If It’s Hammer-time, They’ve Got The Answer
My Dad used to tell a story when I was young, about his days as an apprentice carpenter. He’d developed the habit of holding his hammer halfway up the handle when working, feeling this technique gave him somewhat more control. At one point his boss came over to him, pulled the hammer from his grip and proceeded to saw the tool in half. The lesson was soon obvious.
A metal-handled hammer would have made this demonstration somewhat more difficult but the effect would have been the same. Half a hammer doesn’t work real well. After a day the hammer was repaired (by replacing the damaged handle with a new one) and Dad was coaxed through this experience to learn the proper way of holding this kind of tool. As a result, his speed, accuracy and power were all improved.
Well-made tools are not cheap but the good ones will last a lifetime and perform well the whole time. Cheap imitations may look about the same but that’s where the similarity ends. Cheap tools don’t work well, are frustrating to work with and are, for the most part, worthless pieces of junk. The market is flooded with them and many are made in Asia. They are basically a waste of what little money they cost.
It’s nice to know the best hammers are still American made, although the market is flooded with cheap imitations that are produced in volume from all points East (read: China). Estwing Hammers are a sterling example of a quality-made tool. They have made innovations in the technology responsible for producing what may be said to be the most ergonomic hammers available. Their patented, shock resistant grip takes the pain and drudgery out of an often monotonous and painfully repetitive task.
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.
One of my favorite sayings and one that has served me well is, “Cheap things aren’t good and good things aren’t cheap.” This is especially appropriate when considering the purchase of a hand tool such as a hammer. Spend a little more. Get a WHOLE LOT more for your money.
Bob Proctor has been writing articles since 2006 and is an expert on hydraulic cable cutter, however he also likes to write about stiletto hammer
