Saw this hammer yesterday. Anyone looked at these or have one of them? Are they useful?
Not sure what to make of it. I have a 4 pound (edit, it's closer to 2 1/2) "hand sledge" but I cant imagine using that beast on woodworking.
Thank you!
Fred
Saw this hammer yesterday. Anyone looked at these or have one of them? Are they useful?
Not sure what to make of it. I have a 4 pound (edit, it's closer to 2 1/2) "hand sledge" but I cant imagine using that beast on woodworking.
Thank you!
Fred
Last edited by Frederick Skelly; 02-02-2020 at 6:42 PM.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”
Thanks Ken!
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”
...also known as a solution looking for a problem. In thinking back at the my projects, I can't recall a situation where my rational ( as oppossed to frustrated) choice would be to strike wood with a steel hammer that heavy. That said, there are advocates.
I've had what I call, a 2-1/2 lb. mash hammer, for better than three decades. I've replaced the handle once, needed done again, but that time, I shortened it, re-using the broken handle. Very useful, but not quite how the "lump hammer" is to be used. After the new hammer was getting some press, I tried my mash hammer on a few tasks and it's not for me, for those tasks, although it sure can bury a chisel into wood!
My mash hammer exists on a shelf, with cold chisels, a couple of pry bars and some other demo tools.
If the thunder don't get you, the lightning will.
You can buy an Estwing for a whole lot less $$; https://www.lowes.com/pd/Estwing-48-...E&gclsrc=aw.ds
John,
Yes you can, and I have one. I have not used the Estwing since getting the Crucible except for dirty jobs around the house. BTW, in answer to Mike. Everyone is different but a lump hammer is one of the most useful tools in the shop and it is used on wood, most of the time not directly but has many times been a life saver. But then I build mostly workbenches and very few small boxes.
ken
Ken, What makes this hammer better than a dead blow hammer? Thanks. Neil
A person would have a hard time convincing me to use a 2-1/2 pound steel headed hammer to get my dovetails to go together.
Maybe if my dovetails were a bit tighter off the saw they might need such a driving force.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
I have a similiar hammer. 1 kg head (about 2 pounds) found at a flea market, very very cheap. Made an ash handle and keep it on the bench since. I use it for setting hold fasts, adjusting the planing stop, for mortising and chisel work when appropriate, occasionally as a small anvil for peening something, knocking (not bashing!) joints together (with a scrap wood piece inbetween) etc etc. Very practical hammer.
As these are so easy to find cheap, I cant see why one would by a new one, apart from looks.
Jim,
I can't remember using a hammer to get dovetails to go together or even to pull them apart, clamps yes but not hammers. M/T's are another story, a lump hammer has saved many glue ups. Again, I build mostly workbenches, chairs, and stick furniture, our needs may differ.
ken
ken
I have a number of similar hammers from Trow & Holden for stone work. https://trowandholden.com/hammers.html
For the 2 through 4 pound range, the Estwing drilling hammers are hard to beat, inexpensive, and can be found in the box stores. https://www.estwing.com/collections/...rilling-hammer I have one each of those, but they are just used depending on which stone chisel I'm going to hit. They're nice little hammers, and I have not felt the need to replace one of them with the Trow&Holden hand hammers.
I have never used one for woodworking, or even had one laying on a woodworking bench.
Last edited by Tom M King; 02-03-2020 at 8:01 AM.
Here’s mine next to a #4, 1BD418AC-47DA-4E63-908A-ED7CF12A9506.jpg267095C9-FA0D-4B25-8432-AE296A7D2B75.jpg