Camping Hammer

[AldeanFan]

I need a new hammer to keep in my airstream for camping trips.
Mostly for pounding in tent pegs or repairs on the road.

I’ve never put any thought in to it before and carried a claw hammer because I had a spare.
now that I have to spend a little money is there any reason you can think of to buy any specific hammer or type of hammer for traveling and camping?

 

[Walkers]

An 18” Crescent hammer gets my vote.

 

[eejack]

I would look at a good camping hatchet. Personally I like the little Estwing Ax but there are a lot of good choices. Can pound stakes and make them as well.

 

[RTM]

I like something with claw for pulling the pegs back out, so gave my daughter a carpenter's hatchet.

 

[four.cycle]

claw hammer. like RTM notes, you can yank the stakes back out.
hatchet = BAD IDEA unless you feel like driving to an emergency room on your vacation with a hatchet stuck in your forehead.

besides, every good camper knows you gotta pound a lotta nails around the campfire, right?

 

[Bad Habit]

Cheap roofing hammer, hatchet on one side, hammer head on the other. Cheap, no need for anything fancy

 

[LeeG]

I keep a 3lb drilling hammer for stuff like that. So much easier than a claw hammer in any sort of hard dirt.

 

[duneslider]

I have an estwing small hatchet and the "camp axe" in the trailer. They have leather covers for the blade so when being used as a hammer for stakes you don't have the sharp blade exposed. Its been working great for us for a lot of years.

 

[joseywales]

I've never impaled myself with a hatchet, and always had one on site, but I also didn't use it for hammering often. I did pick up a crate hammer and it has been a great tool to have. Just hammer on one end and claw on the other, but it came in handy and it's size let me carry it on my hip if necessary. I usually use a mallet for hitting pegs.

 

[CoogarXR]

I just have a big rubber mallet in my camper for the awning pegs.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

I pack a $1.49 16oz claw hammer. Much more for the pulling out. So make sure the handle is solid.

 

[Shootinok]

I’m a fan of a rigging axe.
used one for years at campsites and never hit myself in the head.

 

[GTO]

products | Hardcore Hammers

Shop here for premium American made tools, including hammers, outdoor tools and more. Proudly 100% made in the USA.

www.hardcorehammers.com

 

[steaks&anvils]

Esteemed GJ member Outlawmws has you covered. Over on his "Hammer time!" thread (post# 1081) or maybe his camping threads:

Hammer time!

I checked and don't think I posted this here: I picked this hatchet up with a busted blade last summer for a buck, and converted the blade to tent stake pulling duty, so its technically a Hammer now... One of the claws (cut open extra heavy 3/8 washer, radused off to clear the changing...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[metaleltr]

claw hammer. like RTM notes, you can yank the stakes back out.
hatchet = BAD IDEA unless you feel like driving to an emergency room on your vacation with a hatchet stuck in your forehead.

besides, every good camper knows you gotta pound a lotta nails around the campfire, right?

I have heard this argument about hatchets many times. The best rebuttal I have ever heard however is how many times have you hit yourself with the claw of a framing hammer? The claw sticks back just as much as the sharp side of a hatchet.

 

[Dakotadadv8]

SOG camping axe is useful.

 

[Renegade1LI]

Estwing 3lb maul does it all, great for spilling kindling.

 

[Dozerhand]

I like the Estwing hatchet. I carry one in every vehicle. I've never really contemplated sticking it in my forehead.

 

[jonshonda]

GJ strikes again with overwhelming diversity! You have an airstream so I assume you have some disposable income. Might as well try to save weight in the rig and go with a Stiletto Titanium framing hammer!

 

[slowtwitch73]

hatchet = BAD IDEA unless you feel like driving to an emergency room on your vacation with a hatchet stuck in your forehead.

By this reasoning you will will get a claw in the forehead using a claw hammer etc.

Hatchet works just fine if you're not retarded. Keeping the leather sheath on helps when hammering.

 

[mike93lx]

GJ strikes again with overwhelming diversity! You have an airstream so I assume you have some disposable income. Might as well try to save weight in the rig and go with a Stiletto Titanium framing hammer!

Agree. Why slum it with something you can get at home depot?

Titanium is the right answer

 

[AldeanFan]

Wow this was a way more fun conversation than I expected.

i do keep a hatchet in the trailer and a splitting axe. The axe needs a handle so I may replace it with a Fiskars axe, so I should get the matching game hammer right? And obviously the matching hatchet so I have a complete set.

garagejournal strikes again finding a $100 solution to a $10 problem lol

 

[slowtwitch73]

You could get one tool to replace all those.

Estwing long handle campers axe.

 

[MFortie]

Gransfors Bruk hatchet for the well heeled camper!

 

[jonshonda]

Wow this was a way more fun conversation than I expected.

i do keep a hatchet in the trailer and a splitting axe. The axe needs a handle so I may replace it with a Fiskars axe, so I should get the matching game hammer right?

Axe needs a new handle, so you just discard it? Shame shame! One thing I have thoroughly enjoyed is finding replacement hafts, hanging the axe, and finishing it to match the rest of my outdoor implement handles/hats.

I take way more pride in using a tool I have restored vs something I have bought. But, IF...IF you have to buy new, I was just holding an X25 and X27 and would say the X27 is a beast and the X25 or smaller would make a good all around axe. Similar to a boys axe with 2-1/4lb head and 28" length.

 

[AldeanFan]

Oh I’ll definitely replace the handle and add it to my collection of axes and hatchets in the shed. Or I’ll put it in the racecar trailer for when we camp at the track.
Really just an excuse to buy new tools.
Yesterday I was in the hardware store and they had new axes cheaper than a new handle :0

 

[nadogail]

A Stanley Demolition Hammer can bust things up.

 

[joshmodelskidoo]

I use a mit hammer that came with our motorhome. Any smooth face 20oz is probably the best all around hammer. I would not use the back of a hatchet. You will be swinging it close to your face, could slip or smack a child playing. I suppose if you have a good leather cover over the head it might be ok. I have done it a hand full of times but now that im older it really doesn’t seem like a good idea

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

Please tell me how you can pull tent pegs out with a hatchet. For a lot of years , my hunting camp was a wall tent with a tin airtight wood stove. That cheap claw hammer went in the bag with the 12" spikes.

 

[4xdog]

The Park Tools HMR-4 is designed for bicycle shop use, but its useful combination of a steel face and a soft face in a 21 oz hammer would probably make a versatile addition to an Airstream 'box.

HMR-4 21 oz. Shop Hammer

A perfectly-balanced full-sized striking instrument built for a wide variety of shop uses, with a forged-steel striking face and a replaceable non-marring composite tip.

www.parktool.com

 

[Renegade1LI]

For the price estwing fire side friend is a great tool, made in USA and is indestructible. If you split a lot of kindling you’ll love it, the hammer end is great for driving stakes, i think Lowe’s stocks them, 30$.

 

[mike93lx]

The Park Tools HMR-4 is designed for bicycle shop use, but its useful combination of a steel face and a soft face in a 21 oz hammer would probably make a versatile addition to an Airstream 'box.

HMR-4 21 oz. Shop Hammer

A perfectly-balanced full-sized striking instrument built for a wide variety of shop uses, with a forged-steel striking face and a replaceable non-marring composite tip.

www.parktool.com

That in Damascus would be perfect

 

[slowtwitch73]

Please tell me how you can pull tent pegs out with a hatchet. For a lot of years , my hunting camp was a wall tent with a tin airtight wood stove. That cheap claw hammer went in the bag with the 12" spikes.

Really? The stake is presumably sticking proud a bit.. a knock on one side, then the other, up it comes with either hand, the rope etc that was over it, or hook the bottom of the hatchet head onto stake a pull.

 

[jonshonda]

Please tell me how you can pull tent pegs out with a hatchet. For a lot of years , my hunting camp was a wall tent with a tin airtight wood stove. That cheap claw hammer went in the bag with the 12" spikes.

The fun way? Find two sturdy sticks. Set them up like a teeter totter with one end under the tent stake, and hit the other end (which is in the air) with the hatchet. Practice catching the flying tent stakes with the stake bag! Fun for the whole family!

 

[bobg03]

In another life I was an avid RVer, carried a 3# drilling hammer and a metal wedge to split wood, The hammer drove stakes if needed also carried a 3' piece of rope with a loop on each end, perfect for pulling stakes.

 

[FMB4]

I too agree with using a single bit hatchet. Did some sorta serious backpacking and a fair mount of camping during the '70s thru the '80s and early '90s (mainly in the CA Big Sur and Point Reyes areas). That said, a single bit hatchet along with a S bit and/or double bit axe did everything we needed for both camping and backpacking.

 

[kelpaso1]

I like something with claw for pulling the pegs back out, so gave my daughter a carpenter's hatchet.

Most hatchets have a notch on the side for pulling nails (and pegs). Might need a small piece of wood under the hatchet if the ground is soft.

 

[AldeanFan]

This should do it

 

[steaks&anvils]

The fun way? Find two sturdy sticks. Set them up like a teeter totter with one end under the tent stake, and hit the other end (which is in the air) with the hatchet. Practice catching the flying tent stakes with the stake bag! Fun for the whole family!

'fess up, you had lawn darts didn't you?