Hammers & Mallets

Hammers are the most frequently used tools of all. So why are there so many bent nails, dented pieces of timber and bruised thumbs around? Selecting the right hammer is all-important!

By Frank Gardner

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Hammer Photo: iStock

Hammers come with a variety of head weights and handle lengths. To get the best from a hammer, choose a quality tool that is precisionbalanced, fits your hand, matches your strength and is designed for the work you are doing. A quality hammer will have a forged steel head and a hardwood, fibreglass, graphite or steel handle. Avoid cast heads and softwood handles, as these can be dangerous to use. Faces can be milled (serrated), to prevent flying nails and glancing blows, or smooth, so the timber surface is not marred. A slightly crowned face is also better than a flat one, as it will allow you to strike the nail squarely from a slight angle. Most handles are contoured for comfort with slip-resistant grips made from leather, nylon or rubber. Timber handles are not covered with a grip.

Tips for hammer use
• When gripping a hammer, the handle should extend only about 40mm behind your hand.
• At the moment of impact, the face should be square against the nail-head, with the handle at right angles to the nail.
• Holding the nail between thumb and forefinger, tap gently to get it started – don’t strike too hard or too fast. Increase the strength of your blows as the nail beds in.
• When working on a finished surface, don’t drive the nail home with the hammer alone. Leave 2mm projecting above the timber, then sink (set) the nail below the surface with a nail punch and fill the hole with putty.
• To make nail-pulling easy and prevent marring timber surfaces, slip a small block under the hammer head.
• Rub linseed oil into wooden handles to preserve the timber.

Bricklayer's hammer

Has a square flat face for setting bricks in mortar and a chisel-shaped face for scoring and cutting bricks. The chisel face can also be used for chipping away excess mortar or trimming bricks. The head weight can range from 290-900g, and the steel, hickory or tubular steel handle measures between 200-370mm.

Curved-claw hammer

Used for driving common or finishing nails into timber surfaces and available in a range of weights, but most commonly 450, 560 or 680g. Handle length ranges from 250-370mm, and all have an angled claw for extracting nails. Choose a claw hammer that feels right in your hand and that has a sharp-edged claw that tapers to a fine slit, to make pulling closely driven nail heads easy. Avoid using curved-claw hammers to drive concrete nails, as they can damage the face.

Dead-blow hammer

Ideal for 'persuading' without damaging. The head is filled with steel shot and oil, to absorb energy when the hammer impacts on a surface. This eliminates rebound in demolition and assembly work. The head weighs 565g-5.9kg, with a 250-350mm long handle.

Carpenter’s mallet

Used for assembling woodworking components, such as timber joints, or for striking chisels. Head length ranges from 112- 150mm. Mallets are made from beech or hardwood and weigh between 170 and 850g.

Sledgehammer

Breaks up concrete or drives heavy spikes or stakes into stone, brick or the ground, using the sheer power of the weight of its solid steel head. The usual weight range of a sledge or demolition hammer is between 1.8 and 6.3kg, with even heavier models available – serious muscle is needed to handle these. Handles are made from fibreglass, hickory or spotted gum and range in length from around 350-900mm. If you are buying a sledgehammer for occasional work around the home, such as driving in formwork pegs, make sure you do the ‘feel-right’ test. It’s pointless buying one that’s too heavy to handle.

Soft-faced hammer

Will not mar surfaces, as its 42.5-900g steel head has replaceable soft and hard plastic faces. Ideal for joining, seaming and assembling timber or metal projects. Handle length varies from 250 to 400mm.