Most often, when planning some kind of repair or repair work, people pay more attention to the quality of materials, but the choice of tools is made less carefully. The hammer is the tool that invariably comes in handy in all kinds of work. This is a versatile tool that allows you to break, hammer, interrupt and level, and perform other operations. How to choose the best hammer, let's try to figure it out in this article.
A good craftsman must distinguish between a good and high quality hammer and a flimsy tool. Practicality and versatility are of great importance. A cheap hammer is generally recommended to be used only for driving nails into the surface; it is unlikely to work for other operations.
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In addition to the capabilities of the tool, it is important to pay attention to its design. The hammer is always made from two completely different parts - the striker and the handle. Most often, you can observe the firing pin - this is a strong tip made of a cast alloy of a certain shape, which can include not only iron, but also steel, cast iron, and so on. The handle is most often made from a solid wood base. This is to suppress vibrations in case of strong shocks. If the hammer is made of solid material, then during the impact a strong kinetic force is transferred into the hands of a person. This provokes severe pain.
An attentive master can easily distinguish a primitive product from a quality one. If the composition of the simplest version is limited to only two elements, then a really comfortable and good hammer, with which the work improves, has many more small parts.
The main shape rarely changes, only slightly deforms for full and more comfortable use. First of all, let's take a look at the handle, which has improved a little over several hundred years. The handle itself is conditionally divided into a handle and a small thickening closer to the striker, called the handle.
The handle is the main area for the hand to wrap around the tool, it should be as smooth as possible, but at the same time with small rubber inserts. This guarantees good durability and the inability of the tool to fall out of the palm. The stalk is a passive area that is able to absorb most of the vibrations received. Due to its own thickening, it transfers normal loads closer to the striker. It also ensures the safety of using the hammer in the event of a miss or unsuccessful hit. That is, with prolonged use, a person loses attention, which is why he may not hit the target. Due to the thickening, the handle is able to take an unexpected blow without breaking the handle. The closer to the junction, the thicker the cutting will be. Ash or hickory wood is often used to make a quality handle.
With the striker, everything is a little more complicated.During the time that has passed since its appearance, it has changed quite a lot in appearance. Now it is not a primitive iron piece of steel with a rectangle base. Now its appearance is more suitable, both in functional and aesthetic form. Previously, it was symmetrical, and both sides of it did not differ from each other. But now the design and geometric shape of the striker on one side can be different, the other side is a classic version
The second (non-classical) part of the hammer is called the protrusion, and is most often represented by a pair of teeth. These are two arcuate protrusions that run parallel to each other. Due to their own deformation, they are excellently used in pulling nails from surfaces. This also applies to other foreign objects. In this regard, it is important to understand the complexity of the work, since this part is not able to withstand the maximum load. Due to the fact that it was necessary to sacrifice thickness due to functionality, this part significantly loses in strength to other areas of the striker.
The side parts are called the cheek, as they are repeatedly used for a variety of operations. In particular, the cheek can increase the hitting area on wide targets. Because of this, the impact force is slightly reduced, but the risk of missing is also reduced. Also, this part is slightly weaker in strength due to the fact that the structure of the cast striker is created along the flat area. Also the structure of the handle will not allow hitting at full force.
After the cheek, there is a small seal called the neck. This part has the strongest structure, as it takes on the main loads. After a strong blow, vibrations pass from the flat striker to the neck, where this force quickly loses strength due to a sharp expansion. This is great for constant work.
A small part of the hammer is created in front of the flat striker, which is called the crown. Its main role is to create the correct shape of the instrument to maintain its integrity. Its shape smoothly transitions from one area to another, and vice versa, so that the firing pin does not split into several pieces after the first powerful blow. It also makes it a little easier to create the correct area on the flat firing pin for precise hitting and maximum efficiency when working. Most people think that this part is not important, but it is not. In addition to all of the above, the top of the head allows you to perfectly slow down the pace of the strike if there is a miss. That is, the tangential touch greatly reduces the inertial force, so that the hammer does not suffer significant damage when it misses.
And the last thing really important to consider is the flat head. A flat area that receives the main force during strikes. It can be conditionally called an extension of the neck covered by the crown. During work, it falls on a part of the constant interaction with other materials. He concentrates all the impact force on his area and transfers it to the nail or other object that is hammered (knocked out), and also the first to transfer the negative reaction back to the firing pin.
Choose a simple hammer or a more functional one - every master decides, based on the planned work and the required functionality.
Despite the relative simplicity of the tool, there are an impressive number of different hammers on the market that are widely used by humans in everyday life.
The high price does not always determine the quality or functionality of the hammer. A true master always knows what to look for in order to choose the right instrument.
In the list of the best hammers, you need to insert one sledgehammer in order to approximately know what criteria such a tool should meet. Sledgehammer Steel 1.5 kg (44008) is a massive steel item of classical shape. One and a half kilogram cast piece of steel perfectly drives any objects into the surface. Due to the well-chosen weight range, this device is much easier to operate with one hand.
In the Top, we decided to reflect the sledgehammer with a minimum weight to show that sometimes the presence of brute force (if you choose the 10 kg option) does not always provide results. Due to the fact that this type is not heavy enough, there is an increased functionality of use, and at the same time its strength is not lost. There is an ergonomic handle design for a comfortable grip. This sledgehammer costs a little, as it represents the simplest type of tool, the price is only 900 rubles. This tool will be enough for a true master to do all sorts of work involving the use of a hammer.
A great option for most modern people who are used to doing everything with their own hands. Made according to all modern standards, an easy and pragmatic option that can be used in all areas of activity. Carpenter's hammer, due to which its total weight does not reach 500 grams. The total length is 35 centimeters, which allows it to be considered compact. There is a vibration damping system, which is why especially strong shocks are not felt. One side of the striker has a pair of teeth, which allows you to get a nail or other object in case of accidental or erroneous strikes. The average cost of a tool is 2700 rubles.
This is a smart combination of compact size and versatility. A hammer that allows you to hit without rebound. The base is crafted from durable metal that is completely covered in durable rubber. That is, the entire functional part of this tool is made of solid rubber, so it can be used with maximum loads without harming your hands. Rubber completely absorbs all vibrations, which is why this hammer looks a little better than a standard hammer. However, it has its own limit, exceeding which in terms of impact force will leave marks on the rubber coating. This type of carpentry hammer weighs only 280 grams, which is great for those who get tired quickly during work. Also, such a tool is widely used in educational institutions in labor lessons for boys. The total height is only 225 millimeters, which makes storage easy. Since the entire tool is covered with rubber, it boasts an incredible vibration damping system. Unfortunately, it will not work for increased loads. The average price is 2700 rubles.
If we are talking about hammers without rebound, then we will consider another option. It copies the capabilities of the previous instrument in almost everything, but in addition it has some increased characteristics. In particular, it is the density of the rubber coating, which is increased several times, and the weight of the tool. Thanks to this, it can be used in heavy work. The weight is only 590 grams, but this is enough to drive large nails into a solid board.
The vibration damping system has not disappeared anywhere. In this version, the rubber is slightly thicker, which is why during the impact the hands do not feel any recoil. It is also slightly larger in size, especially in the total length, has added a few centimeters. It is most often used by employees of construction firms who specialize in work in densely populated areas, institutions with a large number of people. This minimizes the number of accidents during operation. The price for this tool is only 3000 rubles.
Now let's start looking at medium options that can perfectly serve as a universal remedy at home. This hammer is much more functional than the models described above. The striker is made of forged steel. The carpentry hammer reaches 32 centimeters in length, the handle is long enough to reduce a little vibration from kickback during impacts. Its weight is only 450 grams. The peculiarity of this option is to cover the working area, that is, a flat striker. It is oxidized and therefore is not afraid of long-term influences from other substances, including water. The average cost is 1,500 rubles.
The first heavyweight on the list. This sledgehammer is used in the most difficult works, in particular, dismantling buildings, roads. In construction and other areas, similar tools are used to prepare materials for the foundation, splits in granite stone, and so on. The handle length is 900 mm and the weight is an impressive 3628 g. There is a unique vibration damping design, and we should not forget about the ergonomic system of the handle design. An excellent option for companies and construction firms. On average, the cost of such a tool will be about 6,000 rubles.
This simple and cheap option will cost 1000 rubles. However, it also has conflicting properties. First of all, this concerns its incredible lightness, only 200 grams. This is often not enough to make a full hammer. But because of the reduction of the arm, everything comes out. This option will serve well for the simplest tasks - hammer in a nail, or remove it. Despite the apparent simplicity, there is a vibration damping system, but due to its fragile size, its presence is not particularly significant.
A hammer should be in the arsenal of every owner, but which of the variety to choose, one of the ones presented in the rating or another model, should be decided based on the planned scope of work, their nature and frequency.