Has anyone tried one of these yet? Saw them at the Big Orange Box last night… Estwing “Weight-Forward” Hammer… 21 oz. 14″ or 16″ handle, milled or smooth face.
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Replies
I gave one a try at a Lowes in Houston a few weeks back, it seemed a little odd to me.
The Count-Down begins, 93 days left
man, those are ugly......
carpenter in transition
Actually I think they look very cool, even cooler if I could smoke a flame job on one, maybe purple to red with orange tips. Don't know what it would be like to drive nails with, but one would look cool hanging on the shop wall, or mounted in the job box.
Now that is one odd looking duck. I'll have to stop by the orange box and check it out. It looks like all the striking power is on the tip of the head instead of the whole face. I wonder how it rests in your belt loop?
I just bought the 20-21 and 25oz. Dalluge to complete my collection of that brand.
Dalluge was just bought out by Vaughan and I wanted all there polished headed hammers before they switched production under the Vaughan name.
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob
Edited 9/17/2003 1:03:11 AM ET by Pro-Dek
Edited 9/17/2003 1:03:48 AM ET by Pro-Dek
The thing looks like those ice picks/ax you use when climbing in snow and ice. Not that I've ever needed to use one.
It's funny you mention that, Nick. Ice tool design went through some contortions over the last eight years or so. For a while, many tools had a straight shaft with a curved section at the bottom, a question mark, if you will, with the straight part extended. After a couple years of that, many companies went to a gentle curve remarkably similar to this hammer. Now, with leashless climbing being all the rage on extreme routes, there are some really wild tools around with bumbs and hooks all over the shaft.
A common complaint was that the tools worked great when swinging the pick into the ice, especially with your weaker or offside hand, but to turn it around and use the hammer or adze side was awkward. This was especially true of the "question mark" style, and not so much of a problem with the gentle curve. I would imagine the same will be true of this hammer.
Funny some people thought it was ugly, I thought it was pretty wild. As Keith said, it's begging for a flame job...
Blodgett's rin and stimpy hammer is now off the hook.
Those jackrabbits are the ugliest excuse for a hammer, that I have ever seen.
With the orientation of the face, how does one go about a day's worth of hammering, and come out the other side not having bruised, skinned, and splintered knuckles on the hand holding the hammer ???
A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.
Quittin' Time
Went down to the big orange box today and sure enough they had one of those weird hammers.I swung it and the balance was ok (6) 0n a scale of 1-10, but I don't see how on earth you could drive a nail straight in without bending it. The head is tipped forward so when you set the hammer face down with the handle and head touching at the same time the face of the hammer is flat.
Any good hammer set the same way would have about 1/8" space from the top of the striker to the bottom, about 5 degrees.
I almost spent the $30 bucks to see how bad the thing works but decided to save the space age hammers for the homeowners.
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob
you don't have a place on your wall for loser hammers anyway :)
BTW I owe you a thanks, I never considered getting a "good" hammer before I heard you talk about them, and I love my new one, 20 oz douglas...The Count-Down begins, 92 days left
Looks like a damn rabbit..one of these days someones gonna invent a hammer that works off a battery : )
The way we regard death is critical to the way we experiance life.
When your fear of death changes, the way you live your life changes.
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
My Uncle made an electric mop for his Brother in-law.
Took an ordinary mop and attached an electrical cord to it. Put about 6 inches of bare wire on each side of the handle and taped it to the handle. Just plug it in and grab the handle, gonna finish the floor in no time. LOL
Kids don't try this at home.
If at first you don't succeed...try again! After that quit! No sense being a dam fool about it! W.C.Fields
If any of you guys are planning on buying this space age Estwing hammer get it at Home Depot $29.95 cause they are $34.95 at Lowes.
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob
I have ben using 1 for about 2 months now and I think it is great. The curved Handel helps with my wrist and I have no more pain in it when I go home. But I will say it some getting used to the first few days. But over all I give it a A.
Good for you byoung. Now give us the scoop. You've heard the expression"put a little more toe on the nail" so Just how much toe does this hammer put on the nail?
Now telling us you have no more pain when you go home could mean many things:
1. Stopped at the pub and had one to many
2. Used the Hitachi all day
3. forgot your tool belt at home
4. you were so busy showing it to everyone you had little time to use it.
So which is it?
We need more info...........:-)
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob
Edited 9/24/2003 11:22:19 AM ET by Pro-Dek
The reason I think I am not having a problem with my wrist it the with the curved Handel my wrist is not extending as much as with a straight Handel hammer. I will say it could use a little more toe but once you get the hang of it ,it is no problem. I really noticed this when I was nailing up joist hangers.
Have you ever tried an axe-handled hammer? Standard framer head, I mean, but with the hook and bulb at the end of the handle? Makes an incredible difference how your arms feel at the end of the day, because you don't have to hold onto it so hard. The one I've got is a21 oz. Fat Head; it's a modified California Framer sold under the Mastercraft brand name (that's the house brand for Can. Tire; I think Vaughan or Estwing makes it, not sure). Most perfectly balanced hammer I've ever swung.
Stanley just came out with a space-age looking axe-handle framer, 18" handle, composite materials, rotten balance compared to mine. (I'm a wood handle fanatic, BTW.) It's got a nub halfway down the front of the handle, too. Wasn't comfortable.
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
byoung
No offense old timer but I think Handel was a musician.....lol.....and I spell bad myself.
Be well
andyTrue compassion arises out of the plane of consciousness where I "am" you.
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
I think he was saying that the hammer is fit to be used at the opera.
Or was he saying that those who use this hammer also wear a tutu ???
A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.
Quittin' Time
http://www.justhammers.com/
camr across this at that other sitrbobl Volo Non Voleo
I don't know about hammering nails with that thing, a little slip and those sharp corners could do some damage (used to call them "rosebuds"). On the other hand, if I was going to be pulling nails all day, the shorter fulcrum would contribute to some serious leverage.
Might be nice for nailing joist hangers too. That flat sided face would get you in nice and close.
Turtleneck
the only miracles I've ever produced are waiting for me at home
Your are right their It only takes 1 time hitting your finger to prove that. It leaves a hell of a bite on your finger.