It is a tool with many names: pounder, beetle, mallet, maul, pestle and sledge. But you probably know it best by its common name –– hammer. A hammer, a tool designed for delivering repeated blows, is by far the oldest known tool. The first hammer was a stone held in a man’s hand. Later, around 4th century B.C., man used strips of hide or vines to tie a wooden handle to the rock.

Hammers have adapted to man’s needs over the years. Wooden-headed hammers, called mallets, were used when wooden nails were popular. Later, with the introduction of metal nails, blacksmiths used their talents to forge steel hammers from red-hot iron. As modern manufacturing methods developed, the hammer head changed from stone to bronze to iron to steel and the metal alloys of today.

According to “History of the Hammer,” written by Bergen County Technical Schools in New Jersey, hammers were soon developed for every task imaginable: cooper hammers for making barrels, veneer hammers for trimming lumber, wooden mallets for carpentry, blacksmith hammers, bricklaying hammers, shoemaker’s hammers, to name a few. Today, Vaughan and Bushnell Manufacturing, one of the largest producers of hammers and other hand tools, produces more than 250 types and sizes for every conceivable trade and task. There are claw hammers to nail in and rip out nails; upholsters’ hammers with a longer claw for hard to reach nails; mallets and clubs used to pound on objects that would be damaged if struck with a normal hammer; and riveting hammers to pound rivets and brads into small spaces.

Anatomy of the Hammer

We’ve all seen one, but could we name its parts? Vaughan and Bushnell Manufacturing sponsors www.hammernet.com, a Web site with all the information you could ever want about hammers. Here’s how they define the basic parts of a hammer. The whole package combined is a full-polished hammer HEAD, complete with Face, Eye, Cheek, Throat, Crown, Claw, and Handle. The FACE is the striking face, the place where the job gets done. Top-quality hammers give you the benefit of 25 percent more face space than hammers of equivalent weight. That means surer strikes and easier, faster nail driving. A deep THROAT on a strong neck allows power strikes even in difficult areas. This NECK has an octagon-shaped design. The EYE should be deep and tapered, providing a secure head-to-handle assembly. The CHEEKS frame the face. The most effective CLAW sports double bevels that provide clearance for nail heads and allow a firm grip on nails of any size. HANDLES come with different grips. Try them out to find one that is comfortable for you. Quality wood handles are usually made of the strongest wood: hickory. There are also fiberglass and tubular steel handles with an air cushion grip for comfort and shock absorption.

Features of Quality Hammers

If you’re in the market for a hammer, spend some money. “A good hammer costs between $28 and $40,” says Robert Jackman, general manager of LaValleys in West Lebanon, N.H. “There are many specialty hammers that go as high as $70.”

Jackman notes that selecting a hammer is a very subjective experience. “What is good for one is not good for all,” he says. “Choose features depending on your intended use. If you are a homeowner buying one hammer to do everything, then we recommend a hammer weighing between 16 and 20 ounces. Most people should not use more than a 20-ounce hammer –– the heavier the hammer the harder it is to use for long periods and the more strain it is on your arm.”

“The first consideration of any guy who knows his hammer is balance,” says Howard A. Vaughan, Jr., president of Vaughan and Bushnell Manufacturing. “The proper head-to-handle weight distribution is very important. When a hammer has good balance, it seems to swing itself. Good balance results in less stress on muscles and tendons, helping to eliminate common injuries associated with swinging a hammer.”

Good balance results in less stress on muscles and tendons, helping to eliminate common injuries associated with swinging a hammer.

Other hammer features you should look for include:

• Forged steel heads for strength and durability
• Heat-treated heads for a durable striking surface that will not chip or fragment
• Finish-ground face that is canted slightly toward the handle to center hammer blows. “This is done for more accurate hitting and prevention of mis-strikes,” says Frank Burgmeier, spokesperson for Vaughan and Bushnell Manufacturing.
• The chamfer or bevel on the striking face, a safety feature that reduces chipping
• Double-beveled nail slot to resist chip-out when pulling large nails
• Hickory, solid or tubular steel or fiberglass handle firmly attached to head. Jackman warns that novices should be careful about fiberglass handles. “While basically unbreakable, they do tend to transmit a ‘missed impact’ when you miss your target with the hammer head and hit it with the shaft of the handle,” he says. “A wood handle will absorb most of the impact, and maybe crack or break. The fiberglass handle will transfer most of the vibration and energy to your hand. It is very painful –– and in some cases can actually break bones.”
• Ergonomically shaped and cushioned handles for secure grip and comfort
• Warning and use message affixed to the hammer
• A brand name is not always important –– “Brands are like cars; everybody has a favorite,” says Jackman –– but be sure to buy a hammer with a guarantee.

Hammer Safety

According to the experts at Vaughan, a quality hammer can improve with age. Hammers with forged steel heads and a precisely heat-tempered face benefit from the repeated pounding that keeps the temper in the striking face. The wood handle may wear out before the head; just replace it with a new one.

Here are a few tips to keep your hammer in top condition:

• Clean your hammer before storage
• Use the right hammer for the job –– don’t make do with a hammer that wasn’t designed for the work. (And don’t use a hammer as a pry bar!)
• Never leave a hammer with a wooden handle out in the sun
• Never use a broken hammer. “Replace it when it breaks, the handle becomes slippery, or the face is worn (rounded over),” says Jackman. “If any part on the hammer becomes broken or cracked replace it immediately.”
• “Use safety glasses, and don’t continue when you are very tired,” says Jackman. “That’s when accidents happen.”