What are soft hammers used for?

compyello · Jan 19, 2013

I am wondering if someone can tell me more about bronze, brass, and copper hammers? I need to rebuild a manual trans so I am kind of looking at brass punches/drifts and thought maybe a brass hammer would be a good idea as well. I also saw if you are going to hit another hammer someone recommended a copper hammer. I am not opposed to more than one but is one more multi purpose? I don't know about weight right now but I would know it if I held one, maybe 1-2 lbs.? The other thing is that it is made in the US.

Justanoldguy · Jan 19, 2013

Soft hammer ........... rubber nails.

Conductor562 · Jan 19, 2013

We use brass hammers and punches in flammable areas for their spark resistance. Brass is much softer than steel and therefor not as durable.

Proto offers a good variety of hammers. Zorotools.com carries about all of them.

Jack Burton · Jan 19, 2013

Soft hammers are used for the same purpose brass drifts are used, so the part doesn't get marred up.

Machinists use dead-blow or lead mallets everyday to set their material on their parallels.

I imagine somewhere non-ferrous hammers are used for their non-sparking characteristics, but the above reasons are the main ones.

Mohawk Dave · Jan 19, 2013

I use the C-man 4 head/change hammer for disassembling vices, DPs, etc. I have also been grabbing brass, bronze, lead, when more slug is needed. The C-Man is getting used quite often...in fact it stays on my bench now. Link...http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...P&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=32-220498853-2

Robbie UK · Jan 19, 2013

They make autopsies quite confusing.

MattPersman · Jan 19, 2013

Most manual trans you need a bearing splitter, a press and different arm length pullers, sometimes special tools. Not much hammer work

KenS · Jan 19, 2013

Knocking loose a mill drawbar from an R8 collet.

FunkyfullWidth · Jan 19, 2013

What kind of trans are you rebuilding?

ex-x-fire · Jan 19, 2013

Lead hammers for knock off wheels.

djkeev · Jan 19, 2013

There are so many soft hammers! I've got a small wall covered with them. Lead hammers, brass hammers, bronze hammers, rubber hammers (black and white, I'm racially neutral

), plastic hammers of various densities, leather hammers, wooden hammers, plastic lead shot filled (dead blow) hammers........... They are nice to have for various tasks where steel is too violent and unforgiving to use. Honestly non tool people look at my hammer collection and deem me crazy! "What the F do you need so many hammers for?!?"

Now lets get into the other small wall covered with steel hammers.......framing, ball peen, auto body, hatchets, masonry, geologist, drill..............

About the only hammer material I don't have is titanium, just never could justify the cash outlay $$$ for a high tech item I don't really need!......well, I guess I don't really NEED most of my hammers...........but I really really really want one!

Dave

woody 73 · Jan 19, 2013

djkeev wow sorry to hear that you missed my one post about the titanium (american Made) hammer that went on sale for half price;it must have been before you became a member.

compyello · Jan 19, 2013

FunkyfullWidth said:
What kind of trans are you rebuilding?

T90 for my Jeep

compyello · Jan 19, 2013

ex-x-fire said:
Lead hammers for knock off wheels.

I have used the samething before but I do not see a need for lead at this time

compyello · Jan 19, 2013

Ok with out going into detail on projects or we can call it a generral purpose hammer which would every one recomend brass,copper,bronze?

FunkyfullWidth · Jan 19, 2013

peice of cake. Willys transmissions weren't they? I don't recall needing any hammer for too much on that. when I did mine i used this site to help me through it just in case...

http://www.willystech.com/wt/T90RebuildGuide/T90rebuild.htm

I did my dana 18 at the same time... It doesn't get much easier then those.

I'd probably reccomend rubber mallets and a good brass hammer.

compyello · Jan 19, 2013

FunkyfullWidth said:
peice of cake. Willys transmissions weren't they? I don't recall needing any hammer for too much on that. when I did mine i used this site to help me through it just in case...

http://www.willystech.com/wt/T90RebuildGuide/T90rebuild.htm

I did my dana 18 at the same time... It doesn't get much easier then those.

I'd probably reccomend rubber mallets and a good brass hammer.

Information I saw they talked about brass punches/drifts so that is what got me thinking maybe a brass hammer would be nice to have around

marlinspike · Jan 19, 2013

For all my soft hammer needs I use a Wiha split head mallet with a selection of heads.

compyello · Jan 19, 2013

Just picked up a craftsman rubber/hard plastic with wood handle because I have wanted one for awhile but did not find a soft metal hammer. I did not like the craftsman changeable head hammer. No luck finding a brass,bronze,or copper hammer today. One place to try maybe next saturday but still open to thoughts on which one to use for what or which one to get.Thank you

metaldad · Jan 19, 2013

Garland makes split head hammers, so you can mismatch heads.
for some reason their site(s) is showing a warning on my comfuzer. made in USA
they are sold at McMaster Carr
http://www.mcmaster.com/#split-head-hammers/=l3xsyk

compyello · Jan 20, 2013

Not sure I like the idea of a split head but thank you for the link.

rmsg0040 · Jan 20, 2013

compyello said:
Just picked up a craftsman rubber/hard plastic with wood handle because I have wanted one for awhile but did not find a soft metal hammer. I did not like the craftsman changeable head hammer. No luck finding a brass,bronze,or copper hammer today. One place to try maybe next saturday but still open to thoughts on which one to use for what or which one to get.Thank you

Lots of brass hammers:

http://www.tooltopia.com/search.aspx?find=brass+hammer

OTC got some too

compyello · Jan 20, 2013

Thank you for the link. Still wondering on which hammer to get or maybe I should look at one of each (brass,bronze,copper)?

marlinspike · Jan 20, 2013

compyello said:
Not sure I like the idea of a split head but thank you for the link.

What about a split head do you not like?

compyello · Jan 20, 2013

I guess I like the idea of just a solid hammer with no moving parts if that makes any sense. But I have never held one or seen one in person then maybe I would change my mind

marlinspike · Jan 20, 2013

My Wiha split-head is as solid as can be.

djkeev · Jan 20, 2013

compyello said:
?.......... but still open to thoughts on which one to use for what or which one to get.Thank you

Really, it depends on what you are hitting.
Hub caps /wheel covers - rubber
Pavers - hard rubber / dead blow
Aluminum housings - dead blow, hard plastic
Gears / shafts - brass, plastic ......but be careful of chips and slivers of the striking head that may be dislodged from contact with sharp machined edges, these can get into bearings etc. causing problems.
Bronze - striking steel where sparks are a concern
Lead - wheel spinners, similar hard blow but minimal to no damage

It's best to file and shape soft hammer heads as they deform from use.

That's a starter list for me. I'm sure that Others will vary from, add to or criticize my choices.

Dave

compyello · Jan 20, 2013

Great list Dave, thank you. Please add to this list if anyone can think of other uses.

What are soft hammers used for?

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