On Feb 20, 1:12 pm, "Zephyr" an address @ some place .com wrote:
A hammer is about as personal a tool as you can get.
more so than a saw or drill. a hammer speaks to who you are and how you
work.

no one hammer is better than the other.

I like a light hammer, others prefer heavy weighted hammers.
I like a wood handle, others prefer composite or steel.

different styles for different uses.

personally I think the milled faces are for people who can't swing
straight... but that's just me.

Dave

"mm" wrote in message

...

Are pretty claw hammers better? By pretty, right now I'm thinking of
the ones with corners on the shank just below the hammer head. Does
that shape mean they are made with a different, better method?

Or maybe they are made with a cheaper method but made with corners to
imitate better ones?

Or is the shape just a style and nothing more?

There are also hammers with 8 sided heads, rather than circular. For
some strange reason I can't put my finger on, I don't like them.
That's just a style, right?

I've never broken a hammer, even one that I'm sure was cheap. But I
have had one or two where there was something wrong with the V between
the claws and they didn't grip nails with small heads well.

Dave-

personally I think the milled faces are for people who can't swing
straight... but that's just me.

I used to think that, as well........about 30 years ago.

Back then I used a 20oz smooth face & could drive any nail straight
in...but as I got older & stronger I swtiched to a 28 oz milled face.
(never could handle the 32oz, just too heavy for me)

With that 28oz, I could drive nails at any angle with my eyes
closed ....milled faced hammers are amazingly forgiving.

My 28oz phase didn't last very long...too tiring. I backed off to a
24oz milled hammer then later switched to a rigger's hatchet....just
love the feel & balance, still use one after switching 15 years ago.

Now it makes my arm & shoulder hurt some but I still prefer it to a
Vaughan framer or a Vaughan Cal framer. IMO the shape of the head
effects how the hammer swings...who knows, maybe it's like bat shape?

cheers
Bob