Hammer weight

[Jeff Ranck]

So I have a sort of strange question. I've finally decided that I need to replace the venerable hammer I've used in my shop for nails on projects and get a new (maybe new vintage) one. As I've been looking around for what I want, I was wondering what type of weight folks used in the shop.

My go to for a general construction has always been 20 Oz. or so. In the shop, I've tended to use 16. But I'm wondering if I ought to go smaller with a 12 or maybe 8.

Not all that important of a question and I probably should just pick something and get back to work. However, I thought I'd at least take the time to ask the collective wisdom of the group.

Jeff.

[Flamone LaChaud]

If we're talking general construction (including beating apart things already nailed together) - weight is king - I go for 22-24oz. But if I'm nailing small nails into something delicate - 12oz is all I need. Large enough to do the job, small enough to not make too much of a mess if I miss.

[Jim Koepke]

There are three nailing hammers in my shop. A small one for 4d nails and smaller. A medium for 6d & 8d nails. Then a framing hammer for the big stuff. My recollection is the small one and the framing hammer were bought when various stores were going out of business.

Just a little note on something most people may already know, framing hammers usually are 16" or at least have two points on them that are 16" apart to aid in setting wall studs.

jtk

[Warren Lake]

some prefer the newer lighter hammers and say velocity makes up for lighter weight. They say they save their elbows and carrying around lighter weight is beneficial. Ive got a number of hammers now but the first 30 years all I had was my fathers finishing hammer., It worked fine for all in the shop and was perfect to turn sideways to use on chisels preferred it to a mallet and it was always at hand in the tool belt, some chisels as well.

One of the best features if not best is the side nail puller in the stiletto but its more for construction, the finishing hammer puller was good for shop stuff.

If you use a hammer alot id say handle comfort is a focus. I have one smaller stanley that is the real stanley. Put a stilletto air grip on it and it feels good in the hand. Find most hammer handles are made too small in diameter. one company changed them after I brought it up with them.

[John K Jordan]

T
Just a little note on something most people may already know, framing hammers usually are 16" or at least have two points on them that are 16" apart to aid in setting wall studs.

Just curious as to the value of that over a tape in laying out a wall. Seems the potential accumulated error in measuring incrementally could be high for more than a stud or two.

JKJ

[bridger berdel]

Hammers- the other slippery slope. I probably have over 100.

the problem is that really sweet vintage hammers of all descriptions show up at the usual rust hunt holes in quantity and for ridiculously cheap prices.

[Christopher Charles]

Slippery slope indeed for an under-appreciated tool. I recommend that you do not search "gennou" on this site if you have any affinity for japanese tools.

Best,
Chris

[Jeff Ranck]

Hammers- the other slippery slope. ...

Nooo don't tell me that!

[Clint Bach]

Replacing or adding to your hammers? I know very few people who have several of the same hammer. For me the question is head style... Rip hammer or claw hammer... Magnetic nail holder for starting nails one handed. Wood, Fiberglas, tubular steel, or thin solid steel, waffle face... I personally like estwing 20 oz smooth face rip hammers for my general purpose beating on things and driving nails. They do have a noticeable ringing some don't like. This is not my only hammer.

C

[Tom M King]

I swing an Estwing. One of each, and multiples of some (for multiple people working), depending on what we are doing. My most used hammer is a 16oz. straight claw. I don't do much nail pulling with a hammer, so have no use for a curved claw. The straight claw can catch an embedded, or not, nailhead, and is useful for many things, as well as having better balance behind the head.

This 16 oz. comes with a bell face, and beveled edges. I think it's good for driving nails all the way home, and maybe not damaging the surface. I don't need that, but the beveled edges don't allow me to get into a tight corner like I would like, so like almost everything else I own, it was customized- by regrinding the face to a much flatter bell, with no tapered edges. This hammer gets used probably 95 percent of the hammer time. It can do any job, but there are some more specific ones for specific jobs, if that job is longer than a few nails, that would be better.

[lowell holmes]

I have 8oz, 12oz, 16oz, and IIRC, a 20 oz. hammer. FWIW, they are mostly wooden handle Bluegrass hammers.
I also have a Bluegrass spoke shave.

[Andrew Gibson]

I love hammers, rarely do I come home without one from the swap meet.
I currently have 4 drawers in the tool box dedicated to hammers. Loosely categorized by mallets, claw/tack, ball peen, and body/hammer & dolly.

When it comes to brands I do keep an eye out for Plumb hammers and axes. Both my Plumb axes take and hold an exceptional edge.
Don't get me started on Trimo Pipe wrenches.

[Lamar Keeney]

Job sight
20 oz smooth face straight claw, fiberglass handled Vaughnan It put way more wear on me over the years than I ever did it.
16 oz older fiberglass handled Craftsman, nice thin ears

Shop
14 oz wooden handled Blue Grass, Dearly love this old thing
4 oz? not sure but really small ball peen That I'm still surprised me how often I reach for. When I first bought it I thought "Ain't that cute" Now I wouldn't do without it

Got several bigger up to 10 lb cause every when I want to hit something and want it to stay hit

[Lee Schierer]

I have a 16 Oz Stanley Nail Master that I've had for many years. A few years back when I got more involved helping build Habitat houses, I moved up to a 20 Oz Estwing Straight claw hammer as it was less work doing framing

[Matthew Hutchinson477]

And here I thought I was kind of an irrational nutcase for being obsessed with objects so simple as hammers. I've been walking around carrying this secret like it was a sign of an untethered mind. Here's my latest simple object love affair:
IMG_5339.jpg IMG_5340.jpg

Bought it on ebay (search "Ryuzo hammer") and it had to be shipped from Japan. I probably looked at these for a month and my rational side kept talking me out of it but its aesthetic appeal eventually won me over. Does it drive nails better than a $5 garage sale hammer? Prevent blisters? Allow significantly better accuracy? Absolutely not. But it sure is purdy.

In the end, if a particular tool holds enough appeal to make me feel more enthusiastic towards a particular task like driving nails then I suppose it isn't entirely foolish.