Ok, so I get transferred from the office back to the field, just as I was getting used to the office environment! I am a land surveyor by day folks and I have been out in the field for the last 8 years and I was transferred up to the office for drafting and geodetic work. I have been up in the office for 6 months now, and I am back out in the field now to fill in for an injured surveyor. Well, this past Thursday my first day back out in the field, on my way out the door that morning I grabbed my tool belt, a hammer, and my brain bucket and vest and left for the field, hi ho off to work we go!

Fast forward to Friday I am working in the shop and my shop hammer is gone!!! Doooohhh!!! It's at work in my belt! I took the wrong hammer. The only one I have in the shop now are my waffle faced framers. Those don't work too well on furniture!

So I had to bite the bullet and I went to the store to purchase a new hammer, I was looking for my go to brand Hart with the nice dark hickory handle and chrome head with smooth face. Nothing, no Harts, and nothing but Chinese junk for regular shop hammers with a smooth face, you know the ones that say "Work Force" etc made in the People's Republic. All the American Made Estwings were all framers, then the usual selection of ball peens and hatchets etc.

Then I saw this really nice looking old school hammer with a leather wrapped handle by Estwing. These have been around since before I was born, I have seen them in other folks tool pouches and other shops etc, but I never really liked the steel shaft hammer, I have always been a wood handle guy.

I loved the looks, it felt good, and it's Made in the USA! So I got it, it hurt though, not cheap at 32 bucks for a small 20 oz. hammer, but dang it looks cool!

I am happy I got it, like I said it's my first steel shaft hammer, at first it took a bit to get used to, it is rigid and bounces a bit, unlike the wooden handles that absorb shock, these steel shaft hammers do not and they feel rigid, but after a few whacks and a couple hours using it, I like it. I still like my wooden handle hammers better but this one will have it's place in the shop, it is great at setting nails with a punch, it is just right and it's a great tapper and small persuader.

If you like the classic looks, and the Made in the USA, and a solid feel in a hammer with no give, it's a great little hammer.

Thanks for reading.

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

A Serendipitous moment. A beautiful tool. I still use my trusty river rock. That's what I call mine. It's a no name, plastic handled with a rubber grip. And, I never swing hard enough to cause a shock up my arm. It's been through several houses and remodels. It's probably 30 years old. Now it just hits nail sets. Got a dead blow persuader. 

Can't use a framing hammer. Senco and Bostitch works for me.

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Gene
'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

Both of my son's loved the Estwing hammers when they were working construction. One was a framer and the other was working general construction. It is about the only hammer they will use.

I have one and I think one of them may have borrowed it cause I don't remember seeing it hanging in my shop. Got to look around, It could be under some stuff that somehow gets on my benches.

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John Moody
Site Administrator


John Moody Woodworks
http://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com

I used to have one similar to yours when I was much younger working on a framing crew, a great hammer but my arm hurts just looking at it now.

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www.thepatriotwoodworker.com Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops

It's a great hammer guys,l the more I use the more I like it. It's a smaller hammer, definitely not made from framing or larger jobs. At 20oz it could barely kill a cockroach, but it'll make a great all around shop hammer that should out last me.

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

 Dad had one for a LONG time, so long that all the leather washers are gone.     He just Black taped two sticks to the handle to fill it out some, and away it went.    

For some reason, I can't keep a grip on them Blue handles Estwing has, they just slide right out.  

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Sign on pick up truck's back window..:' Save a Horse, ride a Cowboy'

I own every hammer estwing has including their demo hammers.  now if i could find a set of dead on hammers.

 

By the way Steven, use some lacquer thinner to clean the handle then sand it with 60 grit to get a grip.

 

 Not so much slick handles, just not enough "girth".     Estwings are too skinny for me to grip.

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Sign on pick up truck's back window..:' Save a Horse, ride a Cowboy'

On my construction crew we were using 22 oz. Estwings because we were driving 3 1/2" ring shank nails into Dense select structural yellow pine.  My crew leader switched to a 20 oz as his elbow was hurting because of the vibrations of the steel handle. Solved his problem.  I went to a Plumb 22 oz with a fiberglass handle & never looked back.  Now I have a Plumb 13oz, 16oz & two 22oz. Plumb hammers because they "just feel right."

 I think all of my hammers are wood handled.    No elbow problems.   No vibrations , either.

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Sign on pick up truck's back window..:' Save a Horse, ride a Cowboy'