A tip for those of you who maybe

[John Hebert]

Experiencing carpal tunnel. I was diagnosed with severe in one hand, and more severe in the other. I switched to my wood hammer, rather than my Eastwing, and noticed a big difference in tingling in my hand, while waiting for the Doc to do his thing.
Funny thing is...... I noticed this nice looking 20 oz. hammer in a high dollar mom and pop, and had a good feel. Had a hefty price tag as I remember but had a real different look to it, with the small axe handle, and even had a signature. Couldn’t tell you what it was cause I didn’t have my glasses at the time, but what the heck......I didn’t have a "real nice" lookin hammer and took the plunge. Got back to the job, and took it out and geeze, this hammer was great. Had a diamond faceted striker which made a world of difference with ricochet off the nails in, trying to fly with framing. Felt so got that I went and got the 16 oz. For the shop and finish work. Put on my glasses after a day or so and noticed the signature....... "Tim Allen" ha! If that don’t beet all. Had I read this before buying, I probably would have laughed like hell in the store and never bought it.

http://www.cjohnhebert.com/woodhammers.jpg

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Huh.... and I always thought you got that from too much web surfing :D

I wondered why Axes have that bit on the bottom, maybe so your hand does fly off the handle..?

When I was a kid, I helped my grandfather build his retirement home. I was maybe 12..? Well, my dad, a couple uncles, some cousins and my big brother spent a few weeks up there framing the house an putting the roof one etc. I got my own hammer, a wooden handled one. Every one kept on telling me not to choke up on the handle, but to use the whole thing. Finally one day at lunch, my grandad asked to see my hammer, I handed it to him, and he sliced off the last 6" of the handle with a skillsaw :eek:

He said "Well you never use that bit..." :D

In a day, he gave me the money to go buy a new handle at the local hardware store, I bought the longest one I could find, and to this day, I think of that lesson, and make sure I don't choke up on the handle.

Cheers!

[Bill Lewis]

When you mentioned a signiture, my first guess was Tim Allen. :p

I've got 4 Estwings, haven't gone the axe handle route, really no need to switch for me. I have been tempted to try it, but my hammers aren't worn out yet. I use all smooth face, which was safer to have since the wife uses a couple of them too.

Glad it works for you.

[Bill Lewis]

Stu,
Love the story. I did a lot of work with crappy hammers, and not knowing any better. The only safe way to use them seemed to be to choke up on them. I bet your grandfather really didn't know what kind of favor he did for you by cutting off that handle. The hammer was probably a $4 bargin bin (that's $20 canadian right?;) ) hammer which was probably doing you more harm than good. Kinda like giving a kid a bike with square wheels and then laughing at him when he falls over.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Nope the hammer was a good one, in fact it was my Dad's and he was not please that my GD cut the handle off like that, I think the look on my Dad's face was almost as good as the one on my face :D

He did pay to get a new handle, and he showed me how to shape the handle to fit into the hammer head, as well as making a hardwood wedge and setting the head. My Dad stil has that hammer!

This is the same GD that took me for a little ride in the row boat on the lake at age 5, he said to me "Stuart, can you swim...?" I said "No..." so he tossed me in the lake :D Yep, I learned how to swim :D

Getting back on track, (sorry CJ)....

CJ, is it the wood of the handle, or the Axe like shape, or a combo, or does it just work?

Cheers!

[Bill Lewis]

Stu, good thing GD wasn't the one who was in charge of potty training you:eek: :eek: LOL

[Harry Goodwin]

I've heard the cut off handle before. My dad solved the problem with threats and advise. Old and some younger carpenters wrapped the last inch of the handle with friction tape. I finally did that with everything but the eswings. Those 22 oz are not old folks friends either. Harry

[Jim Hager]

CJ, you need to get the doc to do the deed on that carpel tunnel problem. I had mine done nearly 10 years ago and when I went in for surgery I couldn't even pick up a #6 x 1/2" screw to put together drawer glides. I came out of surgery with all the feeling back in my fingers and have had very little problem with the carpel tunnel syndrome since. It may be helped by a new hammer but it will flare up again just the same as you use it.

My arms used to ache something awful at night causing a loss of sleep. I was doing a lot of farm work at the time building a corral, a barn, and doing a lot of ther fencing, driving big nails through some sawmill run oak. Like you I was overworking my arms anyway.

The recovery time is not that long, you should have seen about it over the winter while you were not able to work that much anyway.

Bony

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Jim...consider getting the problem fixed when you can. Of course, it's understandable that this might be "bad timing" for you in that respect--given your little home building project. Accordingly, pneumatic nailers can be your friend to help cut down on the number of impacts your hands and wrists are experiencing. I have a lot of problem with using hammers myself and feel that the framing gun I bought for my kitchen renovation a few years ago was a good investment. And, as you point out...a good hammer that you find comfortable makes a difference when you must drive the little suckers manually... ;)

[John Hebert]

and finally got an appointment at the VA to have the deed done, until then they gave me 2 cotizone shots in the wrists and its helped it considerably.

[David Eisenhauer]

Please let me know how this goes. I think I'm headed down the same road - wrists haven't cut it at all for the last couple-three years and when the Advil runs out, it's a long night. I found some cream that helps for a while, but figure that will go away in time.

David

[Lee DeRaud]

What Jim said. Pneumatic nailers are the pinnacle of modern technology IMHO. (I may be biased: I have a depth-perception issue that makes driving nails by hand a bit of an adventure, although quite entertaining for bystanders.:eek: )

I also recall a bit on This Old House where Tom Silva noted that he doesn't do his own framing anymore but subs it out instead, partly due to economics but mostly due to age: "That's a young man's trade, just too much wear and tear."

[Tom Horton]

John,

The "Tim Allen" hammer was originally called a "California Framer". The head of the hammer was originally a rigging axe, used by boat carpenters, and someone got the wild idea to replace the axe end with a claw. The balance of the head in and of itself is truly the beauty of the hammer. And, the long, 18" handle, while looking oversized, is actually part of the design. You'll notice that is has a slight curve at the end, which is similar to a short handled axe, but is usually where your fingers feel the most comfortable grabbing the handle. It's also where you get the most comfortable swing, and the most force, with the least amount of stress to your wrist. The wood handle has ALWAYS been the best one to use, since it absorbs the shock infinitely better than any other handle out there. Even the fiberglass handles. Also, the handles are created specifically for the head, and are not interchangeable with any other kind of hammer. Last I checked, the handles are about $18 or so. I still use one when I need it for my larger jobs.

Now, before anyone has a cow, these are purely my observations, and research, since I used to frame houses for a living for many years, before I scaled down my business. I noticed that whenever I used an "Estwing", not only my wrist, but my whole side, from the shoulder down to my hip usually ached for hours, until I loosened it up with a hot shower. The Fiberglass handles would hurt my wrist, because the handles were straight, and occasionally covered with foam, which changed my grip. I used those framers exclusively, and bought one for each of my employees, after they showed me they were competent enough to wield a true professional's hammer.;) Yes, we did have nail guns, but I liked to have my guys learn how to use the hammer the right way first, so that they could actually call themselves carpenters, and know the tools of the trade. Besides, it's a lot more fun to race each other building walls with hammers and nails, where you had to really be accurate on the correct nail, not the one attached to the finger!:D

The Vaughn & Bushnell Mfg. Co., makers of that hammer, had, at one time, put out many different kinds of heads, at different weights, with different length handles. I don't know if they still do or not, but I still have all the original ones that I bought 20 years ago. Not the original handles on the framers, but on the others.

Here is a link to the Vaughn Company. http://www.vaughanmfg.com/claw_frameset.html


Tom

[John Hebert]

anyone worth his salt starts out with a hammer. I also have many nailing guns, but there comes a time that I can nail it off faster than unloading and setting up a nail gun.

[Ron Blaise]

Yo C. John, just don't let them do both at the same time, or SWMBO will have to give you a lot of unpleasant assistance :rolleyes: . But like everyone say's it will be a lot better after you heal. Had both of mine done too (but not at the same time).
Ron

[Mark Rios]

John,

The "Tim Allen" hammer was originally called a "California Framer". The head of the hammer was originally a rigging axe, used by boat carpenters, and someone got the wild idea to replace the axe end with a claw. The balance of the head in and of itself is truly the beauty of the hammer. And, the long, 18" handle, while looking oversized, is actually part of the design. You'll notice that is has a slight curve at the end, which is similar to a short handled axe, but is usually where your fingers feel the most comfortable grabbing the handle. It's also where you get the most comfortable swing, and the most force, with the least amount of stress to your wrist. The wood handle has ALWAYS been the best one to use, since it absorbs the shock infinitely better than any other handle out there. Even the fiberglass handles. Also, the handles are created specifically for the head, and are not interchangeable with any other kind of hammer. Last I checked, the handles are about $18 or so. I still use one when I need it for my larger jobs.

Now, before anyone has a cow, these are purely my observations, and research, since I used to frame houses for a living for many years, before I scaled down my business. I noticed that whenever I used an "Estwing", not only my wrist, but my whole side, from the shoulder down to my hip usually ached for hours, until I loosened it up with a hot shower. The Fiberglass handles would hurt my wrist, because the handles were straight, and occasionally covered with foam, which changed my grip. I used those framers exclusively, and bought one for each of my employees, after they showed me they were competent enough to wield a true professional's hammer.;) Yes, we did have nail guns, but I liked to have my guys learn how to use the hammer the right way first, so that they could actually call themselves carpenters, and know the tools of the trade. Besides, it's a lot more fun to race each other building walls with hammers and nails, where you had to really be accurate on the correct nail, not the one attached to the finger!:D

The Vaughn & Bushnell Mfg. Co., makers of that hammer, had, at one time, put out many different kinds of heads, at different weights, with different length handles. I don't know if they still do or not, but I still have all the original ones that I bought 20 years ago. Not the original handles on the framers, but on the others.

Here is a link to the Vaughn Company. http://www.vaughanmfg.com/claw_frameset.html


Tom


To add a further bit of history, the Vaughn "California Framer" was originally made by a California carpenter. The rigging ax was cut down by hand (as opposed to being massed produced) and he welded the claw on to the back. Then the weld area was filed and shaped with a considerable taper from the head area toward the claw. This produced a hammer head that with a very large nailing area but reduced the total weight of the hammer by one ounce; A 24oz. hammer weighed 23oz., etc. IIRC, he made a 22 oz., 24 oz., and a 28 oz. The 28 Oz. (net 27 oz. actually) was a really big hammer and gave some guys trouble with their elbows. We were not allowed to buy a 28 oz. (from our bosses) and I'm very glad that they were looking out for us. I tried one guys 28 oz. from another job and it was just way too heavy to swing all day unless you were a gorilla.

The guy originally made a run of 1000 and they were sold pretty much by word of mouth. The original hammer cost $35, quite a chunk-o-change for a hammer back in the early 1980's. The cost was that high though because you were really buying two hammers and the labor to make them into one. They were EXTREMELY popular, sold very quickly, and a larger production run was made, however this time (and subsequent runs) I believe he had a manufacturer make them to exactly the standards and dimensions of the original 1000. These original hammers had the word (name?) "Daluge" stamped on the head. Eventually, Vaughn bought his patent and named the hammer the "California Framer". Because of production costs and procedures, the hammer head was molded to a little different shape and, IMHO, reduced the original ergonomics of the hammer.

I was fortunate to have been offered the opportunity to by one by the contractors that I was working for at the time; they had bought 50. I have one of the original 1000 and two (one milled face and one smooth face) from subsequent runs. The original hammers had, of course, a milled face (some call it a waffle head) and they later made a smooth face. The smooth face wasn't very popular and there aren't too many of them around, although I think that Vaughn may have brought out a smooth face version later after they bought the hammer.

Ironically, here in California, I have a little trouble finding a handle to fit into the original head. There was one style that I liked that is very, very close to the original design but I have to shave and shape the end the slides into the head a bit for it to fit perfectly. One time I found a store that had them and I purchased six handles to keep as spares so that, hopefully, I won't have to try to find them again. Since I do mostly remodeling and use Paslode Impulses I don't do alot of real framing anymore so I should be pretty safe.:D

[John Hebert]

:) You know what they say about...payback? he he he