Replies

1. 
   calvin | Apr 27, 2016 03:13pm | #1

   Montana

   I'm old school.  So old trying to retire.

   but, if framing houses again it would always be a wood handle.  Vaughn smooth or wafflehead.  Used to use something heavier but I think they have a 22oz.

1. 
   montanaman | Apr 28, 2016 02:00pm | #5

   Thanks for the info.  I'm checking in to the Vaughn.

2. 
   junkhound | Apr 27, 2016 06:38pm | #2

   +1 on wood hammer.   But

   +1 on wood handle hammer, waffle,  I always liked 28 oz for floor sheathing and toenails into sill plates, 22 oz for everything else.  

   But only if the compressor breaks, otherwise N88.

1. 
   montanaman | Apr 28, 2016 02:01pm | #6

   I appreciate the help.

3. 
   DanH | Apr 27, 2016 07:37pm | #3

   Best hammer ever is the one I left hanging on a fence in Rio Bravo, Mexico about 20 years ago.

1. 
   montanaman | Apr 28, 2016 02:03pm | #7

   That sounds like a good excuse for a trip.

1. 
   DanH | Apr 28, 2016 07:19pm | #9

   I've never felt bad about it -- I'm sure the people there put it to good use.

4. 
   oldhand | Apr 27, 2016 09:25pm | #4

   another geezer perspective...

   I own and haved used  wood handled hammers from 13-28 oz.  Like these other old cranks reporting thus far, my production nailing is past and if not for nail guns I'd be done with nailing.  But I always have a 20 oz. blue grass wood handled straight claw at reach.

   If circumstances forced me to do any production hand nailing I would test a titanium model but they are not so hot for chisel striking or moving walls or whatever around. 

1. 
   montanaman | Apr 28, 2016 02:06pm | #8

   Thanks for the help.  

   I can't bring myself to pay $200 for a hammer.  That's about what they get for some of the titanium models.

5. 
   Mike_Mahan | Apr 28, 2016 09:37pm | #10

   In the olden days.

   When I started framing the weapon of choice for most, was a wooden handled Plumb rigging axe. I think it came in at 28 oz. As I was told the blade was not for cutting wood but for cutting nails. A swift swipe with the blade would cut or knock out most bent natils. For nail pulling there was a slot perpendicular to the blade that had incredible leverage. So incredible that you could break the handle. Most guys had the handle wrapped with pipe wrap tape as a preventative measure. The width of the blade was 3.5", which could be handy. I was told that it was for spacing skip sheathing on roofs, but I never did that. Plywood was the norm. I'm not quite that old. Vaughn made an axe, too, but nobody used it. I think I used a 28 oz hammer after I gave up the axe, but not for long. When I stopped hand nailing entirely I went to a 20 oz fiberglass handled Vaughn, which I still use. I've got a set; one smooth and one waffle. 

   I've got a curved claw steel handle Eastwing that's the cats ass for stripping forms. I'd sure hate to drive many nails with a steel handled hammer. 

6. 
   deadnuts | May 01, 2016 11:37am | #11

   I use the Vaughn 24 oz mill face framer. Enough heft to drive 12 and 16d sinkers in two blows (if not using a nailgun) and leverage to yank nails and studs during demo. No issues with vibration. I wrap the fiberglass shank near the head in multiple layers of electrical tape. When the tape gets scarred up, I wrap it some more. I start the tape from scratch every 5 years or so. The fiberglass shank ittself has yet to see a gouge over the past 30 years. Also, I like the fact that from tip of claw to tip of handle is exactly 16". I don't think this is by coincidence. You can  get roughly the same model I have for about $35 which is still reasonable.

7. 
   RTennyBuilder | May 02, 2016 04:11pm | #12

   Best Frame Hammer

   When I started framing sheathing, subfloors, walls and roofs was all 1x6 t&g. Everything ran wild and the new kid got the handsaw (the non-electric kind) to cut the wild ends. Only thing we could get was a wood handeled Plumb or a steel shank leather handle Estwing. Us real men used the steel shank until most of us destroyed our elbows. Then we became smart real men and got wood or fiberglass. I found a graphite handled Estwing with straight claw waffle face 22oz. Bought the thing on the spot. It did such a good job absorbing the shock that I was able to get rid of the band I had to keep on my forearm. I used that hammer untill I retired and still have it for my honey doos. So that's my call for the best frame hammer. Estwing Graphite. For you youngsters a bit of advice. Forget about the real man stuff. It's a long way from your 20s to your 60s. Work smart. The job can hurt if you don't.

    

1. 
   calvin | May 02, 2016 04:46pm | #13

   It's a long way from your 20s to your 60s. Work smart.

   No kidding!

   and, those last few years are not just another single year, the sore geometrically progresses.

8. 
   liagill40 | Feb 08, 2017 06:11am | #14

   Just what I needed thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts.

9. 
   bartome | Jan 05, 2018 02:37am | #15

   I have a 23 ounce Vaughn Cali Framer and it works great for me.