Hammer time!

[YesIHaveAHammer]

I'm looking to add a one piece dead blow hammer to my collection. From searching here it seems 32oz (907g) is a generally useful size?

I'd be using it for home/homestead DIY, small equipment and vehicle small jobs.

I'm not sure but it seems dead blows weights is sometimes given for the whole hammer rather than just the head as I believe to be the norm.

---

And any other type suggestions for my collection? I already have the following. Thought a long handle engineer hammer might be handy for two handed use when a sledgehammer doesn't suit.

• Ball pein 10oz, 16oz
• Claw 12oz, 16oz
• Rip claw 16oz
• Electrician's rip claw hammer 11oz
• Lump/club hammer 2lb
• Dead blow with plastic interchangeable heads 16oz
• Tiny with interchangeable heads 6oz
• Rubber mallet 16oz
• Sledgehammer

 

[Outlawmws]

And any other type suggestions for my collection?

Depends on what you do at a detailed level. Can you give more detail than this:

I'd be using it for home/homestead DIY, small equipment and vehicle small jobs.

 

[ecotec]

brass hammer

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Depends on what you do at a detailed level. Can you give more detail than this:

Home interior renovation, partitioning, plumbing, small wood frame building construction/repair, concrete and paving work, small brick/block walls, fencing with wire or wood, drainage, fixing small petrol equipment and trailers, vehicle servicing, bicycle servicing.

But not a lot of any of that routinely, so I don't need everything the tradesmen doing those would do. Anything that as wide application or makes something particularly easier is welcome.

Come think of it, and I've used one before, next fencing piece I might get an aluminium sledgehammer.

 

[Eric Brown]

Home interior renovation, partitioning, plumbing, small wood frame building construction/repair, concrete and paving work, small brick/block walls, fencing with wire or wood, drainage, fixing small petrol equipment and trailers, vehicle servicing, bicycle servicing.

But not a lot of any of that routinely, so I don't need everything the tradesmen doing those would do. Anything that as wide application or makes something particularly easier is welcome.

Come think of it, and I've used one before, next fencing piece I might get an aluminium sledgehammer.

Perhaps a slide hammer with different ends. Other than that I would suggest you look at your "honey do" list. See what tools you might need and put the job off until you find the tools. That can buy you a year or two.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

See what tools you might need and put the job off until you find the tools.

Sure. Right now I'm after a dead blow and thinking 32oz probably.

Kinda distracted my own question with the "also" bit!

 

[four.cycle]

Three pieces that were recently brought back from the dead:


Stanley claw hammer

double-faced soft hammer

small brass hammer

 

[Outlawmws]

"Back from the dead" is always a good thing!

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Gedore Rotband plus - practically worth anything, would you say? I see the two benefits are security and shaft protection.

Since they discontinued the 4 H range, the only way to get a hickory handle is to go for these premium ones.

It's 4x the price of the equivalent widely rebranded hammer with a circular wedge, so I don't expect to be convinced for this particular hammer (not the exact one pictured) especially for occasional use - but it may be a topic of interest.





Same questions - Picard SecuTec

 

[Outlawmws]

Since they discontinued the 4 H range,

Not following this comment.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Not following this comment.

This was their hickory range without rotband plus. Now they only do that in ash.

 

[Outlawmws]

I like the outer steel collar a little, I don't like the long screw threaded into the flexing part of the handle.

I'm also not fan of the big fat taper in the second pic. you want wood there, not inflexible parts and fractures pre-started in the handles by the screw threads.

People proved for over 100 years that wood screws in a handle to secure it doesn't last.

Overall i'm not a fan.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Ball pein hammers & round vs. square faces - I don't remember ever using the ball end of a ball pein, nor seeing my father or grandfather do so in their farm workshops. Equally I don't see what I'd use the wedge end of an engineer/machinist/German type equivalent hammer, but it seems more likely to be used than a ball. So the only difference for me would be the round vs. square face - any pros/cons? Use cases would be hitting chisels/punches, and pieces of steel for bending or breaking off.

Second question, is there any reason I'd want any of my hammers to not be a deadblow except those for driving nails? Seems punches/chisels, freeing stuck things, assembling components and framing, and driving fence posts would all be better served by dead blows with either a plastic or steel face? The only downside would be price, so not worth it for those less commonly used.

 

[four.cycle]

I don't remember ever using the ball end of a ball pein,

You never had to set a rivet?

is there any reason I'd want any of my hammers to not be a deadblow except those for driving nails?

Yes, in those instances where you need to really pound on something, the standard 5-pound hammer comes in real handy.

 

[Beerhippie]

Ball pein hammers & round vs. square faces - I don't remember ever using the ball end of a ball pein, nor seeing my father or grandfather do so in their farm workshops. Equally I don't see what I'd use the wedge end of an engineer/machinist/German type equivalent hammer, but it seems more likely to be used than a ball. So the only difference for me would be the round vs. square face - any pros/cons? Use cases would be hitting chisels/punches, and pieces of steel for bending or breaking off.

Second question, is there any reason I'd want any of my hammers to not be a deadblow except those for driving nails? Seems punches/chisels, freeing stuck things, assembling components and framing, and driving fence posts would all be better served by dead blows with either a plastic or steel face? The only downside would be price, so not worth it for those less commonly used

Hitting things like chisel, nails, etc is best done with a round-face hammer. Try both and see if you agree.

Fence posts are best driven with a post driver. Driving posts with hammers went out a loooong time ago. Or just get or make a post maul and try that, too.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

You never had to set a rivet?

Not sure whether this is a joke, but no. Just pop rivets with a gun.

Hitting things like chisel, nails, etc is best done with a round-face hammer. Try both and see if you agree.

Why is that? I don't have a suitably sized square faced hammer to try.

 

[AreBeeBee]

This thread is about hammers and YesIHaveAHammer just raised a question I've been wondering about for some time. Why do all the pictures show people using cylindrical mallets for driving chisels?

Doesn't make sense to me, but I'm probably ignorant in this. Me, I use your basic small(ish) rubber mallet with a flat face. And I've even used an 8-oz ballpeen hammer for that, but not the ball end.

Puzzled, I am.

 

[Beerhippie]

This thread is about hammers and YesIHaveAHammer just raised a question I've been wondering about for some time. Why do all the pictures show people using cylindrical mallets for driving chisels?

Doesn't make sense to me, but I'm probably ignorant in this. Me, I use your basic small(ish) rubber mallet with a flat face. And I've even used an 8-oz ballpeen hammer for that, but not the ball end.

Puzzled, I am.

What I wonder about is why they bother to put handles on those wooden mallets? Every single serious woodworker I know holds the head in the palm of their hand.

But it's about control. If you need a big-*** whack, get a BFH--and a hell-fer-stout chisel.

 

[nadogail]

As a kid I was lold to not force things, just get a bigger hammer.

 

[RTM]

Why do all the pictures show people using cylindrical mallets for driving chisels?

I do it for controlled work like carving. I don’t use any of my round headed (wooden or brass or lead) for whaling on a chisel. Depending on how big a cut I’m taking will determine how much I choke up.

Doesn't make sense to me, but I'm probably ignorant in this. Me, I use your basic small(ish) rubber mallet with a flat face. .

When I am doing work like mortising, I will switch up to a traditional shaped hammer or mallet, either wood or dead blow, depending on how hard I need to hit it.

My good chisels are generally all wood handled, a few plastic ones. I have a few beater (loan to the neighbors) chisels that might get hit with a metal hammer, but those are usually plastic handled, with a metal cap. My two all metal ones might get hit with a small drilling or sledge hammer.

 

[Outlawmws]

have a few beater (loan to the neighbors) chisels that might get hit with a metal hammer, but those are usually plastic handled, with a metal cap.

I have some of these as well and use as big a hammer as needed as they are my "go to" for serious "can opener" I've done 5, 10, 20, and 55 gallon drums and twice, GPA fount/tanks (by far the most difficult)

A couple are relegated to gasket scraping.

Yes I have some for wood only, but I do the other far more.

 

[Beerhippie]

I have some of these as well and use as big a hammer as needed as they are my "go to" for serious "can opener" I've done 5, 10, 20, and 55 gallon drums and twice, GPA fount/tanks (by far the most difficult)

A couple are relegated to gasket scraping.

Yes I have some for wood only, but I do the other far more.

What? No laser cutter?

Let me see your man card. NOW!

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

people using cylindrical mallets for driving chisels

This confused me for a bit because all mallets are cylindrical.

I believe you mean the cylinder inline with the handle rather than perpendicular, so you're hitting the chisel with the cylindrical "face".

The reason is I believe it's less sensitive to miss-hits that could knock your chisel in a direction you don't want.

 

[GaryM909]

YesIHaveAHammer said:
I don't remember ever using the ball end of a ball pein,

I have used the ball end to pein a weld before it cools.

 

[RTM]

This confused me for a bit because all mallets are cylindrical.

I believe you mean the cylinder inline with the handle rather than perpendicular, so you're hitting the chisel with the cylindrical "face".

The reason is I believe it's less sensitive to miss-hits that could knock your chisel in a direction you don't want.

No

This way is how a carvers mallet is used.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

No

This way is how a carvers mallet is used.

That is what I'm describing, or trying to at least. But a picture does it better.

 

[RTM]

That is what I'm describing, or trying to at least. But a picture does it better.

Your description failed my reading comprehension the first few times, but reading it again, it does make sense.

I should really get some coffee

 

[four.cycle]

Not sure whether this is a joke, but no. Just pop rivets with a gun.

No. Not a joke.
Mr. Buranen taught us how to set a rivet in 8th-grade shop class.
Not something commonly done in the current era, but that's what the "ball" part of a ball pein hammer is for.
Last one I did was to secure a head onto a spading fork.

 

[RTM]

Last one I did was to secure a head onto a spading fork.

Tightening pivot rivets on a pair of shears for me

 

[AreBeeBee]

OK, RTM's photo shows what I was thinking of when I wrote. You use this kind of mallet when doing careful carving, as opposed to basic flat chisel work. I get it. But I'm not a carver, nor do I do dovetails, tenons/mortices, and similar kinds of joinery. My chisels are formerly beat-up bench models, nearly all are $1 and $2 ReStore retreads, now with new cutting edges from me.

While it's all mallet work, there's an apples/oranges misunderstanding on my part. Glad to have it clarified.

 

[KnurledNut]

Ball pein hammers & round vs. square faces - I don't remember ever using the ball end of a ball pein, nor seeing my father or grandfather do so in their farm workshops. Equally I don't see what I'd use the wedge end of an engineer/machinist/German type equivalent hammer, but it seems more likely to be used than a ball. So the only difference for me would be the round vs. square face - any pros/cons? Use cases would be hitting chisels/punches, and pieces of steel for bending or breaking off.

Ball peins work great for making gaskets. Put the sheet material on the part and hammer with the round end to mark and cut for holes and curves.
Square faces come in handy on my tinners hammer for fabricating sheet metal.

 

[Outlawmws]

Ball peins work great for making gaskets.

Learned this one from my boss at the upholstery shop as a teenager.

Thought my dad would lose his mind when I did it in front of him! (former Navy aircraft mechanic... - I never did find out why he didn't stick with it as a civilian... I didn't think to ask before it was too late...)

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Seems to me that it's a "that's what people use in this country" thing, for everyone that doesn't use the other end (which is probably most hammer users). Like with linesman vs. combination pliers.

570g (20oz), 350mm long, 32mm face diameter (804mm^2 face area), 110mm head length.


600g (21oz), 330mm long, 30mm face sides (900mm^2 face area), 118mm head length.

 

[four.cycle]

Stanley 12-oz claw hammer brought back to life 09/24/25

wasn't really in bad condition... was just missing the handle!

 

[Lorydr]

I'm quite late to this thread. I humbly offer a couple BP and the claw cousin.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Through copying elders and easy availability in many sizes, I've learnt to use ball pein hammers to e.g.:

• Small/medium chisels and punches, not needing a lump/club hammer
• Smaller nails, where a 16oz claw hammer would be too much
• Bending or breaking off pieces of steel after grinding

I'm sure I could continue doing that and everything would be fine, but let's not pass on the opportunity to learn.

From reading here and elsewhere, I could/should be using:

• Steel faced dead blow
• Nylon faced dead blow
• Engineer/machinist German type (square face, wedge tail)
• Copper or brass hammer

I get the matter of when you do or don't want the properties of a dead blow, but what about all the other factors?

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

I have never had or used a body hammer before. This is a Stanley hammer. What handle would you put on it? New, short or small length?

 

[Outlawmws]

Leaning to the short or the new, that old long one needs a lot of work to be serviceable.

A shorter handle forces you to a more controlled blow and for someone that uses a body hammer rarely, likely a better option.

That is a nice head BTW, I have that Stanley from my dad's tools and when I was in HS a body guy offered to buy it from me after using it on some work we were doing on a race car..

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

From reading here and elsewhere, I could/should be using:

• Engineer/machinist German type (square face, wedge tail)

Partially answering my own question...

The face width/diameter on these tends to be smaller for the same/closest weight, usually about 10% but as much as 15-20% :

• 16oz (450g) - 29mm vs. 25/27mm for 400/500g
• 20oz (570g) - 32mm vs. 30mm for 600g
• 24oz (680g) - 34mm vs. 30mm for 600g
• 32oz (900g) - 40mm vs. 33/36mm for 800/1000g

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Warrington, or English pattern joiner's hammer. Only ever mentioned here once according to the search.

Use the narrow end to start small nails without bashing your fingers.