Lineman's straight claw hammer

[davethorik]

Anybody have/use one of these? I saw an old Stanley Bell System at a flea (for a lot of $$$) and thought they were an interesting but old timey thing.

Some more digging revealed besides used, Klein and Vaughan still sell them today.

Klein 832-32:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000...40_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=klein+linemans+hammer

Vaughan LSC32:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G0PLJLS/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Seems like this could be handy for demo work.

 

[mike93lx]

What does that do that a framing hammer won't? Especially for demo work.

 

[davethorik]

I can save the milling on my framer face. There are other hammers I use for demo now, primarily a 3lb Estwing drilling hammer, but I like the HD claws and longer length of the lineman's.

 

[kursplat]

interesting: been around lineman for a long time, never seen one of those. but since this is a phone co hammer i'll contribute a phone co wrench

 

[davethorik]

interesting: been around lineman for a long time, never seen one of those. but since this is a phone co hammer i'll contribute a phone co wrench

Lol I don't know squat about lineman work, but I do like their pliers. And now this hammer!

 

[hkd76]

interesting: been around lineman for a long time, never seen one of those. but since this is a phone co hammer i'll contribute a phone co wrench

Lag wrench

 

[jeffmoss26]

I have one in my Bell System tool collection

 

[kctyphoon]

I've been a telco lineman going on 18 years and I've never actually seen someone with that style hammer. The one with the hole on the tail end is much more versatile, in my experience anyway. That style MIGHT have been more popular back when crossarms were being installed for telegraph or early phone systems when a flat surface was being created on a round pole to mount the crossarms. That's why you'll see old lineman hatchets too with a square 1" hole in the blade. My best GUESS is the claw may have been used to pry away wood chips creating the notch for a crossarm, and maybe they were nailed in back then before bolts became the norm, but like I said - it's purely a guess on my part.

This is the style I've always used. The hole can install and remove pole steps, straighten bent bolts, or be slipped onto the round handle of a short prybar, to use the hammer handle to drastically increase leverage (kinda like the two wrench trick)

 

[davethorik]

I've been a telco lineman going on 18 years and I've never actually seen someone with that style hammer. The one with the hole on the tail end is much more versatile, in my experience anyway. That style MIGHT have been more popular back when crossarms were being installed for telegraph or early phone systems when a flat surface was being created on a round pole to mount the crossarms. That's why you'll see old lineman hatchets too with a square 1" hole in the blade. My best GUESS is the claw may have been used to pry away wood chips creating the notch for a crossarm, but like I said - it's purely a guess on my part.

That was my guess as well...I had never even seen a hammer like this til that flea market. There are some on ebay, some say Stanley Bell System and some are unbranded but still say Bell System, that look identical. These are usually 48oz, so the more modern versions are a full lb lighter.

I figured it was probably an old timey thing, the design of the hammer just looks antiquated. I did notice one of the auctions said the claws were for "pulling lags," not sure if that is lineman specific or just meant lag bolt.

 

[davethorik]

I have one in my Bell System tool collection

Oops, somehow missed your post! Is it 48oz? Pics???

 

[davethorik]

Also forgot to add, a few other mfrs offer a regular lineman's hammer (Estwing pictured) which kind of looks like a blacksmith's rounding hammer. These come milled face and non. Do linemen use this type at all?

 

[kctyphoon]

I've seen those around.. the heavier stuff is better for driving lags in, and the hole/narrow end offer another tool really.. but if you just need to drive some staples in, or force bolts through a freshly drilled hole, anything will work. The power guys may use those estwing style more, but that's just conjecture on my part.

 

[mikebaker1129]

I am pretty sure HJE has th Gravik version of that Vaughn/Klein hammer for pretty cheap right now $10-12. Vaughn is the OEM am for the Klein and the Gravik.

 

[davethorik]

I am pretty sure HJE has th Gravik version of that Vaughn/Klein hammer for pretty cheap right now $10-12. Vaughn is the OEM am for the Klein and the Gravik.

I just took a look at HJE's site and didn't see the claw type, Mike. But they did have the 2nd type, listed as a farrier's hammer. Those are some good prices!

 

[mark#3]

Yes I have used that type of hammer a lot while working as a lineman.
The wrench was a bell wrench(telephone company) but this is going back 30 years

 

[davethorik]

Yes I have used that type of hammer a lot while working as a lineman

Awesome, do you have any pics you can share?

 

[kctyphoon]

Gmp Extractor / pry tool. Great combination for the hammer with a hole in the head

 

[davethorik]

Gmp Extractor / pry tool. Great combination for the hammer with a hole in the head

Kc- interesting. I have seen those hammers before with the hole, wondered what that was for. Never seen the crow bar attachment. Thanks for sharing!

 

[southalabama]

Dad retired from AT&T and most of his working years was when they were a monopoly.
They had their .....everything. From tool boxes to first aid kits.

They replaced their tools frequently.

As dad culls I find the Bell System marked stuff and save it.

An AT&T repair man came to the office and he had stopped and bought a cheapo basic screwdriver set. I loaned him a Klein.

 

[davethorik]

I have a Stanley Bell System "E" yellow acetate handled screwdriver I just remembered I had. It has a fairly wide flathead blade with a short shank, and an odd radiused bolster. Gotta get a pic.

 

[kctyphoon]

It's not an attachment, I don't think they are even designed to work together. It just so happens the hole in the hammer is bigger that the diameter of the handle of the pry bar. They do work great together though.. it eliminates the need for a long pry bar, and the extractor even has a flat surface made to be struck by a hammer.. it's not even that expensive. Like $25 I think.

 

[mark#3]

not at the moment, I don't know how to post pictures here, I used to use photo bucket on the mutt forums but not since they wanted money, the lineman trade now has a lot of tech-type tools, that made the work easier, but in the old days the job kept you in pretty good shape, (climbing poles,using a sawdust pump to drill holes(bit&brace) hand tamping poles, to give a few examples)

 

[davethorik]

Very informative thread, fellas. Thanks for the knowledge! I think I might have to save up some dough and fill in a few gaps in my hammer selection with those Grayvik @ HJE, and down the road I might pick up one of these lineman's claw hammers just to satisfy my own curiosity.

 

[kursplat]

Lag wrench

i was told bell wrench many moons ago

 

[ovrrdrive]

We used klein hammers but not that one. The only purpose I see for it is that it is basically as functional as a 2lb sledge but has a claw for puling nails/lags. The main benefit over a regular sledge is that it would sit in a belt loop better for climbing. We just threw the other hammers in the bag and pulled them up.

Ex CATV lineman here but we also used the klein bell wrenches too. It fit basically every hardware nut you'd encounter on a pole.

 

[Liledgy]

Yup, got them both. The bell wrench was great for cross arm work, tightening 5/8 bolts. The smaller size for the carriage bolts. The hole in the middle was great for slipping over the threaded end of the bolt and the hitting it with a hammer to bend back the pale washers used to prevent the nuts from getting loose, otherwise you would have to wrench it off the whole way. Good for removing pole steps too. I prefer a 2lb. Sledge over my linemans hammer, pounding 3"x5/8" lags in you needed the extra weight.

 

[kctyphoon]

i was told bell wrench many moons ago

Line wrench is what we always called it

 

[jeffmoss26]

I was wrong, these are the two I have:

 

[shawhite]

Line wrench is what we always called it

Do you guys still use bell wrenches in the northeast. We switched to the lowel ratcheting line wrench down here. Can’t tell you the last time I have seen a guy grab a bell wrench.