Hammers and Striking Tools

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Safety First!
Safety in the workshop is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY alone; I make no warranty as to the safety of any technique or tool shown or described on this site. Before beginning any project, you must understand woodshop safety, know how to safely operate any machinery that is to be used in the project, and understand the safe use and any potential safety hazards involved in the use of all materials to be used in the project. See the General Safety Notice and the Chemical Safety Note for additional information.

Claw Hammer & Framing Hammer
The most common hammer style today, the claw hammer is designed for both driving and removing nails. Commonly available in sizes from 6-12oz (weight of the head). Cabinet and furniture makers mostly use 8-10oz sizes for driving finish nails and such.

Warrington Pattern Hammer
The warrington pattern has a round or square hammer face on one side with the head tapering to a narrow linear hammer face on the other. This design is perfect for starting small brads and tacks that don't stick up above the fingers far enough for a wider hammer to strike. Typical sizes range between 3 and 8oz.

Tack Hammer
Tack hammer are specialized for driving steel tavks. They generally have a square face on one side and a split, magnetized face on the other. The tack is placed on the magnetic face for the first blow, then the hammer is flipped around to finish the job. No more squashed fingers. Typical size is around 6 oz.

Mallets:

A mallet is simply a hammer made from wood or another non-metallic material. The general idea is that the softer material will be less likely to mark the work or shatter and send metal shrapnel across the shop, as a steel hammer may.

Carpenter's Mallet
The carpenter's mallet is easily recognized for its rectangular wooden head, often oversized for driving stubborn joints together or apart.

Carver's Mallet
The carver's mallet has a tapered round head which provides good balance and allows for ease of use at odd angles, as often happens when carving in the round. Carver's mallets are often made of tough, durable woods such as beech and lignum vitae. Weights range from 8-32oz.

Dead-blow Mallet
A hollow head filled with lead shot allows this mallet to strike and not bounce; giving a solid, dead blow. Very useful for assembling and disassembling joints. Weights range from roughly 12 to 36oz.

Wooden Cudgel
The cudgel is a crude mallet or club used to strike heavy blows on such tools as the froe or on a splitting wedge. The cudgel wears out relatively quickly, but is safer than a metal hammer.

Soft Faced Hammers:

Rawhide
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Leather Faced
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Lead or Brass
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