subject: Information about Hammers [print this page] Information about Hammers Information about Hammers
I remember my Dad telling a story of when he was a young apprentice carpenter and was taught one of life's valuable lessons. He was busy nailing something together and, as was his habit, was choked up quite a bit on the hammer as this seemed to provide more control of his swing. His boss calmly walked over, grabbed the hammer out of his hand and proceeded to cut the handle in half. Lesson learned.
Obviously, had he been using a metal-handled tool rather than one made of wood this lesson would have been tougher to demonstrate but, hey, they make saws that will cut metal too. The point is, the tool was rendered useless for the day and had to be repaired with the fitting of a new handle before it was useable again. After that, Dad learned how to swing a hammer properly and this eventually increased his speed and power.
Tools are something that, if well made are usually going to be fairly expensive to buy but if not well made are basically worthless. No one who uses a tool frequently is going to want it to be some substandard replica of the 'real' thing. Poorly made, cheap tools are difficult to work with, frustrating and dangerous. Their only redeeming quality is that they're cheap to buy but here, the term 'you get what you pay for' holds true in more ways than one.
Hammers come in numerous designs and fulfill any number of functions. The best hammers are still made in the U.S.A. and Estwing Hammers are a perfect example. Their patented innovations in design and proprietary shock reduction grip produce, perhaps, the most ergonomic hammers made.
Another top-quality manufacturer producing the best of the best is Stiletto. Stiletto Hammers are 45% lighter than typical tools of the same size and yet, even with this weight difference they still provide an equal striking force. And, because they're constructed of titanium, they produce 10 times less recoil shock than a normal hammer.
This recoil shock is no small thing if your job involves swinging a hammer all day. Carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow are common complaints among hammer-swinging tradesmen or craftsmen and these hammers significantly reduce the cause of these problems. They are undeniably the best there is.
I like the saying, "Good things ain't cheap and cheap things ain't good." With hand tools, cheap isn't only worse... it's useless. Need a good hammer? Now you know where to go!
