Hammers, Mallets and Sledgehammers

Head style: matching the strike to the material

The head shape tells you what the hammer is for. A claw hammer drives and pulls nails. A ball pein, engineer's or drilling hammer has a hardened face for striking punches and chisels and for shaping metal. Chipping and welder's hammers knock off slag and scale. Mallets and dead blow hammers use rubber, plastic or polyurethane faces that do not mark the work, and a dead blow head is filled with shot so it does not bounce back.

Head weight and handle: wood, fiberglass or steel

Hand hammers are sized by head weight in ounces, with 16 oz a common all-round claw hammer and heavier heads for framing or driving chisels. Sledges are weighed in pounds and have long handles for demolition and driving stakes. A heavier head delivers more force per swing but tires the arm sooner and is harder to control. Check the overall length too, since a longer handle adds swing speed at the cost of accuracy.

Handle material changes the feel. Hickory wood absorbs vibration and can be replaced when it splits. Fiberglass shrugs off moisture and is hard to break. Steel handles are strong and often have rubber grips, though they pass on more shock. Whatever the material, the head should sit firmly in the eye, because a loose head can fly off mid-swing.

Questions about Hammers, Mallets and Sledgehammers

What does a dead blow hammer do that a regular mallet cannot?

Its hollow head is filled with shot or sand that shifts on impact, so the energy goes into the work instead of rebounding. That makes it good for seating parts, aligning panels and tapping fixtures into place without denting, and its plastic or rubber face avoids marring.

Can I hit a chisel or punch with a claw hammer?

It is better not to. Claw hammer faces are meant for nails, and striking hardened chisels or punches can chip either tool. Use a ball pein or engineer's hammer, whose face is made for the job, and wear eye protection whenever steel strikes steel.

What weight of hammer is right for general household use?

A 16 oz claw hammer covers most household nailing, picture hanging and light repairs. Go lighter, around 8 to 12 oz, for tacks and delicate trim, and heavier, around 20 to 24 oz, for framing. A heavier hammer is not automatically better if it tires you.