A claw hammer is the first tool in any box, but the right hammer depends on what you are hitting: nails, chisels, steel, brick or a stubborn bearing. This collection carries the Real Steel range alongside Pony Jorgensen and Stanley FatMax, covering claw hammers, machinist's and ball pein hammers, club and sledge hammers, dead blow and brass hammers and a brick hammer.
Choosing a claw hammer
- Weight. 450g (16oz) is the all-round carpentry size; 570g (20oz) rip hammers drive bigger nails faster and suit framing. Lighter heads tire you less on finishing work.
- Curved or rip claw. A curved claw pulls nails with more leverage. A straight rip claw levers boards apart and gets into tight corners.
- Handle. Hickory is traditional and easy to replace. Graphite and fibreglass handles absorb shock and do not loosen. All-steel handles (Real Steel 425g, Stanley FatMax Anti-Vibe) are the toughest; the FatMax is built specifically to damp the vibration a steel handle transmits.
Sledge hammer, club hammer, ball pein and dead blow
For masonry, stakes and demolition the Real Steel cross-strike sledges run from 900g (2lb) and 1.3kg (3lb) one-handed hammers through 1.8kg (4lb) up to 3.5kg (8lb) and 5.4kg (12lb) on 900mm handles. The unbreakable club hammers in 1.3kg and 1.8kg are for driving cold chisels and bolsters. Ball pein and machinist's hammers from 100g to 1000g are the metalworker's hammers for punches, rivets and shaping. A dead blow hammer (800g and 1.27kg) has a shot-filled head that does not bounce, and the brass 2lb and 4lb sledges move steel parts without marking them. See more in hammers and mallets, the wood chisels you will hit with them, and the full Real Steel range.
In stock in Cape Town with nationwide delivery, free over R2000. Call 021 674 2119 if you need help choosing the right weight.
