. So unless they do something special with handle, not necessarily absorb shock better.
 

reader2580

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titanium does not absorb the shock better. it is lighter and can be swung faster. 1/2 mv*v. so hit harder. they typically have sleeve hitting part. So unless they do something special with handle, not necessarily absorb shock better.
Sorry, I guess what someone who has one told me is wrong then. I don't use a hammer anywhere near enough to spend the cash on a titanium hammer.
 

PBCampbell

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The selling point for Titanium head hammers has been that they have more mass per weight when compared to steel head hammers. This is supposed to be easier on your wrist, elbow, shoulders as they're capable of delivering the same energy with less weight.
 

zendriver

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As is the rubber handle on my 25yo Stanley $15 claw hammer (and the identical one of unknown vintage that came free with my house).

I'd say the estwing market is for people who want a nice hammer (or a few nice hammers) not people who wear out hammers.
Are you saying this from actual experience or just saying it? :confused:

I only used my hammer professionally for about a year, (1977), but there plenty of accounts of folks who for use them for a living, sometimes for decades.

Hard to believe they are just posers and the Estwing hammers do not really have the longevity claimed. :dunno:
 

redwrench60

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While we’re talking about Estwing, I heard someone recently say Estwing pronouncing the Est like you’d say estimate. Around here everyone pronounces them East-wing hammers. Survey says?…..
 

1982fxr

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Are you saying this from actual experience or just saying it? :confused:

I only used my hammer professionally for about a year, (1977), but there plenty of accounts of folks who for use them for a living, sometimes for decades.

Hard to believe they are just posers and the Estwing hammers do not really have the longevity claimed. :dunno:
Nobody who's ever been on a jobsite would say what he said.
 

PugetDude

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As a geologist, I love my Estwing rock hammer. It's been through many Kilauea Volcano eruptions, Mojave Desert and the Grand Canyon. I use the 3 lb drilling and 2 lb ball peen hammers working on vehicles. I hope they'll still make most in USA.
My 44 year old Estwing rock pick from college makes a great welding hammer. (y)

I have probably 20+ Estwing steel handled hammers, from an 8-ounce ball peen to a 5 lb sledgehammer. Here are a few of them.F509ECFE-FDC2-47F9-B2C5-C202D363D617.jpeg
 
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dutchgray

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Always heard Est wing in the UK.

They are durable, the handles stay on unlike some cheaper brands, but will ruin your elbow if you are driving nails all day, which is something that just isn't done much now.

Titanium is nice, you get less weight for a given head size, so you can have a big framing head and it will be 16oz instead of 22oz, which can allow a faster swing which will deliver more energy, plus it rebounds less which reduces the vibration you feel and delivers a bit more energy, if its a titanium handle it will vibrate much less than a steel handle.
 

f121

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Are you saying this from actual experience or just saying it? :confused:

I only used my hammer professionally for about a year, (1977), but there plenty of accounts of folks who for use them for a living, sometimes for decades.

Hard to believe they are just posers and the Estwing hammers do not really have the longevity claimed. :dunno:

My apologies, I think you misunderstood my comment slightly because it wasn’t very clear.

Estwing definitely have the longevity, they are fantastic hammers and are beautifully made. I’ve used a bunch over the years and am shopping for one currently, just haven’t quite decided on the style.

My comment about ‘people who wear out hammers’ are the guys who are out there earning with hammers in all weathers, shuttering, framing etc. They buy cheap hammers for $15-20 knowing they’ll last a year or two and probably get lost/borrowed before they come close to being worn out.

The people I know with Estwing hammers are people who appreciate fine tools, master carpenters etc, who buy them because they can.
 
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