As a tech in Wisconsin the rust here ain't no joke. That snap on hammers does some damage but nothing like the Wilton hammers. Them hammers the big nasties of cordless hammers
I've used many hammers over the years and I personally love Snap On hammers, the feel good and I like the shock absorbing handle. I didn't know about the bigger brass hammer, I should get that
I recently got rid of my wood handle hammers and replaced them with antivibe. I absolutely love those hammers. If you can afford it, I would definitely recommend. Not feeling as much of the shock is totally worth it. Longer lasting hammers and a longer lasting tech (less joint and nerve damage)
I still have my first ball pein hammer I started with,a Pro Grade 32oz I bought from Tractor Supply.Still use it to this day,have not broken it yet with no complaints and is over 10 years old
I've always also kept one curved claw hammer and one rubber mallet. The curved claw hammer comes in handy for things like pulling bushings out of Dodge truck steering racks.
I have a very similar set. One of which came with my toolbox which I got when I was an apprentice. Its a little wobbly now but I do like to keep it in the box. A coated dead and soft blow hammer is a must!
I recommend a drilling hammer, which is a fairly heavy hammer with a short handle. It's easy to control and much safer to use with a punch (they were specifically designed to use with punches in the old days of hand drilling stone). Mine is made by Estwing. Also, I have a hammer that is a 4lb sledge with the handle cut off so I can use it with one hand. That thing get used all the time for driving out bearing races or other heavy jobs.
i was a body man for 40 years and i have a 12 lb sledge hammer i nicked named the flying frame machine ,, i still have it but the handle got short over the years ... now im retired its very usefull for projects that get on my nerves .. one time i had to pull the motor out of a acura 3.2 tl and i used it get the control arms loose and it slipped out of my hands and busted the crankcase on the engine i could see the pistons .. whoops e daisey... this hammer will remove a engine out of a car very fast ,, i just told the customer his engine blew up transmission and all ,,
i have three hammers that i love, my wilton 20 lbs sledge, my estwing 3 lbs drilling, and my garland rawhide mallet. i have about 20 different hammers of all different kinds but those ones are my favorites.
3 pound hand sledge for Masonry. Estwing hammers only. Solid metal shank. Does EVERYTHING. Small and compact. tons of torque in a small area. I have a small brass hammer but never hardly use it.
I've found that a good quality rubber hammer is helpful. My current rubber hammer with a wooden hanble has lasted me over 40 years and is still going strong. During that 40 year time line one of my dead blow 32 oz hammers fell apart and left with metal rod attached to that hammer head. I returned to using my entry hammer that has a wooden handle.
We got the same taste. The matco/trusty cook dead blows are the best on the market. And the snap-on ball peens are awesome. Ive got the whole collection of both. They are my favorite.
For fab and restoration I’ve got basically the same. The steel faced deadblow is good when you have raw steel fab that may chew up the face of a plastic deadblow. Add a 4lb engineers hammer, a 10lb sledge and a 12oz 2 side rubber soft face for finishing work and we’re good to go. We ’re doing metal forming that you guys aren’t so we need just a few more.
As a mobile fork truck tech I got used to generally just using one...a 4 lb lump hammer. (As you rarely get to work anywhere near your van so tend to carry the minimum. However in the workshop I use a few more. An 8 oz ball peen for tapping out gaskets & light stuff and a dead blow hammer for engine & transmission assembly. (Yes, we still do that!) Then if all else fails we have the shop 14 lb sledge!
Had to add one thing to my summit racing order to get free shipping, and saw their ball peen had really good reviews. It’s the same as the snap-on (trusty cook), but at the most affordable price available for it.
I have a 24oz dead blow that I got from Walmart for $10 one day on my way to work because I needed something to get wheels off that were extremely rusted to the hub. That was at least 2 years ago and I still have that same hammer and use it regularly. I also got my 48oz sledge (also from Walmart) and my 24oz JTC brass hammer and honestly that’s all I own for now. And also for light beating jobs there’s always the ratchet 😉
I remember we had a rookie mechanic show up for work and was trying to hit a starter using a claw hammer everyone in my shop was laughing so hard and then a guy came over with his old Estwig Hammer and hit it and the next day the guy bought one of those fancy hammers from the Snap-on truck. I don’t buy them because I don’t like the fiberglass handles. I like wooden hammers.
I probably have 30 hammers for blacksmithing, mechanics, and construction. One handy hammer for driving large punches, aligning holes with bars and swinging in confined spaces is a drilling hammer about 3lbs because of the short handle. I also use a 2 inch belt sander, but an angle grinder will also work, for dressing the hammer faces when needed.
How many hammers do I really need? All of them! I just bought another hammer today virtually identical to one I already had. But it's one I like. So I'll put the new one on the other side of my shop.
Ive got a 16oz Craftsman ball peen thats got to be 20 years old and a 24oz Brass Hammer in my roll cart. They do 90% of the bashing. However I also use the big dead blow aka Death Blow and the mini sledge.
Snap on makes some nice hammers. I love the grip on them and they are balanced really well. My only complaint with them, is the excessive amount of flashing from the molds. Both the plastic and the rubber over mold. A good razor blade will take it off easily but that’s not the kind of fit and finish I expect from snappy. Otherwise they’re fantastic hammers.
Just got a 40oz and yes, I completely agree with this. Not like it’s trash from the flashing but it’s a little bothersome when choking up on it. Like you said though, razor blade and it’s all good.
Highly HIGHLY recommend a drilling hammer of pick ur flavor. I have a 1 or 2lb (not sure it was gifted to me) thats real small for working on normal cars at home and have a 3lb estwing at work for working on big diesels
good hammers make a big difference, buy good quality. a well designed hammer will save your elbows. i personally have the mac anti vibes 8 oz through to 48 oz. i also love the snap on hammer handles, i have the 16 and 48oz mallet style dead blows. i want to buy the wilton 4lb mini sledge, ive used it before its incredible. and ill eventually get the snap on brass hammer in 32. i use a hammer on almost every single job i do. for sure an over looked tool in our trade.
I know this comment is 2 years old but what are 3 or 4 ball pein hammer weights do you feel like you wouldn’t want to work with out? Been using some very tiny ones 2-4oz for gun smithing well up to 8oz but it’s not used much and I just got interested in what guys like to have for automotive.
I’ve 32 and 60oz dead blow. (Snap on) 4lb mini sledge, 38oz ballpine with a very comfy Fiberglass handle (Matco) and a 6 and 12 oz ballpine with wood handles. 90% of my work is with the dead blows and matco ballpine. The mini sledge has a shit swing, I get better blows out of the 38oz. The smaller 6/12oz I only use when there is limited space.
I wish that 20 years ago i would have bought the hammers i have now wonder if my shoulders and elbows would feel better . So i say if you can afford it get a quality hammer and swing for longevity. Ps hammer last a long time just dont set them on leaf springs
having nice hammers is definitely a want not a need, i started with some shop pro hammers (house brand of summit tools) and they work great, tried the proto anti vibe and damn its nice and i love using it but its not a game changer
All good hammers suggested I currently have and use vaughan only 4lb dead blow with replaceable caps,16,24,32 oz ball peens, 24 oz duel sided mallet and 12 oz dual cap hammer, The new big boy I just got is a 2 oz ball peen, still neeed a brass hammer
Lol I just used that HF 4lb sledge last week with some wood to drive in one of my CVs that was being too stubborn about going in using the CV as a slide hammer technique (worked great on one side but not the second). Tried holding the CV in, the wood on the end of the axle and getting a good blow and that didn't quite work so I had to get my roommate on the hammer real quick while I held the CV in and the wood. Worked like a charm. Granted in the future I should probably get a good plastic deadblow so I don't have to worry about marring up the axle shaft and can save having to have 3 hands for that job. I'm a still aspiring home mechanic so I'm learning more and more every job.
I have a whole drawer full of hammers. Every time I open it I laugh because who needs a bunch of hammers? I tell younger techs “this is going to sound stupid but try these Snap On hammers. They’re freaking expensive but damn they feel great to use!”
Just because someone has done something a certain way for a long time doesn't mean there isn't a better way to do it. Just because you used a certain tool for a long time and it got the job done doesn't mean there isn't a better tool that can do the job better.
Hammers? Oh...you mean persuaders. I seen you selling a ball joint press. Someday... I'll show you how to remove ball joints without a press. With two hammers.
I hate swinging hammers. Shreads elbows. I do my best to not use them. I tell the young dudes in my shop be careful, or you'll have bad elbows like me when you get old.
I tend to disagree with you one your preference of hammers, it all comes down to preference though.... and the type of work you do. I have an air hammer that takes up the majority of what your selection does, and a really small ball peen (on another note, the majority of techs would not know what the peen end is for), and a soft-faced leather and copper combo. Horses for courses.
Steel/iron hammers can easily damage parts like brake rotors or axle shafts because they are as hard or harder. The brass hammer however will not damage them because it is softer metal. The dead blows work for that but they hit sort of soft so you lose the shock impact of a metal hammer. I also have a couple lead hammers for those times when I just need heavy weight in a smaller size.
