Harbor Freight Dead Blow Hammer

[LB-1911]

Never considered the cold. I'm sure it factored in. No heat in the shop and it was somewhere around twenty degrees.

I have a couple proto ones but they are smaller and are reserved for engine work not chassis work.

I'm sure the temperature played a role -As an example Trusty Cook warns of use below 38°

Trusty-Cook warrants all its hammers against failure in normal use (manufacturing defects) for a 2 year period.

Warning: striking a cold hammer (below 38 degrees) may/will cause a cracking failure.


https://trustycook.com/warranty-and-terms/

 

[Mechanical Noise]

I'm happy with my HF deadblow. Had it for at least three years. I don't use it like a sledge, more like extra firm tapping and rapping. Maybe I'm another winner in the HF quality control lottery. For what it's worth, my deadblow is the one with the duller finish.

 

[rlitman]

I've had several Blue Point and a Snap-on that just fell apart in the drawer. Snap-on warrantied all of them.

I had a Snap On deadblow do that in the drawer too. Had no trouble getting it replaced either. It seems that a certain vintage of these Snap On hammers mostly in orange had a habit of shrinking and cracking on the shelf.

That's what happens to my first deadblow (kobalt)

I threw it away and got one of these harbor freights. It has held up extremely well through much abuse. And for the cost, if it grenades anytime soon, I'll just go pick up a coulple more.

Kobalt has a lifetime warranty on hand tools just like Pittsburgh. You should have gone to Lowes for a replacement.

I've busted up the heads of two old black HF deadblow hammers. Their shiny orange replacements have served me well so far.

I'm sure the temperature played a role -As an example Trusty Cook warns of use below 38° ...

Absolutely, yes, this is the answer. Deadblow hammers are made from plastic, and no matter what the brand, they can be destroyed by beating on them in the cold.

 

[BlackLS2]

I'm sure the temperature played a role -As an example Trusty Cook warns of use below 38°

Trusty-Cook warrants all its hammers against failure in normal use (manufacturing defects) for a 2 year period.

Warning: striking a cold hammer (below 38 degrees) may/will cause a cracking failure.


https://trustycook.com/warranty-and-terms/

This. Plastic simply has limitations; US or China plastic. While HF is not Space Station rated, it's a $8 hammer and the HF employees just tell you to grab a new one.

The other HF advantage is that I hate the feeling from the tool truck ops that you are taking food out of their babies mouths with warranty claims. It's not like all the truck ops give that off, I know I just must feel that way based on past experiences. Personalized service has a weird underbelly at times. Sometimes it's nice to deal with someone that has little vested interest...and you will likely never see again.

 

[bcradio]

There is a difference in deadblow hammers. You get what you pay for, something about the word HAMMER and CHINA does not end well. Lifetime warranty now that is funny, one spends their TIME, FUEL and other expenses returning the garbage. If you add that up one could have bought a USA made one.

Funny, you're about the only one in this thread that feels this way.


OP my money is on the cold.

 

[Mickey O]

Funny, you're about the only one in this thread that feels this way.


OP my money is on the cold.

Not the only one and I bet Trusty Cook would say the same. You could offer me that hammer for free and I wouldn't take it. You could offer me that hammer for free along with a pizza and I would take it, eat the pizza and then throw away the hammer.

 

[-Brent-]

I had a smaller S-O that I broke similarly. I used it in a situation where I should have used a different hammer.

 

[rlitman]

There is a difference in deadblow hammers. You get what you pay for, something about the word HAMMER and CHINA does not end well. Lifetime warranty now that is funny, one spends their TIME, FUEL and other expenses returning the garbage. If you add that up one could have bought a USA made one.

Look, I wouldn't go out of my way to buy a deadblow hammer at HF, but there happen to be THREE HF stores along my commute (a fourth that's a 15 minute drive from my house, and a fifth that's a 10 minute detour from my commute that I haven't ever bothered to visit). For me, it is FAR less time consuming to exchange a deadblow at an HF store than it is to get one of my Snap Ons replaced (the only two brands of deadblow hammers I happen to own). And for me, the same reasoning stands for Kobalt tools from Lowes, Husky tools from Home Depot, or Craftsman tools from Sears.

 

[dogdog]

There is a difference in deadblow hammers. You get what you pay for, something about the word HAMMER and CHINA does not end well. Lifetime warranty now that is funny, one spends their TIME, FUEL and other expenses returning the garbage. If you add that up one could have bought a USA made one.

Any plastic in the Sun and cold or expose to certain chemicals gets impacts will fail faster.... but of cause despite that misuse of a tool also shorten the life of a tool.... It its not a glove that fits all..... If you think only Snap-on fits you... by all means belief in what you believe in.

Superiority complex ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_blow_hammer

 

[AA/FC]

The HF dead blow that I broke was only about a year old. It had been used many times on metal parts and pieces with no trouble. The day that it shattered was about -20F (minus 20F) and broke on the first hit. After I received my free replacement, it now resides on the floor of the back seat in my service truck where it stays warm. (Along with certain other temp sensitive tools) Not a big deal.

And for you anti HF guys..... get real!!! I am one of the biggest SO fan boys on this site. I'm one of those guys who usually insists on buying American when at all possible. But that doesnt mean I can't, or won't use Chinese HF tools on occasion. After all it's just a hammer (in this case). Its a metal canister of "shot" welded to a handle, then dipped in plastic.... it's a "dumb" tool. You cant really screw it up. And guess what... USA produced plastic hammers break in cold weather too, not just HF junk!

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[nes999]

My harbor freight dead blow lasted about a year when it gave up the ghost. The biggest pain is cleaning up the shot. My trusty cooks and Mac have lasted alot longer. To me it's worth the extra money to not have to clean up the shot.

I like harbor freight for items I know I won't need long term. However anything I want to last I go and buy decent quality stuff.

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

 

[stercorarius]

Well I guess I'll wrap my deadblow in electrical tape and keep on beating on. No time or money for a HF trip or a replacement and the cold ain't goin nowhere.

Sent from my S60 using Tapatalk

 

[AA/FC]

My harbor freight dead blow lasted about a year when it gave up the ghost. The biggest pain is cleaning up the shot. My trusty cooks and Mac have lasted alot longer. To me it's worth the extra money to not have to clean up the shot.

Oh, I think you had a completely diffrrent problem from what the OP, and myself have experienced with the HF dead blow. My hammer did not give up the shot, only the plastic shattered into small pieces. You're into a totally different topic, which may, or may not be a common problem with these hammers... But in this thread the OP is discussing the shattered plastic.


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