Home Repair (alt.home.repair) For all homeowners and DIYers with many experienced tradesmen. Solve your toughest home fix-it problems.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
Mike S.
 
Posts: n/a
Default Small hammers?

Are there (claw) hammers that are specially designed for people with
small hands? I've been using my uncles hammers and they are way too big
for me to work with. I can barely wrap my hands around the grip or even
in the middle of the hammer and they feel like they weigh a ton when
I'm trying to hammer nails. I feel like if I had a smaller hammer that
actually fit my hand and weighed 16 oz (or less) instead of 22 oz then
maybe it would make things easier. But I can't seem to find any small
hammers anywhere. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong stores or something.

Do smaller sized hammers exist? Am I going to have to look somewhere
special for them?

  #2   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
Edwin Pawlowski
 
Posts: n/a
Default Small hammers?


"Mike S." wrote in message

Do smaller sized hammers exist? Am I going to have to look somewhere
special for them?


Hardware store? Sears? Home Depot? You at least have to look. 16 oz.
is common. Craftsman has a 10 oz. Estwing has a 12 oz.


  #3   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
RicodJour
 
Posts: n/a
Default Small hammers?


Mike S. wrote:
Are there (claw) hammers that are specially designed for people with
small hands? I've been using my uncles hammers and they are way too big
for me to work with. I can barely wrap my hands around the grip or even
in the middle of the hammer and they feel like they weigh a ton when
I'm trying to hammer nails. I feel like if I had a smaller hammer that
actually fit my hand and weighed 16 oz (or less) instead of 22 oz then
maybe it would make things easier. But I can't seem to find any small
hammers anywhere. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong stores or something.

Do smaller sized hammers exist? Am I going to have to look somewhere
special for them?


There are literally hundreds of hammers, scores of manufacturers and
types. If you're hammering nails, that will eliminate a fair number of
them. You could search for tack hammers if you're just tapping in some
small nails to hang pictures and the like, or you could get a lighter
weight hammer with a thinner handle like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...lance&n=228013

R

  #4   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
George E. Cawthon
 
Posts: n/a
Default Small hammers?

Mike S. wrote:
Are there (claw) hammers that are specially designed for people with
small hands? I've been using my uncles hammers and they are way too big
for me to work with. I can barely wrap my hands around the grip or even
in the middle of the hammer and they feel like they weigh a ton when
I'm trying to hammer nails. I feel like if I had a smaller hammer that
actually fit my hand and weighed 16 oz (or less) instead of 22 oz then
maybe it would make things easier. But I can't seem to find any small
hammers anywhere. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong stores or something.

Do smaller sized hammers exist? Am I going to have to look somewhere
special for them?


Claw hammerheads are made in almost every weight
immagineable, most, are less than 16 ounces and
run all the way down to 2-3 ounces. BTW 22 oz
heads are meant for framing not general carpentry.
More importantly, you can buy all types of
handles, or simply modify the shape and size of an
original handle to fit--carve it, file it, sand
it, grind it.
  #5   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
buffalobill
 
Posts: n/a
Default Small hammers?

try a makita cordless drill. drill pilot holes first.
also:
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?so...8+oz%2e+hammer



  #6   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
David Martel
 
Posts: n/a
Default Small hammers?

Mike,

Hobby and craft stores sell really small hammers but they may be too
small for what you want. These hammers are used in building model boats and
rail roads. I don't recall these hammers having a claw though.

Dave M.


  #7   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
Doug Miller
 
Posts: n/a
Default Small hammers?

In article .com, "Mike S." wrote:
Are there (claw) hammers that are specially designed for people with
small hands? I've been using my uncles hammers and they are way too big
for me to work with. I can barely wrap my hands around the grip or even
in the middle of the hammer and they feel like they weigh a ton when
I'm trying to hammer nails. I feel like if I had a smaller hammer that
actually fit my hand and weighed 16 oz (or less) instead of 22 oz then
maybe it would make things easier. But I can't seem to find any small
hammers anywhere. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong stores or something.

Do smaller sized hammers exist? Am I going to have to look somewhere
special for them?

Have you tried actually, you know, going to a hardware store and looking for
them? I'm guessing not.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.
  #8   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
Not@home
 
Posts: n/a
Default Small hammers?

I inherited one with a smaller head and thinner handle; it has no name
on it, but was sold as a woman's hammer. I guess it would be
politically incorrect to call it that today.

You could look at Amazon.com to see what they have, but there are some
things, like hammers and shoes, that I would want to try on before buying.

Mike S. wrote:

Are there (claw) hammers that are specially designed for people with
small hands? I've been using my uncles hammers and they are way too big
for me to work with. I can barely wrap my hands around the grip or even
in the middle of the hammer and they feel like they weigh a ton when
I'm trying to hammer nails. I feel like if I had a smaller hammer that
actually fit my hand and weighed 16 oz (or less) instead of 22 oz then
maybe it would make things easier. But I can't seem to find any small
hammers anywhere. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong stores or something.

Do smaller sized hammers exist? Am I going to have to look somewhere
special for them?

  #9   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
 
Posts: n/a
Default Small hammers?

Try these guys www.leevalley.com
here is a link to the page that has hammers.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...&cat=1&p=53193

I buy from them a few times a year with zero hassles.

  #10   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
mm
 
Posts: n/a
Default Small hammers?

On Sat, 08 Apr 2006 13:58:07 -0400, "Not@home" wrote:

I inherited one with a smaller head and thinner handle; it has no name
on it, but was sold as a woman's hammer. I guess it would be
politically incorrect to call it that today.

You could look at Amazon.com to see what they have, but there are some


You'll just end up with women big enough to use a big hammer.

Try Hammer.com instead.

things, like hammers and shoes, that I would want to try on before buying.


Ok. Just kidding.

Mike S. wrote:

Are there (claw) hammers that are specially designed for people with
small hands? I've been using my uncles hammers and they are way too big
for me to work with. I can barely wrap my hands around the grip or even
in the middle of the hammer and they feel like they weigh a ton when
I'm trying to hammer nails. I feel like if I had a smaller hammer that
actually fit my hand and weighed 16 oz (or less) instead of 22 oz then
maybe it would make things easier. But I can't seem to find any small
hammers anywhere. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong stores or something.

Do smaller sized hammers exist? Am I going to have to look somewhere
special for them?




  #11   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
mm
 
Posts: n/a
Default Small hammers?

On 7 Apr 2006 21:36:52 -0700, "Mike S."
wrote:

Are there (claw) hammers that are specially designed for people with
small hands? I've been using my uncles hammers and they are way too big
for me to work with. I can barely wrap my hands around the grip or even
in the middle of the hammer and they feel like they weigh a ton when
I'm trying to hammer nails. I feel like if I had a smaller hammer that
actually fit my hand and weighed 16 oz (or less) instead of 22 oz then


Apparently you are using too big a hammer for most purposes, and you
probably won't feel this way with the right hammer. But I continue
below.

maybe it would make things easier. But I can't seem to find any small
hammers anywhere. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong stores or something.

Do smaller sized hammers exist? Am I going to have to look somewhere
special for them?


I can see getting a narrower handle, but at least in some situations,
it is actually easier with a standard weight hammer, or even heavier.

First the head is larger so you have a better chance of hitting the
nail. Don't laugh, anyone.

Second, with a light hammer, you have to use your arm muscles to get
enough force to push nails into hard wood etc. Undoubtedly in toto,
you use as much effort or more for each swing with a heavier hammer,
but it doesn't feel that way. The effort is greater lifting the
hammer, but that is spread out over a couple seconds, and on the
downswing, gravity contributes more and with the same amount of
muscle, the hammer hits the nail with a real whack.

The same is true about using little force or medium force when
hammering. Some nails will go in easily, but some don't. With the
second kind, one can keep hitting the nail weakly, and it won't move
or will barely move, and one can wear himself out lifting the hammer
over and over and over and over. But make an effort to use some
force, and 2 or 3 hits is all one will need usually, and it's actually
much less total effort that way.

For some uses they sell a little sledge hammer, with a head maybe 2 or
3 times the size and weight of a hammer head, with a handle about the
same size as or a little bigger than a hammer's. Now it would seem
like this would really be a lot of work to use, and it is heavy to
just carry it around for a while. But when something rather big has
to go into something rather hard, it is remarkably easy to do this
with a little sledge, 2 or 3 hits, while one might have to pound and
pound and pound with a hammer.
  #12   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
Bob S.
 
Posts: n/a
Default Small hammers?


George E. Cawthon wrote:

Claw hammerheads are made in almost every weight
immagineable, most, are less than 16 ounces and
run all the way down to 2-3 ounces. BTW 22 oz
heads are meant for framing not general carpentry.


Brings up another question. What good are straight claws on a framing
hammer? They certainly are not worth a crap for pulling nails. Seems
like straight claws should be replaced with something more functional.

  #13   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
Edwin Pawlowski
 
Posts: n/a
Default Small hammers?


"Bob S." wrote in message
Brings up another question. What good are straight claws on a framing
hammer? They certainly are not worth a crap for pulling nails. Seems
like straight claws should be replaced with something more functional.


You're kidding right? Curved claws have a purpose. so do the straight ones.
Just because you don't know how to use them, please don't ban them from the
market.

Ever try to pull apart two nailed pieces? Curved claws are not worth crap
for that, but the straight ones sure are.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/


  #14   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
George E. Cawthon
 
Posts: n/a
Default Small hammers?

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"Bob S." wrote in message

Brings up another question. What good are straight claws on a framing
hammer? They certainly are not worth a crap for pulling nails. Seems
like straight claws should be replaced with something more functional.



You're kidding right? Curved claws have a purpose. so do the straight ones.
Just because you don't know how to use them, please don't ban them from the
market.

Ever try to pull apart two nailed pieces? Curved claws are not worth crap
for that, but the straight ones sure are.


Right, besides a curved claw means you need more
space for pulling. But a wrecking bar or a nail
puller (which almost no one has) is vastly
superior and you won't have a broken handle.
  #15   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
 
Posts: n/a
Default Small hammers?

mm wrote:

On Sat, 08 Apr 2006 13:58:07 -0400, "Not@home" wrote:

I inherited one with a smaller head and thinner handle; it has no name
on it, but was sold as a woman's hammer. I guess it would be
politically incorrect to call it that today.


You could look at Amazon.com to see what they have, but there are some


You'll just end up with women big enough to use a big hammer.


Try Hammer.com instead.


You'll get a DP shop if you do. Instead try
http://www.hammersource.com/ but you won't like the prices.

like hammers and shoes, that I would want to try on before buying.


Ok. Just kidding.


Mike S. wrote:


Are there (claw) hammers that are specially designed for people with
small hands? I've been using my uncles hammers and they are way too big
for me to work with. I can barely wrap my hands around the grip or even
in the middle of the hammer and they feel like they weigh a ton when
I'm trying to hammer nails. I feel like if I had a smaller hammer that
actually fit my hand and weighed 16 oz (or less) instead of 22 oz then
maybe it would make things easier. But I can't seem to find any small
hammers anywhere. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong stores or something.


Do smaller sized hammers exist? Am I going to have to look somewhere
special for them?


If you were in Europe (not the UK) you could easily find what you're
looking for. Stanley even make a series of hammers for the French
market ranging in size from about 5oz up to beyond 16oz but for some
stupid reason you can't buy them here. There are other mfgs too. The
big thing is that they all have nylon handles; I don't think I've even
seen a wooden handled hammer in France in the last 10 or 15 years.
Aren't wood handles obsolete? Are we just behind the times?

Oh, yeah, there's one other difference: they don't have a claw. They
have a cross pein. The UK type (with old fashioned wooden handles) are
called Warrington hammers. You can get those here from Lee Valley
IIRC. The cross pein is IMO much easier for starting nails and as for
pulling your mistakes, that's what a cat's paw is for. Oh yeah and for
framing aren't hammers obsolete? Doesn't everyone use a nail gun? Or,
in my case (I do little framing) Strongties and screws?

Before you think I'm confusing engineers' hammers, the sets I have are
marked (in French) "Carpenter" and "Mechanic", the mechanic ones being
shorter in the head and having slightly longer handles. I believe
there are other sets for other occupations. Quite stylish too: all in
black with red highlights.


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Recommendations for small hobby lathe W.E.Cole Metalworking 13 January 6th 05 09:16 PM
Small Locks for Turned Boxes Ray Sandusky Woodturning 9 May 26th 04 03:01 AM
How to 'contemporize' small bowls and boxes? Arch Woodturning 12 March 11th 04 09:26 PM
Small Shop Layout Traves W. Coppock Woodworking 2 July 12th 03 01:35 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 03:31 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 DIYbanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about DIY & home improvement"