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Many people
starting out in woodworking are bewildered by the amount of tools
available both power and hand operated. The intension of this
series is to concentrate on human powered hand tools and show
their variations and differences. I'll start off with the basic
hand tools and move on to the more exotic. This month I'll talk
about two of the most basic hand tools, hammers and files.
Hammers
You would
think that a hammer is a hammer is a hammer, but there seems to
be almost as many types as there are jobs requiring one. For woodworking
there are two main types of hammers, framing and claw. In metalworking
and mechanics there are also two main types, ball pein and machinist
or cross pein. Finally there are the specialty hammers, drilling,
masonry, shingling, dead blow, rubber, etc. There are even more
hammers out there, but this gives you an idea of what is available,
their differences and what they are used for.
Woodworking
Hammers
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- The
claw hammer is the most well known of any hammer. They
commonly range in weight from 8oz up to 28oz. They have a
standard driving head, which is either round or octagon and
the claws have a sharp radius. The sharp radius of the claw
hammer gives you higher leverage and allows you to pull nails
easier. Claw hammers always have a smooth striking face, so
they can be used for finishing work. If you only have one
hammer, this should be the one.
 
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- Framing
hammers tend to be longer, heavier and the claw radius
is shallower often called a ripping claw. Weight ranges usually
from 16oz to 32oz. Framing hammers come with either a smooth
or a milled striking face. The milled face digs into the head
of the nail preventing the hammer from slipping off the nail.
The straighter radius claw is heavier built for pulling larger
framing nails. Many manufacturers are now designing their
hammers with some form of shock absorption, to reduce the
fatigue and injury caused by the repetitive blows.
 
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Metal
Working Hammers
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- The
most common metal working hammer is the ball pein.
This hammer has a standard flat face and a semi-circular concave
face called the pein. These hammers were designed for shaping
metal and for setting iron rivets by peining over the edge.
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- A
cross pein or machinists hammer has a flat face,
which is either square or octagon and a wedged shaped face.
They are often used in blacksmithing where the wedge or
cross pein face is used in shaping, cutting or folding the
metal.
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Specialty
Hammers
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- A
drilling hammer is a single-handed sledgehammer usually
with a shortened handle. These hammers are used to drill
into rock and stone. The short handle makes it easier to
swing and control the heavy head, up to 5 lbs, often in
cramped quarters. They have two flat faces and are usually
square.
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Prospector and bricklayer's hammers are very similar
to each other. Both have an elongated head with a square face
on one side. The prospector's hammer has a pick on the opposite
end for digging and prying. The bricklayer's hammer has a chisel
edge for scoring and breaking bricks and masonry.
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- Shingling
hammers or hatchets have a square head with a milled face
to make sure it doesn't slip off the nail heads just as a framing
hammer has. On the other end is a hatchet for splitting wooden
shakes or shingles. Some have a basic hatchet face and others
have a hatchet face with a series of holes and a bolt to set your
reveal spacing.
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- Dead
blow hammers are made from a medium soft plastic and
filled with lead. Instead of bouncing as a rubber hammer
does, the movement of the lead causes the full force of
the blow to be transferred to the material being struck.
The plastic housing does not damage the material, but it
is too soft for use on sharp metal. They can leave a mark
on wood as the plastic rubs off. Weights range from 16oz
to 48oz.
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Rubber hammers will have either a white or black
rubber head and can be used as a dead blow with the addition
of use on metal. They can leave a rubber mark, especially
the black ones. Common weight range from 8oz to 32oz.
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- Double-faced
hammers have two faces usually of different softness'
of plastic or rubber combination. The caps can leave a mark
from the plastic or rubber as it rubs off. Double faced
are measured by the diameter of the face instead of by weight.
Common sizes are from 20mm (3/4") to 40mm (1-9/16").
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Rawhide hammers are the precursors of the dead blow,
rubber and double ended hammers and are used for the same
purposes. They can be used on machined parts and they also
have the added advantage of not leaving any kind of mark.
Common weights from 8oz to 28oz.
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- Brass
or copper hammers. These hammers are normally used where
a spark from a standard steel hammer could be dangerous
or when tapping on machined parts. Common weight range from
8oz to 28oz.
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Tack/Upholsterer's hammer. These hammers tend to
have narrow faces, which can be square or round and usually
have one magnetic tip to hold the tacks. Common weights
from 5oz to 10oz.
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Handles
- Wood.
This is the traditional handle material and is still the most
common. They are strong, light and easy to replace if they get
damaged. There are also two styles of handle shape. The first
is the standard shape we all know, the second is the axe handle
shape but with a thinner cross section. No difference in functionality,
mainly personal preference in grip comfort.
- Solid
steel. Solid steel handles are very strong
and rarely break, but they can bend. Either way, if they do you
replace the entire hammer instead of just the handle. Normally these
hammers will have a rubber or leather grip.
- Tubular
steel. These handles are fine for light
duty home use, but are just not strong enough for pulling nails
or any kind of large project. If you try to pull out a 3-1/2"
nail with one of these, chances are you will bend the handle long
before the nail is out. Usually equipped with a rubber or plastic
grip.
- Fiberglass.
These handle have many of the good features of the other materials.
They are light, very strong, they do not rust or weather and if
it does break you don't have to replace the whole hammer. However,
you will have to replace it with a wooden one, as you cannot get
fiberglass replacement handles. Comes with a rubber grip.
Quick
Hammer tip: Remember when buying a hammer with
a wooden handle or getting a replacement handle, the grain
should be running inline with the hammerhead. Cross grain
handles will break much easier. Do not hammer with the
side of the hammer. The casting is not thick enough to
withstand blows and you will void any warranty. Don't
use the claws like an adze for chopping. They are not
designed for it and will break, again no warranty.
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Files
Files are not
used as much as they once were and some of the terms are no longer
familiar. Here is a great description from Nicholson Files, which
explains the differences much better than I could.
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Quick
File tip: Take some common blackboard chalk and
rub in into your file. This fills the grooves and prevents
filings from loading up, but does not interfere with the
cutting action. Clean and repeat as needed.
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