looking for good hatchet

[Jim Timber]

So are the old timers the one's drinking coffee and ******** about the Mexican's stealing their union jobs?

I only pound nails when the air nailer didn't get it all the way in.

Funny thing about this thread and WS's rant - my wood handled 32oz ball pein is in constant need of attention this time of year from the wood shrinking and the head getting loose. Never had that problem with my fiberglass 4# engineering mallet or the Estwing.

 

[CentaurG2]

Two hawks (Polaris trading co) makes a good hatchet.( http://www.2hawks.net/). Good quality, made in the USA at a reasonable price. Either the trapper hatchet or the voyager will serve you well and might be something you could hand down.

 

[Whitespider]

If you're that gung ho about all this, I'm sure you'll be selling your chainsaws, logsplitter and truck, and start using timbersaws, axes, and a mule team on a day to day basis.

Naw... i ain't gonna' do that.
Hmmmm.... I believe you missed my point.
I wasn't trying to suggest carpenters should go back to building everything from scratch... that comes from a time when labor was cheaper than material, it'll never be that way again. My point was, the hammer isn't the same tool, or used as extensively in today's way of doing things... swinging one is no longer so much an art-form as it was. Still... I'd be willing to make a friendly bet that most professionals, even today, prefer a hickory handle on their "go-to" nail hammer (although I don't know how we'd ever settle it).

I spend quite a bit of time on construction sites installing new communication equipment, I'm still seeing more hickory than any other... close to 2-to-1 I'd say.

And yes Jim Timber, wooden handles do sometimes shrink and get lose, especially cheap wooden handles and those abused or not properly cared for. If'n ya' leave your hickory handled hammer layin' in the back of your pickup it'll turn to junk right quick. Use it for pullin' a lot of nails and the head will get loose... or the handle may even break. But... hickory delivers more energy to the surface being struck, with less shock, vibration and rebound. Don't believe me?? Try this simple test... take two hammers of the same weight, one hickory handled, the other steel handled. Hold them loosely between two fingers and let the head drop onto the anvil of a heavy bench vise... see which one "rings" louder, bounces higher, and bounces more often before coming to a stop. I promise you the hickory-handled hammer will look, sound and feel like a dead-blow compared to the steel-handled one.

 

[theswampthing]

Naw... i ain't gonna' do that.
Hmmmm.... I believe you missed my point.
I wasn't trying to suggest carpenters should go back to building everything from scratch... that comes from a time when labor was cheaper than material, it'll never be that way again. My point was, the hammer isn't the same tool, or used as extensively in today's way of doing things... swinging one is no longer so much an art-form as it was. Still... I'd be willing to make a friendly bet that most professionals, even today, prefer a hickory handle on their "go-to" nail hammer (although I don't know how we'd ever settle it).

I spend quite a bit of time on construction sites installing new communication equipment, I'm still seeing more hickory than any other... close to 2-to-1 I'd say.

I know you weren't, but you can use a hickory, steel, fiberglass, and still get the same result. If you're a hack, it's gonna look like crap either way, no matter the tools. Here's the thing about finesse. Sure, anyone can pound 16p with an Estwing all day, but put some form carpenters in a room to put up crown molding, ask them to hand nail it and they would screw it up no matter what hammer is in their hands. The finesse is in the hand, not the hammer. I can go from a wooden claw and back to an Estwing and drive nails the same. You know as well that there are many different styles of of claw and head weight that are right for the job. Finish carpentry, I'll use a 16oz Estwing claw, or an old plumb claw, and it makes no difference to me. I have a Vaughn California framer 28oz with a hickory handle that I absolutely hate. My Eswwing framer, I love. This is like a Glock argument. They fit some people and not others. That's all. A 20 oz straight claw steel hammer isn't going to be the best choice for trim work no matter how much I like it, either way.

 

[Vibes]

Lots to reply to here. First off, I don't know how old my Plumb hatchet is. I bought it from an old machinist who was selling off lots of tools. I bought a sweet Remington PL 5 chainsaw from him. It was the coolest sounding saw that I ever owned and I can kick myself for selling it. I got the hatchet the saw and a really nice set of really old block and tackle and rope from the guy. A major score for me. All I know is that hatchet is spot on in my hand and I keep an eye on it like the jewel that it is to me. My son bought me that small Fiskars for Christmas, and I can see that one becoming my go to hatchet for beating the crap out of.

Now a question about my hammer. I also carry a 16 oz. Estwing hammer. The standard of the construction trade. I bought it about 7 years ago when I got my first gig at an architectural sheet metal company. I've had many steel handled hammers, and work side by side with guys with the same hammer. It has the most unusual pinging sound I ever heard from a hammer. My boss pointed it out to me. We traded hammers one day and he used it and I never really heard it until he pointed it out, but it is annoying as all get out. Have any of you ever heard a hammer with an unusual pinging noise when striking.

3rd point about the two hawks hatchets. They look very nice, and they are very expensive, but I can say with authority, ( And I don't do that often) that there aint a serious trapper in the world who's gonna carry a double bitted hatchet for trapping. Your hatchet for trapping is used for cutting sod and beating in stakes. Occasionally you use it for cutting a hardwood clog (drag) but like the days of the carpenter doing his trade by hand, the trapper with a mule and out for a 5 mile hike is long gone. Cutting wood is time consuming and most of what the trapper needs is carried a short distance from the truck. I've been trapping long before I've cut wood.

Therefore it would be my guess that the Two Hawks are purely decorative like the warrior looking ax on that page, and would be a waste of money, unless of course you are an ax wielding warrior.

 

[Jim Timber]

And yes Jim Timber, wooden handles do sometimes shrink and get lose, especially cheap wooden handles and those abused or not properly cared for. If'n ya' leave your hickory handled hammer layin' in the back of your pickup it'll turn to junk right quick. Use it for pullin' a lot of nails and the head will get loose... or the handle may even break.

Ball Pein:

If you can pull a dozen nails with one of these (need to eliminate sheer dumb luck), I'll buy you a hooker.

It lives in my shop. There's no freezing ever out there, and it's heated to 55F or higher year round. Dehumidified in the summer. Doesn't bounce around in my truck either. I actually have a craftsman similar to this one, but my 2#er is a Vaughan.

 

[theswampthing]

@Vibes, they do ping sometimes. Mine did for a while and went away. The few I had before didn't ping.

 

[Whitespider]

...put some form carpenters in a room to put up crown molding, ask them to hand nail it and they would screw it up no matter what hammer... The finesse is in the hand...

No matter how hard I think 'bout it... I cannot find a plausible argument to that... ... you win
*

 

[theswampthing]

No matter how hard I think 'bout it... I cannot find a plausible argument to that... ... you win
*

The only winners here are the people who got to watch the 3 of us argue about hammers all night. Lol

 

[demc570]

wow,what great responses,hope i didnt start argument lol......just wandered what everyone used,or recomended.....as for east wing,i used framing hammer either 22oz or 28 oz since i was 15 years old,building pole barns,there tough and will pry 5 and 6" pole nails out with out breaking,they last along time and take alot of abuse....now granted they are not the smoothest,but for framming they are tough to beat,awhile back my buddy bought a stiletto,$98.oo wood handle,broke handle..prying......think its all WHAT you get used to and works best for you..AGAIN THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR IMPUTES AND THOUGHTS AND WEB SITES,PICTURES,HELPED ME,AND SURE WILL HELP SOME OTHERS,VERY VERY INFORMATIVE!! SALUTE!

 

[Whitespider]

Prying with a Stiletto??
Sacrilege‼

I know Stiletto sells replacement handles, and if I remember correctly, they have a handle replacement service... likely ain't cheap, but it'd be a cryin' shame to hang one of those titanium(?) heads on a hardware store handle.

 

[demc570]

Prying with a Stiletto??
Sacrilege‼

I know Stiletto sells replacement handles, and if I remember correctly, they have a handle replacement service... likely ain't cheap, but it'd be a cryin' shame to hang one of those titanium(?) heads on a hardware store handle.

lol...they sent him new one

 

[Vibes]

wow,what great responses,hope i didnt start argument lol......just wandered what everyone used,or recomended.....as for east wing,i used framing hammer either 22oz or 28 oz since i was 15 years old,building pole barns,there tough and will pry 5 and 6" pole nails out with out breaking,they last along time and take alot of abuse....now granted they are not the smoothest,but for framming they are tough to beat,awhile back my buddy bought a stiletto,$98.oo wood handle,broke handle..prying......think its all WHAT you get used to and works best for you..AGAIN THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR IMPUTES AND THOUGHTS AND WEB SITES,PICTURES,HELPED ME,AND SURE WILL HELP SOME OTHERS,VERY VERY INFORMATIVE!! SALUTE!

Well when you do decide on a kindling beater let us know. I hope you don't end up with some flea market boy scout ax after all this .LOL

 

[ole yukon]

I have some cheap hatchet that doesn't even have a name on it. Honestly I just use my axe when I need to chop something. If kindling I just choke up on the handle.

I found the handle discussion interesting, being a third generation carpenter. I remember the days when a metal handled hammer was the most painful and impossible thing made to drive nails with. We kept one in the truck for pulling nails to save our hickory handles. When we first saw the blue handled east wings, we figured same old story, not worth using. Wasnt long till that's what we were all using. The wood handle feels more comfortable, but for all around use we couldn't beat the east wing.

I got a chuckle out of the form carpenters and moulding. All I will say is air nailers made life much easier. Lol

 

[ole yukon]

Oh and one bad thing about not having the wood handle was we always drilled a hole in the end of our handle and filled it with candle wax. We used it to stick a nail in on those old native lumber houses. I remember being on roofs with the hammer laying on the shingles and it being hot enough to melt the wax in the handle. (And that was in the winter with snow on barefoot........ok just kidding about the winter part......)

 

[gulity1]

Hatchets.. I have mutli choices, I dont believe that one is better then the other or this one for this or that. I have 3 steel handled cheap chineese ...junk I also have 2 hudson bay styled axes/hatchet 20" handles maybe? This is what I perfer for kindling dutys. I usually pick through my wood looking for striaght grained wood silver maple, hard maple, cherry, red oak-(has to be very dry) I also have a gerber hatchet with a saw in bottom handle its ok still perfer the hudson bay style just the right length. I split kindling on the top of a telephone pole chunk about 30" tall I works for me just the right height for me

 

[hseII]

Yeah, I'm really trying to buy US when I can. I'm very pleased with this little hatchet/axe. I'm really getting ready to pull the trigger on their 36" Jersey Axe as well. Can pick up the hatchet or their 26" axe at baileys for under $30 which is a bargain in my opinion.

I ordered the Jersey Axe yesterday.

I'll let y'all know...


"100% of Home Invasions Occur in a Home" - Sharpsburg

 

[Whitespider]

I remember the days when a metal handled hammer was the most painful and impossible thing made to drive nails...

Are you talking about the ones with stacked leather washers on the handle??
Man... those things would "zing" ya' so bad it made your molars ache‼
*

 

[ole yukon]

Are you talking about the ones with stacked leather washers on the handle??
Man... those things would "zing" ya' so bad it made your molars ache‼
*

yeah that is one type I remember. Wow my hand hurts just thinking about using one of those lol

 

[theswampthing]

If your Plumb hatchet is an older one... say, prior to 1970-71... it's about as good as they get. Even most of those made in the 70's aren't bad... now-a-days I believe most anything with the Plumb name is made in China. Even so... I still prefer the hickory-handled, 13 ounce, curved-claw Plumb as my "go-to" nail hammer. I have yet to find an "off-the-shelf" nail hammer, of any weight or brand, that balances as well as that 13 oz Plumb... and the hickory handles are still of "top-shelf" quality. I lost my last one somehow; I've been shoppin' for near a year now for the replacement... the problem is ya' just don't see a lot of 13 oz, hickory-handled, Plumb hammers, and I ain't gonna' buy one without "feeling" it in my hand. A hammer (any striking tool really) needs to "feel" right; every hickory handled striking tool balances just a shade different... once you pick the right one, the one that "feels" right to ya', using another one is like using someone else's toothbrush. I found one at a lumber yard in Cedar Rapids, but the head was hung just a bit "off" dead straight... didn't feel right.

I have Plumb hammers, hatchets, and axes, and they are excellent tools. All mine were either my grandpa's or given to me by friends dad's and that type of deal. Great old stuff that can usually be had for next to nothing if you can re hang them. I agree, you have to watch where the stuff is made now. These old brands are not the same tools your grandpa used in many cases. I have an old Stanley block plane that was made in England. The new ones from Lowes are useful for a paper weight, just like most of the brand name tools from there.