Proto ball pein hammers?

[jvitez]

Looking for a set of 8, 12, and 16 oz, though 12 and 16oz would be OK too. I followed the hammer threads using the search function, but found no mention of these. I went to about 7 tool stores around here for Estwing ball pein hammers, none to be found. A 'net search found the Protos. I can mail order Snap-On which is Vaughan, but the Proto look very nice, and they're wood handled too. Don't like fibreglass ones very much.

So, anyone use/seen/handles these? The Canadian Acklands/Grainger price is double!!!!! the US Grainger price, so I'd love some real world experiences before I shell out. Thanks!

 

[GTO]

Look up the Vaughn set on Amazon.Made in USA

VAU18710 5pc. $58.78

 

[toolnut]

http://www.harryepstein.com/hammers.htm

 

[cruiser808]

+1 on not caring for fiberglass handles. Most all my ball pein hammers are older Proto's with wood handles. They work great for me. Take a licking and keep on ticking. They may be Vaughn outsourced, I don't know. Any of the major USA hammer manufacturers such as Vaughn, Estwing, Plumb, etc. should give you good service. Let us know what you eventually select.

 

[mkdive]

I have about 10 ball pein heads I just cleaned up. The handles were beyond repair. So I removed all the handles, cleaned the rust off. Now I am trying to find a good deal on some wood handles to breath some life back into the hammers! Its one of those back burner projects.

 

[mkdive]

@jvitez....whats to story with your avatar? A bunny and a skull of some kind????

 

[matthew]

There's Proto dealers around locally other than Acklands that shouldn't be as expensive. Alternatively some of the better-line Garant stuff looks good, and that's pretty commonly carried in hardware stores, and US or Canadian made.

I agree, too, hickory handles are the way to go. Some of the single piece forged steel with rubber grips (like Estwing or Fuller offer) would be my second choice and fibreglass dead last.

 

[matthew]

@jvitez....whats to story with your avatar? A bunny and a skull of some kind????

Isn't that the killer bunny from Monty Python's Quest For The Holy Grail???

 

[Merkava_4]

Don't like fibreglass ones very much.

You'd love the Protos then. I've got a couple of the MAC versions (same hammers) and they're excellent.

 

[tyndall]

If you're in Winnipeg, Tool World and Doyle's are Proto dealers. Tool World also has the one piece Stanley FatMax Antivibe. I bought a 12oz after checking out most of the tool stores in the city. Nice hammer.

 

[jvitez]

@jvitez....whats to story with your avatar? A bunny and a skull of some kind????

Isn't that the killer bunny from Monty Python's Quest For The Holy Grail???

We have a winner!!!

TIM (the enchanter): Follow! But! follow only if ye be men of valor, for the entrance to this cave is guarded by a creature so foul, so cruel that no man yet has fought with it and lived! Bones of four fifty men lie strewn about its lair. So, brave knights, if you do doubt your courage or your strength, come no further, for death awaits you all with nasty big pointy teeth.

TIM "Well, that's no ordinary rabbit. That's the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on. Look, that rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide, it's a killer!"
ROBIN "What's he do, nibble your bum?"

Then the rabbit leaps at the soldier and cuts his head off. I love Monty Python and Holy Grail. I must have seen it ten times. I was wondering when someone would catch on. Thanks for noticing mkdive, and great job matthew!

If you're in Winnipeg, Tool World and Doyle's are Proto dealers. Tool World also has the one piece Stanley FatMax Antivibe. I bought a 12oz after checking out most of the tool stores in the city. Nice hammer.

Tool World, of course! I saw my first Wera screwdrivers there. Forgot about the Proto display they have. Good guys too I've found. Doyle's give me nice memories. My dear departed Dad got his Proto metric wrench set there in 1979, some metric made in England Britool sockets, and a great Beach tool chest. I still have them all. And I've got the shipping invoice too, no prices though. Great tips. I'll check them out.

I was hoping to try Estwing steel ball pein hammers, but for claw hammers I always like wood. My fibreglass BP is really fraying. I should throw it out before it flies across the room as some have posted. I'm only a weekend warrior, so any new ones should last a really long time. Thanks guys for all your help.

 

[krusty the clown]

We have a winner!!!

TIM (the enchanter): Follow! But! follow only if ye be men of valor, for the entrance to this cave is guarded by a creature so foul, so cruel that no man yet has fought with it and lived! Bones of four fifty men lie strewn about its lair. So, brave knights, if you do doubt your courage or your strength, come no further, for death awaits you all with nasty big pointy teeth.

TIM "Well, that's no ordinary rabbit. That's the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on. Look, that rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide, it's a killer!"
ROBIN "What's he do, nibble your bum?"

an all time classic........

 

[TheGrooveking]

I have guitar pedal named after Tim.

TheGrooveking

 

[tyndall]

I was hoping to try Estwing steel ball pein hammers, but for claw hammers I always like wood. My fibreglass BP is really fraying. I should throw it out before it flies across the room as some have posted. I'm only a weekend warrior, so any new ones should last a really long time. Thanks guys for all your help.

Estwing was my first choice. Couldn't find them anywhere locally and wasn't about to get something as simple as a hammer shipped. That's why I went with the all steel FatMax.

You might want to try A. Adams Supply and Luke's Machinery too. Adams can get Wright, Doyle's stocks some SK and can get Snap-On, and all of them can get Gray Tools.

 

[jvitez]

Well, I found an 8 oz Proto ball pein hammer at a local tool store. Beautiful. Waiting to use it. The Mrs. wanted satellite TV to watch the olympics. Cable guy shows up. Pleasant young guy, polite, neat. Drilling through the concrete with his hammer drill, and the bit gets stuck, really stuck. He removes the drill from the bit, can't work it out. I give him the Proto and say "Here, try whacking the end with this." He goes outside and does so: whacking the cutting end of the masonry bit.... Gives me back the hammer: a whole bunch of dents taken out of the face. I give him the hammer to keep.

Now, I'll be ordering 8/12/16 oz versions of the same. I think of it as a test run.

 

[Vinko]

I've been looking for a 48oz ball pein. Haven't found many. Proto only up 40oz. I think Armstrong the same. Maybe Vaughan. Or maybe time to get Engineers hammer or mini sledge.

 

[stewart]

Well, I found an 8 oz Proto ball pein hammer at a local tool store. Beautiful. Waiting to use it. The Mrs. wanted satellite TV to watch the olympics. Cable guy shows up. Pleasant young guy, polite, neat. Drilling through the concrete with his hammer drill, and the bit gets stuck, really stuck. He removes the drill from the bit, can't work it out. I give him the Proto and say "Here, try whacking the end with this." He goes outside and does so: whacking the cutting end of the masonry bit.... Gives me back the hammer: a whole bunch of dents taken out of the face. I give him the hammer to keep.

Now, I'll be ordering 8/12/16 oz versions of the same. I think of it as a test run.

This one of those times you actually need a harbor freight type hammer. This is where the 98 cents made in indonesia hammer shines. The ends of those bits are really hard.

 

[Tim Cowan]

I have some wood handle Proto's that I bought 40+ years ago and they are still ready to hit when needed......

 

[jvitez]

Well look what I brought home today.......

 

[Elroy]

Those are very nice. Good score.

 

[jvitez]

Thanks. I never thought I'd get excited about hammers. Boy, this GJ certainly does affect a person.

I like it.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

I've been looking for a 48oz ball pein. Haven't found many. Proto only up 40oz. I think Armstrong the same. Maybe Vaughan. Or maybe time to get Engineers hammer or mini sledge.

Look at the Harry Epstein ad above. Vaughn makes a 3 lb (48 oz) hammer that sells for $19.55

 

[arz71]

Well look what I brought home today.......

Really old post but is these still around?