A hammer is a hand tool used for striking objects or materials. There are different types of hammers that can be used for many different purposes, including: nailing nails into wood, metalworking and demolition applications.
With a variety of shapes, sizes and styles, it can be difficult to choose the right hammer for the job at hand. Read on to learn more about the common types of hammers and how to choose the right hammer for the job.
- Ball Pein Hammers
A ball peen hammer is also known as a mechanic's hammer. The head of a ball peen hammer is harder than a claw hammer, making it less prone to splintering when impacted. These hammers are widely used in metalworking applications such as: driving punches and chisels, setting rivets, and bending and shaping metal. Spherical hammers are available in a variety of styles: straight hammers, angled hammers, and cross hammers.
- Brass Hammers
Brass hammers are used where sparking from metal contact is not desired, usually in the oil and gas industry. Because brass hammers are made of a soft metal, they do not damage the material they come in contact with, but only the hammer. Brass hammers can be used for striking bearings and for other similar applications where a steel hammer would cause damage.
- Dead Blow Hammers
A dead-blow hammer is a specialized hammer designed to minimize damage to the object being struck, as well as to control the force of the blow so that the surface of the object being struck has minimal rebound.
Dead blow hammers usually have a hollow head which is partially filled with steel/lead bullets or sand. This helps to disperse the energy of the blow over a longer period of time.
A dead blow hammer may also have a solid head made of rubber or flexible plastic, which helps to absorb the impact and reduce rebound. Due to the minimal rebound, dead blow hammers are often used in tight spaces to help avoid accidental damage.
- Carpenter’s Hammers
Carpenter (nail) hammers are used to drive nails, pull nails and pry apart wood. The two most common types of carpenter's hammers are the framing hammer and the claw hammer. A framing hammer has a straight claw and is commonly used for building wooden houses. The heavy head, long handle and polished face of the hammer allow them to quickly drive nails into wood. The claw hammer has a more curved claw than the frame hammer shape. The rounded head and long handle are used to gain leverage to help pull the nails out of the wood.
- Sledgehammers
Sledge hammers may be classified as hand tools, but these tools are much larger than the average hammer. Because of the size of sledge hammers, they are used for jobs that require more force than a standard hammer. The large head and long handle are designed to apply a large amount of force in a small area. Sledge hammers can be used to drive rebar and stakes, as well as break concrete and other demolition work.
Don’t forget using hammers can be dangerous if the proper safety equipment is not being used, always be sure to have the proper Eye Protection and Work Gloves at all times when using hammers.
SINOTOOLS is a professional manufacturer of hammers and other hand tools with many years of experience. If you would like to learn more about hand tools or guides, you can check out our past articles. Feel free to contact us anytime, our warm team is always happy to help.
