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Home » Hand tools » What Type of Hammer Do You Need?

What Type of Hammer Do You Need?

Hammers, like many other tools, come in a wide range of variety of shapes, sizes and weights. The different types of hammers have different uses.

If you don’t know much about hammers and want a thorough guideline on the basic types of hammer, you have landed on the right page.

1.     Claw Hammer

Claw hammers are the most common type of hammer that is used for general work. They are typically used for pounding or extracting nails from wood. You can also use the for the purpose of levering up floorboards or any other place where a lever is needed.

2.     Ball Peen

Ball peen is one of the most advanced types of a hammer as it is generally used by the engineers or mechanics. The best way to distinguish a ball peen hammer from its contemporaries – cross-peen hammer, diagonal-peen hammer, point-peen hammer, and chisel-peen hammer is that it has a hemispherical head.

Most commonly this kind of hammer is used for metalwork, pounding and shaping metal objects such as metal swords and knives.

3.     Club Hammer

Also known as a Lump hammer, it is a kind of double-faced hammer which is relatively lightweight and has a short wood/resin handle. If you are a builder and looking for the best tool for demolition work, a club hammer is the kind of tool that you would need. For safety, it is recommended to wear safety gloves and glasses.

4.     Sledgehammer

A sledgehammer is a tool with a large, flat, metal head attached to a long handle. It is a heavier tool which requires both hands when handling it. The typical use of a sledgehammer includes the breaking of stones or other heavy materials. Many contractors use it for the purpose of taking down almost anything, especially walls and houses. If your heating and air conditioning ducts need to be removed, you can easily do it with a metal sledgehammer.

5.     Joiner’s Mallet

Joiner’s mallets come in various types – wood, metal, rubber, copper, and brass. The most typically used Joiner’s mallet hammers are wooden or rubber. Mostly, people prefer a rubber mallet for construction and auto-body work, while wooden mallets are usually used in carpentry to knock the wooden pieces together or to drive the dowels or chisels.

6.     Cross Peen Pin Hammer

It is a lighter version of the cross and straight peen hammer, typically used for metalwork. It is most commonly used by blacksmiths for making the metal fuller when used with heat. Homeowners can also use this easy-to-use hammer for the purposes of light joinery or cabinet work.

You can properly use these types of hammers for the purpose they are specifically designed for. If you are looking for a particular kind of hammer to buy, then click here.