So, while I’m still cringing from my truck cleaning thread, I’d like to ask about hammers.
At work, I use a hammer that I bought on a whim a long time ago. It’s a 22oz Stanley anti-vibe, which is to say it’s nothing special. Whenever my boss grabs it, he criticizes it pretty well.
I’d definitely own a new hammer by now if I were a carpenter. But I’m not, really – I’m a laborer with carpenter habits. We only frame in the context of making framing changes, so my hammer gets used as a prying tool as often as for driving nails.
But since my boss is hating on the thing so bad, I’m wondering if I shouldn’t buy something else. Any recommendations? Remember: I use the thing for knocking stuff apart just as much as I do for driving nails.
Replies
Tell the boss to buy his own hammer. Problem solved. If not, get a Vaughan.
Do those not have wooden handles? I'm afeared of snappin' them.Edit: The boss is not a carpenter any more. Project manager only. So when he's around, I am his walking toolbelt. And other-end-of-tape-measure.Hey, it can't all be chocolate and flowers.
Edited 3/19/2009 10:47 pm ET by Biff_Loman
Mine had a FG handle with a rubber cover. I don't have big hands, so i like the grip. I've used it to whale on stuff as well as i'm able, but i don't tend to abuse tools, so if i need a sledge or a crowbar, i use 'em.
While Vaughan is my own personal hammer of choice, I wouldn't recomend it as a primary prying tool. Folks not familiar with wood handled hammers have a habit of breaking them, and then swearing off hammers with wood handles.
To the OP....choose a hammer YOU are comfortable using......screw "the boss" and everyone else.
I fell in love with Vaughan hammers from the git go....EVERYONE else on a crew I was with used Estwings, and constantly ragged on me for not following suit.
I hated Estwings.....never felt they were properly balanced. (This may have changed as I haven't picked one up in about 20 years.)
Estwings are great for demo work though.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
Passin' the award over to luka.
Eswing has changed in the last 10 yrs, they make a larger ruber handle now, this helps with the elbow problem.
Only reason I know, is the young guys on the crew showed up with them.
Still haven't bought one though.
Hammer of choice is the 28oz estwing. When trimming, the 16oz!
Estwing! Whatever weight feels natural to you. I think mine is 24? Buy the waffle face and you will have a smooth face in a year or two.
Anti-vibes have too big of a rubber kick on the butt of the handle, which makes it nice to hold onto but not nice to put in and put out of belt thousands of times.
This is serious business! no dirty jokes!
I had a Stanley with the wood handle, forget the model Fatmax maybey? black wood handle? Eventually broke it prying a ledger off a brick wall. Great magnet in the head which holds a nail and sets it for you, perfect for above your head. I loved that feature.
N.B. No jokes were intended in the authoring of this post.
Yeah, dropping the thing into the hammer loop is a bey-atch.
Vaughan 999 smooth face.
The best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.
Whenever my boss grabs it, he criticizes it pretty well.
I'd just smile and say, "beggars can't be choosers, boss".
If the hammer does what you need it to do, keep it.
My favorite was an old True Temper Rocket, long out of production. Look for a 20oz at yard sales, flea markets, etc. Should find one for a couple of bucks, that way.
Heh - well, see, I'm green enough to be unsure as to whether I'd be better served by a different hammer.I just don't know.
Rockets I still find them at some of the small yards, if I see one with the rocket embossed in the handle I do my best to buy it.
Your hammer is fine for what your describing. Different people use different hammers for many different task. I use My Blue Grass for trim, my Vaughn for form and destruction and my Douglas for all other general work.
Your boss is doing his job, create the illusion of competence by intimidating the employees over trifling issues.
The man makes the hammer, not the hammer the man!
Edited 3/20/2009 10:27 am by jagwah
com'mon ... grow up and get a real hammer.
21oz Estwing claw for all purpose work.
good for building and demo.
and clean the damn truck while yer at it ...
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Another vote for vaughan. I have bluemax 19. picked up one of the new stiletto steels the other day, felt nice and only 50 bucks too.
Smarten up, for prying and knocking stuff apart use what you got or an estwing. If your driving a lot of nails youll at least want a hatchet handle on just about anything, if your geting real fancy get a TI hammer.
I used estwings (20oz and 24oz framer) for my first nine years doing this now I got a tore up elbow, cant even grip the estwing handle without pain anymore. Hatchet style handle has helped that a lot but it will never have time to heal because I already screwed it up. So now I cant grip anything real well.
I say smarten up because who cares what anyone says about what your carrying, have him purchase the hammer he respects and give it to you. Use what is comfortable for you or you will regret it for the rest of your days.
Tell yer boss that if he doesn't like your hammer, he should buy you a new one.
You can always promise him you'll wash and wax it every week.
Now ... 22oz. Douglas.
Back when I started... Stanley long handled rocket 22 oz.
In between a Hartz 22 oz.framers.
I wouldn't touch a Estwing for all the tea in china.. know too many old timers with bad arms and wrists who used them.
Just smile at th boss and ask him if the nails are driven or not and keep trying out hammers until you find the one that fits you.
I thought they made Estwings for tearing apart forms.;]
DELUGE DA-LOU-GEE
Big handle nice balance and it's cute (chrome)
Al
If your just knocking stuff around build a hybrid a vaughn 32 oz with a stelleto curved handle WHAM!!!!
Call me old school but I love my leather griped Estwings. I have them in different weights and styles. I use them as I see fit. JMO Mike L.
Edited 3/22/2009 9:30 am ET by rooferman
I agree with you on that. I also like them a lot.
I've had a handful of leather handled Estwings....
But two of the four had a ringing to them that drove me nuts.
Any idea why?
"I wouldn't touch a Estwing for all the tea in china.. know too many old timers with bad arms and wrists who used them."
adding a framing gun to the estwing collection helps prevent those bad arms and wrists!
20oz estwing, 16 oz estwing , paslode powermaster plus.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Hmm,
Lets see now.. Framing guns:
1 Halstead nailer, 4 Senco nailers, 1 Porter Cable nailer,
4 assorted finish guns (Senco, Porter Cable, Hitachi), 3 pin nailers,
.. Nope no Estwing... Good arms , wrists and elbows after 40 years. Must be the guns that saved me.
;-)
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Edited 3/20/2009 10:36 pm by dovetail97128
"Must be the guns that saved me. "
probably the pin nailers ...
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
"probably the pin nailers ..."
man ... could you imagine hand nailing all the 23g pins you've shot?
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
In truth I think the nail guns saved a lot of guys my age wrists, elbows and shoulders. I didn't own a gun for the first 17 or so years of working as a carp. Frame, sheath, finish all with hand nailing. Stopping the repetitive action early enough in the career I am sure made for less damage over the next 20 years for many of us.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
I'm sure it did help.
Truth is I'm 42 ... and didn't fire my first nail gun until I was 30.
I worked PT/off and on ... in construction with my Dad up till then, and he still doesn't own a compressor.
First cordless drill he used was mine.
I remember screwing and unscrewing many the 3" screw by hand.
bet there's few people younger or even my age that know of that pleasure!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
The old man left me his Paslode when he shuffled off. I'm still too skeered to try it out.
as long as it worked well then, it should be perfectly safe now.
just point the dangerous end at the wood!
load and unload and amke any adjustments with the hose not connected.
push, hold steady and tight ... and pull the trigger.
I think the noise is the scariest for first timers.
I also remember being a little nervous the very first time I fired an air gun, which also happened to be a framer.
You'll be glad U tried it.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Oh, i have a slew of air guns and staplers, but this is the Paslode that runs on bombs!
I've used several different Paslodes for over 10 years now, and still haven't had one blow up on me.
It feels like getting on a motorcycle without lessons...;^)
ok ... maybe stop taking my advice at this particular point.
in HS had a friend who wanted to learn to ride ... so we got my dirtbike out of the alley ... I ran thru the basics ... said Now let out the clutch reallllll slow ....
he poped it ... that bike shot away as fast as I could ever get to to go ...
he rode a wheelie about 20ft and slammed into the side of a neighbors garage ... front wheel shoved as far into their plastic garbage can as a front wheel could fit.
Had to cut the can away from the wheel and buy them a new one.
me and him both agreed maybe he shouldn't ride my bike no more ...
makes me laugh 25 years later!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
I did the same thing, I was about 22 and never rode a bike before. So there I am all 5'3'' of me trying to hold up a YZ-250.
First time I stalled it, second time it was just like you said, except I hit the landscape timbers with the foot peg, foot still on it. Now I have 3 screws holding it together.
I don't remember the ride, just sitting on it and crawling out from under it and trying to stand up.
Have not tried to ride again.
John
1976: The Forest Service boss, all about production, thought he'd provide Honda 250's to my crew so we could save time getting to our plots 3-4 miles back. We were riding steep trails in the woods and all i got for instruction was "this one's the throttle and this one's the brake". Early on in this experience, i came to a fork in the trail, couldn't decide which trail to take and drove right into the tree in the middle, like a cartoon.They gave me a "Tote Goat" for the rest of the summer. Fine with me! It was a lot like riding a horse at a trot, which i already knew how to do.I might just get my leathers on and take the Paslode out for a spin...
Talking about leather is going to get your groupie " Bobbys " all worked up now !
Both of him.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
Me, the Bobbys, lathered leather...oh my! Excuse me while i go jump in a snowbank.
Take battery out for long term storage, and you can leave the gas in. It lasts fairly long.
They are the bomb! I mean, they are Grrrreat!Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
Battery? Hmmm, i suppose it's been in there since Ian shipped his earthly possessions over in '05. ...Well, i got curious and dug out the Impulse. This thing is BRAND NEW! Battery is out, sitting in the holder area in the case. Also found a couple Festo tools i'd forgotten about when i was rootling around finding the Impulse. I'd just put that all far out of mind, but now....IT'S CHRISTMAS AGAIN! There's a ROS and a delta (detail) sander in stacking cases, also like new.'Course, they run on 220V...good thing i have outlets all over the shop!
If you find more tools you don't remember owning, you could always ship them to me. I'll take good care of them. Really, I will.
When we moved to this house about five years ago, neighbors descended on us to help. I wasn't about to turn anyone away, so i just kept a steady supply of cardboard boxes coming and they packed and schleppd. I found a brand new PC 690 router about three years ago in a box of sandpaper. I used to buy a router every time i'd find a good deal bec i use them in dedicated shaper tables to avoid tearing down set-ups i use repeatedly. You can never had enough routers, IMO.I have a corded Dewalt 3/8" drill i found NIB, that i bought years ago for when my 25-y.o. Milwaukee poops out. The Milwaukee still runs great...and now i seldom use a corded drill. Yard sale time...
routers and block planes
I've got 7 routers, and probably 9-10 block planes
and I haven't bought any of either in a few years. I've been drooling over the new Lee Valley block planes, tho.
I've never purchased a single hand plane, but from my dad's legacy, my Alzheimer's guy, and the sweethearts, dozens have come to me. Between my stationary power tools and Ian's contractor tools, we furnished a shop nicely! As long as there were enough converter plugs. I went to plug in the Paslode battery, but it's Australian so i gotta rootle around a bit more to find a converter to Murican 220V.
I think I must have nearly 70-80 hand planes. Maybe more. Quite a few are old wood moulding planes that were my 2X great-grandfathers. A few were my dad's, and some I bought at flea markets.
Plus I've bought a couple of Lie-Nielsons, and the older Lee Valley block plane. I'd love to get an infill plane, like a Norris or Spiers. And the Bridge City planes are nice (and expensive!)
I still use plenty of power tools for work, but I'm getting more into hand tools for a hobby. I really need to start playing the lottery so I can win and and buy the toys I want.
I gifted about 20 moulding planes to someone who's lovingly restoring them, the No. 8 to another bec i wasn't man enough to use it. I sent three big boxes of tools to AJinNZ that Ian bought in Oz and were geared for that voltage; by the time he got them, they'd circumnavigated the globe! I feel more like a distribution hub for stuff than a destination, a good attitude when one has/is ADD.
Hart Woody
One more vote for the Estwing. I usually carry a 22oz. Killed my elbow 2 yrs ago with a 24oz antivibe.
Whatever feels best to you. I'm in the group that deosn't like Estwings. I tried hard, but ultimately gave them away. The Stanley antivibe is a gimmick. The best for me has been the Vaughn 22 oz waffle face fiberglass handle for framing & demo.
Then I got a Stilletto titanium......
Done.
It's all I ever use anymore. I have the 14 oz waffle face ax handle for framing, but my real baby is the 10 oz smooth straight claw.
God I love that thing, and use it daily. I do mostly trim anymore, and you can wail on a 16d common with it, or 'tap tap taptaptap' with it on the tiniest of brads.
because the work you do is mostly framing, it makes no sense to recommend a hammer that won't stand up to the demands of daily pounding/prying/whacking and twisting.
this eliminates wood, fibreglass and tubular steel. leaving you back where you started...solid steel.
i have a 22 oz estwing with a waffle face. i spray painted the handle blaze orange so i could find it when it falls into the pile of debris it just made. it is an ugly, blunt instrument that i know will always do what i ask of it. but i would never use it for production framing.
there is no magic hammer that will be bullet proof, yet be easy on your body. i use a 16 oz fibreglass smooth face for assembly work and my elbow is thankful.
consider some of the new stanleys with the cheney style nail starter or, if you really want to get the bosses attention, start using a stanley fubar.
toolman 65
Hand him a rock next time.
ESTWING Ripping claw not curved
Estwing....all the way for sure..but I'm a young guy, so what do I know? I roll with a smooth faced 22 oz framer... I use it on everything...from forms to finish.. I call it my finish framer. for the really big bangings, I'll use my 28 oz fiberglass handled Vaughn that my brother sprayed with bedliner or my 3 lb sledge..
All I ever wanted in life was an unfair advantage...
estwing, craftsman, or plumb that's all i have to say
One of my favorite destruction hammers is my 24oz Vaughn wooden hammer so it doesn't ruin my arm.. but I replaced the handle with a "hatchet handle" it's both longer for more force and easier to grip to eliminate tennis elbow.. that force works both in demolition and construction.. .. longer means it pulls nails easier too.
Biff,
Stick with the Stanley. The anti-vibe feature really does work. It will break at some point though and you will then be well prepared to choose a replacement.
I've been using a 16 anti-vibe Stanley for all rough work for a couple of years now. I can drive a nail down just as fast as a lot of guys with their 28 oz waffle faced hammers can. I can drive a nail up quite a lot faster than they can.
I long ago retired my 28 oz (Vaughn) framing hammer. Using it hurt me too much. I long ago retired the Estwing 20 to the job of beating apart frozen lumber piles. It's good for nothing else.
Now, I use that Stanley 16 for most things and a wood handled Vaughn 13 for trim work. Technique counts as much as the tool does, but you must have a toold that won't damage you.
Ron
Do you like your hammer? If so, then why change ( just like everyone has been saying).
I would go with what feels good in your hands. What feels great for one may feel like cr@p for someone else. I would also look at the fiberglass or wood handles due to all the talk about elbow and wrist problems ( I have never experienced it but switched to using wood handles nonetheless).
If you want to drop the money, Douglass or Stilletto are nice ( though dont know if you want to use a Ti hammer for demo). One of our supply yards has a Vaughn framing hammer that felt really good in my hands ( 20 oz maybe, long blue wood axe handle, California head). Think it was only $35 American.
Because I don't know what I'm missing. So far, out of the vast variety of framing hammers out there, I've used one (1) - my Stanley anti-vibe.
Go around to the various supply houses, big box stores ( Sears included, do you guys have Sears or is that just a USA thing?), where-ever, and pick up a few hammers and see how they feel. If one feels really good in hands, buy it.
Now a word of warning, some hammers just dont work in some peoples hands. Had a helper who had a new hammer, was having the hardest time not bending nails. Would get fustrated and mad. I tried his hammer, had a hard time with bending nails over. It was something with the way the head was designed. Both of us had a problem hammering nails with it. Someone else might not have had a problem, but both of us did. I gave him one of my extra hammers and he had no more problems.
Now are you going to drive around in the company truck or your own vehicle looking at hammers??? You know you may never hear the end of this :)
Live by the sword, die by the sword....choose your sword wisely.
Edited 3/22/2009 9:50 pm ET by m2akita
My vehicle.;-)
i would keep the stanley if only because your boss doesnt like it but thats just my true nature coming out and why i work alone
noah
Well I'm not even in a trade (I'm a computer specialist) and I'd go with an Estwing too. Can't imagine a laborer not using one. I've got a 16 oz leather grip and a 20 oz smooth face framer.
Can you imagine one use a STANLEY anti-vibe? ;-) 'Cause that's just how I roll. :-DAt least for now.
I used the same thing for everything...............for years..
A 20oz Estwing smooth face..........
It aint the hammer, it's how you use it.
Lotsa guys made fun of it, but at the end of a 10 hour day of hand nailing.............when you can still lift your arm?
You win.
Im a hammer freak...........I never pass a tool dept. without looking at all the hammers. I got little ones and big ones. California framers...wooden handles, fiberglass...synthetic what ever.
My fav and the one I carry every day is a 28 oz. estwing. Feels great and it will move anything you throw it at.
I did however just watch a video on this sight, on framing, and the guy was using a hatchet hammer. Looks really cool and I bet your boss would think twice before saying anything bad about it or you.
Its very intimidating......I'm getting one next pay.
"Man is a tool-using animal...
Without tools he is nothing,
with tools he is all."
~Robert Browning~
stay away from all wood handles... they will break if you are doing a lot of prying with the hammer. Best tool for your job is an Estwing with a rip claw (straight claw). Will give you years of reliable use. Go with a 20 oz for a good multi-use hammer. maybe $30.
I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
Two Leather handle 16oz. for small stuff and 23oz Vaughn waffle
framer for persuading. All this talk of breaking wooden handles is malarkey. you pry
sideways on stubborn nails.
Occasionally you have to soak it to keep everything nice and tight. Pretty easy maintenance if you ask me.
Actually, soaking is counter productive. It swells the wood which then gets crushed, and upon drying, is looser yet.
Wedged properly is the best.
And need I say, never burn out a handle stub, such as an axe or hammer..the heat will soften the "eye" steel and it will mushroom more easily. I've seen it sair that putting an axe in a woodstove/fireplace overnight will get the stub out..yeah..it will but kiss the head goodbye.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
Timely comment actually. Co-worker pointed out that the wedges go across the grain
rather then with. That doesn't seam right as there inevitably are cracks radiating
from the wedges.
Ideally, the wedge ought to be on a diagonal, from left or right of face, to left or right of claw.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
Makes sense. mine are side to side. They just don't wedge em like they used to.
Sphere,
I like to drive a wooden wedge aligned front to bacl and then a steel wedge across that and then clamp the hammer upright, add a couple of tablespoons of boiled linseed oil on the end grain of the handle and leave that for a week. It should never loosen again.
Ron
Sounds dandy. My Hart has rings Vs wedges, so far so good.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
must be a recent Hart, mine's just got a wooden wedge, front to back. Dead-On's have a ring, and make the new Harts. Wedge doesn't work other than to keep the head from flying totally off. When it gets loose, I slam the handle on something harder. Might have to try the oil.Same hammer used to ring , I thought it was kind of cool, but now that I think about it, it doesn't any more?I slammed Estwings for years, never had a problem and still use one for demo.http://www.tvwsolar.com
I went down to the lobby
To make a small call out.
A pretty dancing girl was there,
And she began to shout,
"Go on back to see the gypsy.
He can move you from the rear,
Drive you from your fear,
Bring you through the mirror.
He did it in Las Vegas,
And he can do it here."
It's at least 10 yrs old. All original. I snapped a claw and welded it back on about 5 yrs ago.
I started out with a 28 waffle Estwing wayy back when, had a backhoe set a stabilizer on it, and snap it just below the head..took it in and got a new one. They let me keep the broke one, so a buddy went elsewhere and got one too...the next guy that tried they kept it.
Then I broke one, just like it ( maybe the replacement now that I think about it) yanking up a bottom plate from a door cut out, that got nailed. Snap. Don't remember if I got the one I have now for free. I just use it for places where I'd break the Woody, or demo.
I got a Fatmax axehandle that I like, my adapted estwing brick, now roofing hammer is my main one..I just love it. Wood shingles and shakes I use an ancient half hatchett. Those all are in the van, in the shop I have a few crosspeen types that I made in Jr. High school..maybe 10oz tops, and real soft steel, great for small fin. and box nails, and tapping a nailset.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
For what it's worth, I'm going to stick with the Stanley, for now. I was whaling on a steel T-post to set it, today, and realized that wood and fiberglass handles would be a poor idea, for me.
Ditto for the lighter hammers. I used my hammer all day for all kinds of things, including driving about six nails. ;-) In fact, further analysis has made me wonder if I shouldn't get a heavier hammer for extra wallop. We drive 10" spikes through 6x6s when we build window wells. . .
I tried out my co-worker's Estwing, and it didn't seem to do anything my Stanley doesn't. And I liked the Stanley's grip better. A lot better.
If anything, thinking this over has made me more pleased with my hammer. And is making me want to go out and buy an even heavier Stanley with a magnetic nail-holder.
Whap whap!
You have received some very good advice, all of it well meaning, but I can't help thinking they are leading you astray.
You should go about choosing a hammer exactly as you would choosing your Significant Other. Of course it is nice if it's well balanced and hard working, and compatibility is a must, but don't forget shape and style are important. It is going to be by your side for years. It's looks should give you and those around you pleasure.
Once you realize this, only a Douglas, Dalluge or at a pinch a Stilletto S2 will do. All the other simply fall away.
Once you realize this, only a Douglas, Dalluge or at a pinch a Stilletto S2 will do.
You sound like a guy who mighta drove an Iroq back in the 80s?
{G, D & R}
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
There should be a show Pimp my Hammer
Truth be told, in the 80s I took the bus.
Edited 3/27/2009 11:21 am ET by fingersandtoes
So my boss has been joining us in the field the past little while. And he started up criticizing my hammer more and more and more. I could tell that he had some pretty strong feelings on the subject, so I caved and bought myself a Vaughan. It was with a sour taste in my mouth that I forked over my $50.
Oh man, I so didn't want the boss to be right. But I love it. ####!
It's a 19oz rip claw steel shank model. It's got a magnetic nail-holder, which is great. It has an unusual "U" shaped face, flat along the upper side. This makes it much easier to sink the heads while toe-nailing.
I'm really, really noticing the three fewer ounces in my belt. Also, the rip claw is dead straight without a slight curve. It's great for slamming the head behind a piece of wood to pry it off.
So there ya go.
Your new hammer is sure to eliminate 'Charlie Olsens'.
What were you using?
Stanley anti-vibe, I think!
Had a coworker with one, I kind of liked the feal of it.
Edited 5/30/2009 10:40 am ET by frammer52