davesnothere
Well-known member
I use mine to make assorted batman fighting sounds while forcing uncooperative items into, and out of, their homes.
What do you use dead blow hammers for?
- Thread starter rogersmithiii
- Start date
Big-Foot
Well-known member
Are those knockoffs reverse thread?
On the right hand side they are..
Easiest way to remember is to always knock the top wing to the rear of the car to tighten them.
Engineer61
Well-known member
And if you ever wondered how the Keystone cop movies could get all four wheels to "pop" off a car at once, just swap the rear axles and front spindles side to side and wire them up like Bigfoot has.
Stuck rotors.
dadsEH
Well-known member
much easier to use for hammering paint lids back on. doesn't mash the lid face.
dadsEH
Well-known member
Are those knockoffs reverse thread?
I always get a chuckle when I read the embossed arrows on the early Jags, with the arrows denoting the words "undo" >>>> and "do"<<<<
kapster
Well-known member
Use one all day long in machine shop to tap parts into mill vise, make sure it's against the parallels. You can hit it all day long with a brass or lead hammer and it just bounces back. A couple taps with a dead blow its there.
In the garage I use it where I don't want to mar something.
In the garage I use it where I don't want to mar something.
daddy2coull
Well-known member
Beating the grandmother out of anything that needs beating
cgv69
Well-known member
I think most people in this thread focused on soft face dead blows and their uses. You really owe it to your self to get at least one ball pein dead blow.
The advantage here (and for all dead blows) is more applied force. When you hit something with a regular hammer, the hammer tends to bounce off. (The harder you swing and the harder the contact surface is, the more obvious this becomes). That bounce is lost force. Dead blows counter act that.
If you take two identical weight hammers, one being a standard ball pein and the other being a dead blow style and swing them with the same amount of energy and then measured the force applied to the contact point you will see that the dead blow applies more force.
What that does for you is it enables you to apply more force with the same weight hammer and also allows you to use less energy to apply the same amount of force as a non dead blow hammer.
I still use regular hammers but I would never want to be without my dead blows
The advantage here (and for all dead blows) is more applied force. When you hit something with a regular hammer, the hammer tends to bounce off. (The harder you swing and the harder the contact surface is, the more obvious this becomes). That bounce is lost force. Dead blows counter act that.
If you take two identical weight hammers, one being a standard ball pein and the other being a dead blow style and swing them with the same amount of energy and then measured the force applied to the contact point you will see that the dead blow applies more force.
What that does for you is it enables you to apply more force with the same weight hammer and also allows you to use less energy to apply the same amount of force as a non dead blow hammer.
I still use regular hammers but I would never want to be without my dead blows
young_buck
Well-known member
Everything since the shop I work at put a stop to steel on steel contact
I have one of the orange deadblows from Harbor freight and it works great for knocking off stuck aluminum rims and brake calipers. For the $3 it cost me it was well worth it.
Wow I think they doubled their prices.
Wow I think they doubled their prices.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Hammering Dead Blows, What else? 
MartinTech
Well-known member
SO dead blow ball peens are my favorite too.
As far as the stuck wheel thing goes, try using a prybar instead. Grab a solid spot on the subframe with the tip, and pry against the rim. The wheel will come off more predictably, and you won't be trying to catch it before it either lands on it's face or rolls into another vehicle.
SO dead blow ball peens are my favorite too.
As far as the stuck wheel thing goes, try using a prybar instead. Grab a solid spot on the subframe with the tip, and pry against the rim. The wheel will come off more predictably, and you won't be trying to catch it before it either lands on it's face or rolls into another vehicle.
I usually leave 2-3 lugnuts on but have them loosened as much as possible.
No rim falling off and no scratching of the rim do to prying.
MartinTech
Well-known member
Dig that, I always thread one lugbolt in a bit to catch it.
I've never noticed any damage to the inside edge of a rim from the prybar contact point. In fact, many wheels are already scuffed up pretty badly from previous tire installs...
Whatever works.
I dont know about the physics of this statement...but....whatever..he gets the point. I think the rebound energy in the dead blow just knocks the beads around, where in a solid hammer that same rebound energy just winds up the hammer, which when released pushes off against the object, forcing a rebound.
I think I am going to go shopping around for some dead blows....soft and hard face. Never realized how useful these things were.
jjjrmx5
Well-known member
You use MAPP gas anywhere NEAR my $3S00 set of BBS RS wheels and I will personally bludgeon you to death with your own F%^$%^G hammer.
Swear to gawd.
I have in the past had to use a floor jack to lift unwilling wheel up a bit and then take a long 4x4 that extends outside the other side of the car and give a good shot on the end with a 10 lb. sledge a'la a good croquet swing to unseat the wheel by hitting the tire's inner sidewall. Works every time.
You torch heat my vehicle's wheels and use a sldege on them and you will be unemployed and likely injured. By me.
Lots of kinder methods out there. Trust me.
Soft faced dead blows are also awesome for getting car carpet to stretch and fit if replacing or if time shirnks it.
I have a 5' long pry bar, (not really a pry bar but a solid piece of metal rod that i use as a pry bar when needed) pry against the wheel and subframe.. It takes a lot less effort to get the wheel off that way. I live in MN and NEVER have had to heat up a wheel to get it off, thats pretty ridiculous.. Every once in a while I will take the pry bar on one side and have someone else hit the wheel with a dead blow on the other, but thats pretty rare also
PowerGenGuy
Well-known member
Use mine for removing engine components,water pumps, or thermo housings or anything that I don't want damaged!
kythri
Well-known member
Can someone explain to me why you'd want hard-faced dead blows? What applications are you using the dead blow ball peins in?
They are great for pin punches or roll pins. A lot less bouncing of the tool and the force of the swing transfers to the whatever your striking. If you have a job that requires a good solid hit then deadblow, When blacksmithing a bit of rebound of the hammer is desirable as it relieves some of the energy required from the smith.
lg
no neat sig line
kythri
Well-known member
And why a ball pein specifically? Do they not make other styles of hard-faced dead blows?
Packard V8
Well-known member
When it absolutely has to move, here's the one:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?tool=all&item_ID=635007&group_ID=675295&store=snapon-store
Question - those sold in the UK/Europe have a safety lanyard shackle on the end of the handle. Since I don't work on an oil rig and am not concerned with dropping it in the ocean, is it mostly handy as a hanging hook?
•Hammer handles are fitted with a special stainless steel shackle to which a safety lanyard can be attached.
•Dead Blow Sledge Hammers deliver sustained impact and maximum striking force with almost no rebound.
•Free-flowing shot in head canister improves dead blow action and reduces rebound.
•Composite handle shank with steel core improves hammer balance while defusing shock.
•Ribbed, textured grip with energy absorbing microcellular material enhances comfort and reduces vibration.
•Hammers are encased in a tough, non-sparking, chemical resistant, moulded urethane covering.
Question - those sold in the UK/Europe have a safety lanyard shackle on the end of the handle. Since I don't work on an oil rig and am not concerned with dropping it in the ocean, is it mostly handy as a hanging hook?
jack vines
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?tool=all&item_ID=635007&group_ID=675295&store=snapon-store
Question - those sold in the UK/Europe have a safety lanyard shackle on the end of the handle. Since I don't work on an oil rig and am not concerned with dropping it in the ocean, is it mostly handy as a hanging hook?
•Hammer handles are fitted with a special stainless steel shackle to which a safety lanyard can be attached.
•Dead Blow Sledge Hammers deliver sustained impact and maximum striking force with almost no rebound.
•Free-flowing shot in head canister improves dead blow action and reduces rebound.
•Composite handle shank with steel core improves hammer balance while defusing shock.
•Ribbed, textured grip with energy absorbing microcellular material enhances comfort and reduces vibration.
•Hammers are encased in a tough, non-sparking, chemical resistant, moulded urethane covering.
Question - those sold in the UK/Europe have a safety lanyard shackle on the end of the handle. Since I don't work on an oil rig and am not concerned with dropping it in the ocean, is it mostly handy as a hanging hook?
jack vines
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daddy2coull
Well-known member
Is it really worth $450
daddy2coull
Well-known member
I work in haulage and I've had to use a porta power (hydraulic ram) and a sledge hammer to remove alloy wheels
jjjrmx5
Well-known member
Armored vehicles. YOu gotta persuade metal returns/hinges/regulators,etc. into place carefully but ya don't wanna wind up with a a face full of hammer on rebound. LOL. But true.
All day long.
Soft face for interior vehicle trim. Metal faced dead blow for things that CAN be hit with a metal faced hammer but need finesse.
Right tool for the right job.
Another tool that just because the masses don't see the need, the specialists of us use it daily.
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jimmycrackcorn
Well-known member
I have good old hickory handles ball peins I still use, but I have used dead blow counterpart before and its a huge difference in effort, I would say if your going to be swinging one all day dead blows are the way to go. Never really felt the need to upgrade to them..
kythri
Well-known member
Are you using the round end? Or are the only metal faced dead blows in a ball pein variety?
jjjrmx5
Well-known member
I use both faces.
Ball end for things that are driven in and countersunk or in tight areas.
Pein aka flat end for bigger targets or where you have room to work.
If you are working in an area where you are swinging a ball pein where you may hurt or harm other components or if you use it daily, then the dead blow BP is a good sloution.
Not used daily, it is a nice perk tool.
Only your wallet and you can decide.
You want one to play with, buy the 24oz from Snap-On or the Trusty Cook 24oz. out of Indanapolis, IN. Good all around and not a budget buster.
kythri
Well-known member
I thought the round end is the pein end, not the flat (ball pein, cross pein, etc.) ??
peen/pein
a wedgelike, spherical, or other striking end of a hammer head opposite the face.
peen/pein
a wedgelike, spherical, or other striking end of a hammer head opposite the face.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
:+1; on this ^^^
jjjrmx5
Well-known member
Oooops. My bad.
Sunday NFL brain fart.
I had it backwards.
I typed too fast.
Duh.
Thank you.
JJJRMX5,
The desk jockey types needs to understand something in the real world.
First and foremost. A $3000 set of rims probably aren't stuck on a vehicle nearly enough to need heat to remove them, if they are stuck at all. So your threat is mute. But understand this:
A customer came into my shop a while ago with a late 90's rusted explorer for a rear brake line that was broke. I replaced the brake line and needed to bleed it to finish the job. The rear wheel had to be removed to access the severely rusted bleeder. I zipped off the lug nuts the rim would not come off by hand. I kicked the sidewall a few times with my boot and the wheel was still stuck.
I went and grabbed the long handle dead blow sledge and hit the wheel on the front, back, probably over two dozen times, no avail. I tried the larger non dead blow sledge, nothing. Wheel is stuck. The vehicle still had some brake pedal, so I put the lug nuts on loosely and drove around the parking lot in circles trying to pop it, absolutely nothing. At this time we might have had over a half hour of labor into this vehicle (an equivalent to $30) and the wheel was still stuck. There is no other option. I grabbed some mapp gas, applied it around the hub face for a minute or two, smacked it with a dead blow, and it released finally. No damage to wheel, the job can be finished, and life moves on.
It is understandable that 90% of GarageJournal are not professional mechanics, have never worked in a shop, and have no idea what goes on behind the scenes. ANY shop that is going to complete a job on this type of vehicle under the circumstances we had would have had to do the same thing. It is not damaging to the wheel. Just because you are unfamiliar with the process, do not deem it unsafe and damaging. You can apply heat to alloy, chrome, and steel wheels (note, steels usually have a wheel cover) and not damage the appearance. Sometimes it is necessary.
A pry bar would not remove this wheel, no way, no how. A dead blow is far superior to a pry bar in removing stuck wheels. To be honest I probably would never even waste the time grabbing a pry bar to remove a wheel.
The desk jockey types needs to understand something in the real world.
First and foremost. A $3000 set of rims probably aren't stuck on a vehicle nearly enough to need heat to remove them, if they are stuck at all. So your threat is mute. But understand this:
A customer came into my shop a while ago with a late 90's rusted explorer for a rear brake line that was broke. I replaced the brake line and needed to bleed it to finish the job. The rear wheel had to be removed to access the severely rusted bleeder. I zipped off the lug nuts the rim would not come off by hand. I kicked the sidewall a few times with my boot and the wheel was still stuck.
I went and grabbed the long handle dead blow sledge and hit the wheel on the front, back, probably over two dozen times, no avail. I tried the larger non dead blow sledge, nothing. Wheel is stuck. The vehicle still had some brake pedal, so I put the lug nuts on loosely and drove around the parking lot in circles trying to pop it, absolutely nothing. At this time we might have had over a half hour of labor into this vehicle (an equivalent to $30) and the wheel was still stuck. There is no other option. I grabbed some mapp gas, applied it around the hub face for a minute or two, smacked it with a dead blow, and it released finally. No damage to wheel, the job can be finished, and life moves on.
It is understandable that 90% of GarageJournal are not professional mechanics, have never worked in a shop, and have no idea what goes on behind the scenes. ANY shop that is going to complete a job on this type of vehicle under the circumstances we had would have had to do the same thing. It is not damaging to the wheel. Just because you are unfamiliar with the process, do not deem it unsafe and damaging. You can apply heat to alloy, chrome, and steel wheels (note, steels usually have a wheel cover) and not damage the appearance. Sometimes it is necessary.
A pry bar would not remove this wheel, no way, no how. A dead blow is far superior to a pry bar in removing stuck wheels. To be honest I probably would never even waste the time grabbing a pry bar to remove a wheel.
littletoes
Well-known member
I use them on automotive 'stuff', but I use them at work for putting on bearings, sheaves, etc. you name it.
For example, if you use a hammer on the end of a steel shaft, it will upset the shaft, and you won't get off whatever it is, without grinding/filing/etc.
A dead-blow helps prevent this, although it still Will create some up-setting, but no-where near as bad.
And if you didn't know, up-setting is a 'thickening' of the metal, caused from hammering.
For example, if you use a hammer on the end of a steel shaft, it will upset the shaft, and you won't get off whatever it is, without grinding/filing/etc.
A dead-blow helps prevent this, although it still Will create some up-setting, but no-where near as bad.
And if you didn't know, up-setting is a 'thickening' of the metal, caused from hammering.
cgv69
Well-known member
I use soft face DB's on soft materials (rubber, plastic, wood, sheet metal) and use hard face DB on hard items, especially steel items with edges or rough surfaces because those items can mare up the face of a soft face hammer. Once that soft face gets cut up, it can then start leaving marks on softer items.
kythri
Well-known member
When it absolutely has to move, here's the one:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?tool=all&item_ID=635007&group_ID=675295&store=snapon-store
Question - those sold in the UK/Europe have a safety lanyard shackle on the end of the handle. Since I don't work on an oil rig and am not concerned with dropping it in the ocean, is it mostly handy as a hanging hook?
•Hammer handles are fitted with a special stainless steel shackle to which a safety lanyard can be attached.
•Dead Blow Sledge Hammers deliver sustained impact and maximum striking force with almost no rebound.
•Free-flowing shot in head canister improves dead blow action and reduces rebound.
•Composite handle shank with steel core improves hammer balance while defusing shock.
•Ribbed, textured grip with energy absorbing microcellular material enhances comfort and reduces vibration.
•Hammers are encased in a tough, non-sparking, chemical resistant, moulded urethane covering.
Question - those sold in the UK/Europe have a safety lanyard shackle on the end of the handle. Since I don't work on an oil rig and am not concerned with dropping it in the ocean, is it mostly handy as a hanging hook?
jack vines
I bought this one for a few bucks less:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_47608_47608
No dead blow hammers come many varieties. Snap-on makes bronze, polyurethane, plastic, and steel in many shapes.