School me on hammers

[Ton ton]

Why a straight claw? Isn't it a curved claw more useful? A straight one does look cooler.

The correct answer to get both. Then post your findings. This is Garage journal.

 

[jives]

Why a straight claw? Isn't it a curved claw more useful? A straight one does look cooler.

Straight claw allows you to use the claw to rip into and demolish things, which is an actual purpose of the straight claw that is otherwise known as a ripping claw or a ripping hammer. You won't do that with a small hammer, so they have curved claws.

I have 4 claw hammers. A 12 oz curved claw with wood handle, a 16 oz all metal ripping claw Estwing that does the majority of the shop duties, a 20 oz all metal ripping claw DeWalt that is my favorite for actual construction nailing, and a 20 oz all metal ripping claw Stanley Fat Max that sits in my shed toolbox and hammers on most anything that is not a nail.

 

[redwrench60]

It’s only more useful if you put nails where they don’t belong and have to jerk em back out. The claw is great as a wrecking bar, pry bar, digger, hookaroon, lever ect.

 

[mervyn]

mmm hammers. now that I think about it, I have quite a few. I'll have to snap a pic.

 

[Bubba Fett]

Why a straight claw? Isn't it a curved claw more useful? A straight one does look cooler.

Claw hammers with a are for general purpose/household nailing, The curved claw is great for removing nails. This is the first kind of hammer anyone should get IMO.

Framing hammers have a strait(er) claw is great for demolition and ripping/pulling boards, and tend to be bigger. Pro framers don't have to pull so many nails and if they do, they can put a small block of wood underneath for more leverage. These are meant for bigger construction jobs.

Ball-pein hammers have a slightly softer face, and are better for metalworking, chiseling, etc. (hitting metal) They are less likely to send small shards of metal flying than a Claw or Framing hammer.

Rubber mallets, dead blow hammers, and soft face hammers are good for nudging things in place without damaging them. These are better for assembling things, tapping delicate parts into place, etc.

Soft face hammers and wooden mallets are also used for chiseling wood, and joining wood pieces together without damage.

Drilling (a.k.a Club) hammers look like miniature sledge hammers, and are great for chiseling through masonry or concrete. They are heavy, but the weight does the work.

Sledge hammers are used to knock the **** out of something, or get * through * something, like walls or sidewalks.

There are a lot of other kinds of hammers, but those are more specialized. (Rock hammers, blacksmith hammers, various pein hammers, rigging axes, etc.)

 

[AngryBeaver]

Add a few claw hammers, straight and curved,
then add a few specialty hammers and you should have it covered.

 

[seber]

Add a few claw hammers, straight and curved,
then add a few specialty hammers and you should have it covered.

I hope that's a sales drawer because I'd swear not one of those has ever been used.

 

[RAS61]

I bet the following is all you'll ever need:

1) 16 oz claw - will cover 95% of your hammer needs, I've had a Plumb with fiberglass handle for 30 years (?) that I love. I saw a Plumb in a special offer display at Lowes I think several months a ago, was selling for something silly like $10, almost bought it out of reflex

2) Ball Peen - 20 oz or so

3) Dead Blow - 24 oz to maybe 2 lbs, much better and more useful than a rubber mallet

 

[King Nothing]

I have Popular Mechanics hammer that I bought from Wal-Mart when I was starting out. It's all once piece, and I suspect it's a rebranded Estwing, as the handle is similar, but orange. The handle does have a different texture, and because of the color, it's easy to find.

I have Popular Mechanics hammer that I bought from Wal-Mart when I was starting out. It's all once piece, and I suspect it's a rebranded Estwing, as the handle is similar, but orange. The handle does have a different texture, and because of the color, it's easy to find.

Does it look something like this?

 

[King Nothing]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I was in the orange store today and needed to get my total over $1k to get 0%. Picked up a 22oz Milwaukee framer, 16 and 12oz DeWalts, a small tack hammer for the delicate work, a 4# mini sledge for persuasion, and a couple Milwaukee locking pliers just because. Now I can pass the random junk I was using down to my son

 

[Bubba Fett]

Does it look something like this?

That's it!

 

[King Nothing]

That's it!

Now you’re making me want to keep it instead of giving it to my son LOL

 

[matt_i]

I really like hammers. Guess every problem looks like a nail

The Douglas is my fave, I built a whole building with it over using a nail gun And the standard Estwing I used on the roof so I wouldn't wear out the face on the Douglas lol.

 

[Mallen]

Just get a cobalt or husky claw hammer for now. There's an old saying. If you don't know a tool, you probably don't need it

There's a lot of wisdom to that. With most anything I don't know a lot about, I'll buy the cheapest junk I can get. There are exceptions. But that's usually the case. The idea is, if you pay 150 bucks for something. And it works ok, but you now realize that you would have been better served with something a bit different, your kind of stick with what you bought. But if you buy the cheap disposable junk for 15 dollars, that just kinda gets the job done, then you have a chance to learn all the shortcomings of that sort of item. Then throw it the trash and buy exactly what you need.

 

[Mallen]

I don't believe you can have too many hammers. It's kinda like having too much money.

My understanding was that you had to choose one or the other of those.

 

[Dakotadadv8]

Great suggestions from others. Definitely need 3 to 5 hammers at least. Bought all my hammers for non auto use over 25 years ago Stanley at HD and Craftsman at Sears, around $35 for the CM claw hammer at the time. Probably $50 to $70 for a US made hammer today. Today for non auto use, still mostly used the Craftsman 16oz claw hammer when I needed. For serious DIYer projects, framing, trim, and non screws application (impact driver), bring out the nail guns. For auto I use SO hammers, but this is for another thread.

 

[Al Borland]

Why a straight claw? Isn't it a curved claw more useful? A straight one does look cooler.

Because the curved claws do nothing as well as a rip hammer claw. Worse for nail-pulling, useless as a pick. Break easier, too.

 

[Al Borland]

So I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m 42 years old and never owned a good hammer. I realized this while walking by the hammer section at Lowe’s tonight then got overwhelmed at the selection. If I’m just a regular homeowner and I was to buy just one hammer, what type and weight should I buy? What if I was to buy 2, or 3?

For "Just One" you want Thor's hammer.

 

[Dumber than lumber]

So I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m 42 years old and never owned a good hammer. I realized this while walking by the hammer section at Lowe’s tonight then got overwhelmed at the selection. If I’m just a regular homeowner and I was to buy just one hammer, what type and weight should I buy? What if I was to buy 2, or 3?

Hammers are not used to bang a wife.
Not your wife. Not someone else's wife.

 

[Ton ton]

This thread is actually starting to get interesting.

 

[tyyost]

Just one? I'd choose the 20oz smooth face Estwing. Upgrade that to the Dewalt mig weld if there's budget (though I would choose the Estwing and a second hammer first).

I realize everyone else just said 16oz claw - I just don't think you need a "nice" one of those until you're several hammers deep. The 20oz is a nice all-rounder. Hang a picture or do a little framing. It will work (whereas driving a 3.5" ardox with a 16oz would be a chore).

I loved my Estwing 20oz framer, but I was doing a floor project a few years back and noticed my elbow was sore and achy after a bunch of setting underlayment nails. I bought a DeWalt 14oz Mig Welded hammer and it hits almost as har, seems plenty tough and absorbs shock different than the Estwing. While I have tons of hammers that DeWalt lives in my everyday tool box and the Estwings live in my carpentry box with the chalk lines, nail pullers and bars.

As I get older I keep finding that my preference in tools is shifting, and taking care of my body is at least as important as getting the job done. Any hammer you plan on swinging for an extended time should feel good to YOU. I don’t like wood handles for hitting nails, but when it comes to hitting metal in mini sledges or ball pein it is my choice. I have never warmed up to fiberglass handles but others love them. Don‘t be afraid to try a variety of them, I miss my Sears that had the rubber pad to try out different hammers on in the store.

 

[dutchgray]

Because the curved claws do nothing as well as a rip hammer claw. Worse for nail-pulling, useless as a pick. Break easier, too.

The curved claws pull nails just fine, you can still grip and side pull them until the edges of the claws blunt too much, but a straight may be slightly better, it might just be what you are used to.
They also effectively shorten the head of the hammer slightly making it easier to swing into a narrow stud bay without the claws hitting a stud on the way in, the kind of stud spacing you can't get a nail gun into.
If you do new work with 2' spacings everywhere a straight framing hammer is the tool to hang on your belt while all the nails are fired in with a nail gun.

 

[Al Borland]

The curved claws pull nails just fine, you can still grip and side pull them until the edges of the claws blunt too much, but a straight may be slightly better, it might just be what you are used to.
They also effectively shorten the head of the hammer slightly making it easier to swing into a narrow stud bay without the claws hitting a stud on the way in, the kind of stud spacing you can't get a nail gun into.
If you do new work with 2' spacings everywhere a straight framing hammer is the tool to hang on your belt while all the nails are fired in with a nail gun.

For those "weasel in between 16 inch OC studs" tasks, engineers hammer has no claws, smaller profile, and more mass to drive a nail with a short swing.

 

[dutchgray]

For those "weasel in between 16 inch OC studs" tasks, engineers hammer has no claws, smaller profile, and more mass to drive a nail with a short swing.

Yeah but are you going to go back to get it out the toolbox when you are working, or just manage with what was already on your belt.

FWIW you see very few straight claw hammers being used here in the UK. When I started in construction in 2004 you couldn't even buy one locally, you would have had to have it ordered in or bought online.

 

[rsanter]

First hammer should be the basic 16oz claw. Get a good quality one as they are not that costly but you don't need the super expensive one. Just good name brand.

Next you need a dean blow mallet. Just for knocking things in place. I have one from HF I have been using for years. Has held up far longer than I expected.

Next you need an engineers hammer (big ball pien) or small sledge for beating in those really tough items that are ******* you off

Next hammer? By this time you should have an idea what you need and it will change depending on the person and what you are doing

 

[LOW1]

Don’t over think it. Hammers have been around for at least 20000 years. They are a little more polished now but still serve the same purpose they did then ~ hitting something that you want to move or change. Buy a 16 oz wooden handled Vaughan and be done with it.

 

[Ton ton]

Don’t over think it. Hammers have been around for at least 20000 years. They are a little more polished now but still serve the same purpose they did then ~ hitting something that you want to move or change. Buy a 16 oz wooden handled Vaughan and be done with it.

Great idea.

 

[Blind1]

I bet the following is all you'll ever need:

1) 16 oz claw - will cover 95% of your hammer needs, I've had a Plumb with fiberglass handle for 30 years (?) that I love. I saw a Plumb in a special offer display at Lowes I think several months a ago, was selling for something silly like $10, almost bought it out of reflex

2) Ball Peen - 20 oz or so

3) Dead Blow - 24 oz to maybe 2 lbs, much better and more useful than a rubber mallet

Hard to go wrong here.

I primarily use a 15oz estwing straight claw for nails and demo, and a 3lb stubby for “move” type things.

Edit: my other hammers are either Vaughan or estwing.

 

[81CJ-7]

For around the house, a 16oz straight claw smooth face. If your aim is good, I’d get a wooden handle. I have been using a Vaughn wooden handle framer almost every day for the past 20 years, and it is no where near worn out. If you aim is not the best, I recommend an Estwing steel handle. A curved claw is limited in what you can do with it due to end running almost parallel to the handle, while a straight claw is much more versatile being somewhat perpendicular to the handle. You will fine a lot more ways to use it, than just pulling a nail.

 

[81CJ-7]

Also, I Personally prefer The feel of a Vaughn, but both Vaughn and Estwing are quality forged tools made here in the USA

 

[Terra Nova]

Smooth face 16-20 oz claw hammer will do the vast majority of homeowner type tasks.

After that things get a bit more specialized. I would follow it up with a ball peen of reasonable size (16-32 oz), a soft face hammer, and then a 3-4 lb engineer or cross peen hammer. Once you find uses for all those you'll have a good idea on where to go from there.

Estwing 20 oz rip claw has served me well.

 

[BMWBOB]

Or make your own! This is a mortising hammer made out of osage orange with a fir handle

 

[Ton ton]

Or make your own! This is a mortising hammer made out of osage orange with a fir handle

Beautiful.

 

[oldschoolcraft]

I have a dislike of claw hammers, I think because they are too popular. And because I never use the claw. If I have to remove nails from drywall I’ll use pliers. If I have a choice in the first place, I don’t use nails at all, I use drywall screws.

I don’t ever come across me driving or removing nails from thick pieces of wood like studs. I assume that’s what framing hammers are for?

I don’t know what the ball on a ball pean hammer does. I’d like to learn, I’ve heard references to shaping pieces of metal or gaskets. Never had the need to do anything like that.

I own four hammers and only use two of them. I have an old craftsman US claw hammer that is in deep storage. I may add it to a plumbing focused tool box I’m working on.

I have a sledgehammer that I bought on sale because it’s good to have one but never needed it yet. It’s one of those tools that when you need it, nothing else will do, so I’m glad to have one even if it’s unused.

And my two hammers I use are a 3 pound drilling / engineer hammer and a 10oz soft plastic non-marring gunsmithing hammer that has a steel side and a plastic side.

Nothing in between.

I’m no pro and if I was using hammers all day every day, I’d need more. But I swing a hammer a few times a month at the most. Space it at a premium for me living in a small apartment.

I can use a 3 pound drilling hammer (plus a pair of pliers) to do anything a 16 oz standard claw hammer can do. I just am more careful and I use less force and it works fine to hit punches or drive the very occasional nail.

Outside of confined space work, which I don’t deal with, I find a 3 pound hammer can be used gently to do the same work as a 16 oz hammer can do. But not the other way around. It would be more fatiguing to use a 3 pound hammer regularly but I can count on my hand how many times I swing it in any given month.

 

[Ton ton]

I have a dislike of claw hammers, I think because they are too popular. And because I never use the claw. If I have to remove nails from drywall I’ll use pliers. If I have a choice in the first place, I don’t use nails at all, I use drywall screws.

I don’t ever come across me driving or removing nails from thick pieces of wood like studs. I assume that’s what framing hammers are for?

I don’t know what the ball on a ball pean hammer does. I’d like to learn, I’ve heard references to shaping pieces of metal or gaskets. Never had the need to do anything like that.

I own four hammers and only use two of them. I have an old craftsman US claw hammer that is in deep storage. I may add it to a plumbing focused tool box I’m working on.

I have a sledgehammer that I bought on sale because it’s good to have one but never needed it yet. It’s one of those tools that when you need it, nothing else will do, so I’m glad to have one even if it’s unused.

And my two hammers I use are a 3 pound drilling / engineer hammer and a 10oz soft plastic non-marring gunsmithing hammer that has a steel side and a plastic side.

Nothing in between.

I’m no pro and if I was using hammers all day every day, I’d need more. But I swing a hammer a few times a month at the most. Space it at a premium for me living in a small apartment.

I can use a 3 pound drilling hammer (plus a pair of pliers) to do anything a 16 oz standard claw hammer can do. I just am more careful and I use less force and it works fine to hit punches or drive the very occasional nail.

Outside of confined space work, which I don’t deal with, I find a 3 pound hammer can be used gently to do the same work as a 16 oz hammer can do. But not the other way around. It would be more fatiguing to use a 3 pound hammer regularly but I can count on my hand how many times I swing it in any given month.

You need more hammers, my friend!

 

[oldschoolcraft]

You need more hammers, my friend!

I need more space to store them first!

 

[bb29510]

good hammer, Eastwich, at lowes and other places, find one that looks pretty, Eastwich

 

[bb29510]

i keep three hammer in my truck
big, bigger, and ol my god

ol my god is a 25 lb sledge with cut handle

 

[GTO]

The OP should have a whole drawer full of Hammers by now..

 

[ecotec]

i keep three hammer in my truck
big, bigger, and ol my god

ol my god is a 25 lb sledge with cut handle

25lb sledgehammer…

Post a picture.

Even in the John Henry legend, the hammer was only a 14 pound hammer…

My heaviest sledgehammer is only an 8 pounder.