Hammers: I'm confused.

[c2sedan]

I'm sure that will sound like a silly question to some, but I would like some clarification.

Yesterday, I was in Home Depot when I came a cross a sale display that kind of puzzled me.

They were selling two packs of hammers, one "claw" and one "ripping".
Same size, same weight, same length of handle, only difference I could see was slight difference in the angle of the claw.

So what I would like to know is this:

What exactly is the difference?

 

[carterbeauford]

The rip hammer is generally used for framing and ripping construction tasks while a curved claw hammer is a double-ended hammer that is used for hammering and pulling out of nails. The curved claw hammer has a deep curve on one end while the other being flat. This is commonly used for pulling out nails. In contrast, the rip hammer is much flatter and is used to rip apart the wood that has been nailed together.

The rip hammer is a heavy tool and is mainly used by professionals while the curved claw hammer is a light tool that can be used at home by less-professional users.

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/what-is-the-difference-between-a-claw-hammer-and-a-rip-hammer#b

 

[metaleltr]

The straight claw is usually more prevalent among contractors. Since I have started using rip claws i have had no desire to use a curved claw. i don't know the science behind it, but it is just a difference of the claws.

 

[c2sedan]

Ok, thanks carterbeauford that explains alot. I think I understand now.

 

[Farma11]

a rip claw is handy for demo type work. you can start a rip claw between boards to pull apart much easier than a claw. It's also angled just right to drive into your work with another hammer.

 

[Vvmvbb]

Yep. Both will remove nails and rip stuff a part. Ripping hammer is much better than a claw for use as as a crow bar, claw is better at removing nails.

 

[woody 73]

Hammers you got too love them...Hope you bought the two pack, and at your next garage sale keep picking them up ,soon you will enjoy using different makes and models from all steel shafts to fiberglass and beyond:

http://www.hammersource.com/Framing_Hammers/

 

[davethorik]

I was at Lowe's and they had made in USA Vaughan California Framer hammers. I think that is next on the list. A man can never have enough hammers.

 

[skeletonizer]

I have done my fair share of hammering over the years both professionally and on my own junk. I have found that the most versatile (for me) is the 22oz smooth face framing hammer. I was fond of the old Stanley round steel handles but I have not seen one in years. They rang like a tuning fork on every strike. My boss hated it.

The closest to it that I have now is the Estwing E3-22S. Big enough to sink 16's with a set and two swings. Smooth face so you're not ruining exposed material.

The only drawback is the blade style shaft is too weak to really side load when torquing boards apart. I have bent one.

 

[Zeke]

a rip claw is handy for demo type work. you can start a rip claw between boards to pull apart much easier than a claw. It's also angled just right to drive into your work with another hammer.

Don't hit a hammer with another hammer. If you're in that situation get a prybar like a cat's paw and a mallet.

 

[Farma11]

Don't hit a hammer with another hammer.

I knew someone would say this. Mythbusters busted this

 

[pendragon1998]

Estwing warns against striking two hammers together.

 

[m.b.0331]

I prefer the rip claw to the curved claw because the straighter claw makes it easier to pull nails. Instead of yanking the hammer around in the same plane as you strike in, "walk" the nail out by rocking the hammer side to side. Pull down easy, readjust the claw low on the nail again, pull to the other side, repeat a few times, and you're out. With a good straight rip claw your handle should be vertical in the starting position. A curved claw will put the handle at a tighter angle (45 degrees maybe) to the wood.

I haven't seen many 16oz rip claw hammers with a truly straight claw, those appear on heavier hammers, I believe.

 

[neophyte]

I knew someone would say this. Mythbusters busted this

The Mythbusters test wasn't good science. I've personally had a chip fly out of a hammer face. Other people on this forum have reported similar instances. I've also seen enough pictures of hammers with chunks missing out of the faces to say that hammer faces can chip and send shrapnel flying. Carpenters hammers are made for driving soft steel nails into wood. If you use them to hammer on hardened steel like another hammer face, or some sort of structural or hardened steel, the hammer face is far more likely to shatter or chip.

 

[MattPersman]

Estwing warns against striking two hammers together.

Today's society, in thE USA anyways, has to warn against everything and anything because people try to file lawsuits for anything common sense or with the slightest chance of harm, damage, etc.

 

[rlitman]

Today's society, in thE USA anyways, has to warn against everything and anything because people try to file lawsuits for anything common sense or with the slightest chance of harm, damage, etc.

No. I don't have to warn you that posting on this forum will cause a pack of weasels to start biting you, and the dripping blood from that will get you eaten by sharks.

While the Mythbusters analysis was interesting, it was far from conclusive. Absolutely chips can fly from hammers and chisels.

 

[Kevin54]

A chisel will chip before a hammer. When you have a chisel head or punch that the head starts mushrooming out and splitting around the edges, grind it down. I had a piece hit me in the web at the base of the thumb. It bled a little and stopped. It hurt a little. About 6 month later, I was turning the car wheel and felt a sharp stabbing pain. The piece was still in there and scarred over. A small can't twist clamp, a little alcohol, and a clean sharp exacto blade and surgery was over. The piece was about as big around as pencil lead and twice as long as round

If you are going to get a hammer and going to do framing, get yourself a good 24oz. framing hammer with the meat tenderizer head. Just don't hit your thumb with it, twice, or it will peel meat. But a good framing hammer will save a lot of time driving nails over a little claw hammer.

 

[cburnscrx]

I have done my fair share of hammering over the years both professionally and on my own junk. I have found that the most versatile (for me) is the 22oz smooth face framing hammer...The closest to it that I have now is the Estwing E3-22S. Big enough to sink 16's with a set and two swings. Smooth face so you're not ruining exposed material

I have the Estwing and love it. There's also a place for a claw hammer in the arsenal too. Ever remove siding? Get both and call it a day.

 

[captaindiode]

We sent a student to the ER once when he hit two hammer faces together and one of them exploded. He was pulling a nail. Shrapnel went deep into his arm. Does it happen often? No. Can it happen? Yes.

 

[Outlawmws]

Today's society, in thE USA anyways, has to warn against everything and anything because people try to file lawsuits for anything common sense or with the slightest chance of harm, damage, etc.

These warnings have been around from hammer manufacturers since well before I was born. This one has nothing to do with our current crop of lawyer's warnings...

I've seen way too many chipped and damaged hammer faces/heads to ignore this one. Will they ALL do it? No. I've seen some that the hammer head is mushrooming, but far more often I see them chipped.

Besides, if they don't do the heat treatment perfectly, you can get an even harder face than their spec planned for, or softer, hence my observations above...

And yes, agreed, Mythbusters often uses flawed logic and methods. If you had never noticed, it's entertainment, not a scientific documentary.

 

[basspro]

I have an Estwing 20 rip that I bought back in high school. Built a house, several garages and our family cabin with it, its seen alot of work and abuse, I even lost it for a year or so and then later found it, covered in rust. Cleaned it up and put it in my box at work. It has more sentimental value to it now, not that I use it in my mechanics chest, I just like it. If I could only pick one hammer, Id pick that one.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

Don't you think the likelihood of shattering a hammer face is much greater with the ham-fisted ones, as opposed to those who hit with reasonable force to get the claws under a nail? Man, I've sure seen it done a great number of times, but always by experienced carpenters who know how to swing a hammer, but won't take time to go find a cat's paw.

 

[woody 73]

"Thaw with her gentle persuasion is more powerful than Thor with his hammer. The one melts, the other breaks into pieces".

Henry David Thoreau

 

[pauls_workshop]

The Mythbusters test wasn't good science. I've personally had a chip fly out of a hammer face. Other people on this forum have reported similar instances. I've also seen enough pictures of hammers with chunks missing out of the faces to say that hammer faces can chip and send shrapnel flying. Carpenters hammers are made for driving soft steel nails into wood. If you use them to hammer on hardened steel like another hammer face, or some sort of structural or hardened steel, the hammer face is far more likely to shatter or chip.

Go ahead and hit a hammer with another hammer, just make sure that other hammer is a DEADBLOW, plastic covered, like the HF ones people like. Then you won't risk chipping the end off the hardened first hammer when you hit it. That is safe to do. - Paul

 

[carcajou]

I watched a guy lose an eye two years ago to hitting a hammer with another hammer. I knew it could happen, but in a rush to complete the job i figured " just this once". IT CAN HAPPEN!

 

[er3456df]

How hard are you guys hitting with that 2nd hammer? A couple love-taps is all I've ever needed, and any hammer that shatters under that wasn't worth using to begin with.

 

[mechan]

I watched a guy lose an eye two years ago to hitting a hammer with another hammer. I knew it could happen, but in a rush to complete the job i figured " just this once". IT CAN HAPPEN!

So, safety glasses were optional?

 

[Farmerjonathan]

I was always told the straight claws were for roof work and if you started sliding, slam the claws into the roof and hold onto the hammer. Curved claws inside so you didn't hit your face.

 

[Joe B.]

I have hit two ball pein hammer together to loosen up the screws that hold on Honda rotors. (Put the ball end of one aginst the screw and hit the face of it with the other hammer.)

I remember once I found a lawsuit online where someone sued Sears/Vaughn because of a chip from hammer head damaged a guys eye. The lawsuit was from quite a while ago. 70s at the most recent.

My personal view is that people don't get hurt from hitting hammers together. They get hurt because they were not taking simple safety precautions like wearing safety glasses. I never swing a hammer of any type without protecting my eyes. It is just cheap insurance.

Wow, this thread went off track! Sorry OP.

 

[carcajou]

So, safety glasses were optional?

He had safety glasses on, he was bent over somewhat at the time and it may have been a ricochet off his hard hat we just don't know. But it could have been prevented and i still feel like **** when i think about it.

 

[mechan]

He had safety glasses on, he was bent over somewhat at the time and it may have been a ricochet off his hard hat we just don't know. But it could have been prevented and i still feel like **** when i think about it.

Unfortunately in hind sight most job site accidents could have been prevented, but I think that it only makes it worse knowing that. Hopefully the guy was able to be taken care of by insurance after the ordeal.

 

[DekeT]

I knew someone would say this. Mythbusters busted this

If it's on TV it must be true.

 

[jvitez]

I have done my fair share of hammering over the years both professionally and on my own junk.

You were a gigolo with a masochistic streak?

 

[Zeke]

Don't you think the likelihood of shattering a hammer face is much greater with the ham-fisted ones, as opposed to those who hit with reasonable force to get the claws under a nail? Man, I've sure seen it done a great number of times, but always by experienced carpenters who know how to swing a hammer, but won't take time to go find a cat's paw.

That doesn't make sense. What kind of carpenter has 2 hammers in his belt but no puller? Also, we are talking here about hammers in the aisle at the home store. While I personally wouldn't have a problem abusing a Vaughn or Eastwood, I'd be leery of those in the boxes on the bottom shelf.

That's one tool I won't buy at HF.

 

[xfrk]

I knew a guy who hit one hammer with another to get it under an imbedded nail. He underwent a brief surgery to remove the metal chip from near the bone in his forearm.

 

[alinc100]

.Spend the big money and buy a Stilletto Titanium hammer.They are the hammer of choice doing scaffolding and at 15 oz but having the force/impact/momentum of a 28 oz hammer it makes short work of framing nails. Much more kind to your elbow and wrist. The TB15 has one of the best nail pullers I have ever used.

And we had about 1/2 the hammers with smooth other half was waffle head. You could feel small bits if the waffle heads and the steel scaffolds sending out micro shrapnel.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

That doesn't make sense. What kind of carpenter has 2 hammers in his belt but no puller? Also, we are talking here about hammers in the aisle at the home store. While I personally wouldn't have a problem abusing a Vaughn or Eastwood, I'd be leery of those in the boxes on the bottom shelf.

That's one tool I won't buy at HF.

Gimme yer hammer for a sec.

 

[Zeke]

Gimme yer hammer for a sec.

No! Go get a cat's paw. If you don't have one come back tomorrow with enough tools to work.

 

[Tucko]

a rip claw is handy for demo type work. you can start a rip claw between boards to pull apart much easier than a claw. It's also angled just right to drive into your work with another hammer.

Are you suggesting slamming two hammers into each other????

 

[Tucko]

I was at Lowe's and they had made in USA Vaughan California Framer hammers. I think that is next on the list. A man can never have enough hammers.

HA! At last count, I had over 20 various hammers, mallets, etc....Still need a rawhide mallet or two..