Stiletto Framing Hammer?

2ndGen

Stilettos are made for nailing.
For it's intended purpose,
it is the best designed tool.
For demolition? Not so much.

I have a Musclehead (16oz) and a Titan (14oz).

The Musclehead I use for heavier work, but not as a prying tool.
The Titan I'd say is the one I use most often.
I even use a small driving hammer (mini-sledge) for hard work.
Does far more than any 28oz solid steel hammer could ever do
when it comes time to "persuading" stubborn material.



Whenever I've begun to get careless with my hundred dollar Ti hammers
(I like everybody else most likely get carried away and start ripping into things),
I'd get a grip of myself, stop what I was doing and reach for a proper tool
(pry bar, cat's paw, etc...).

But working like this, I think my Ti hammers will last me a very long, long time.
These aren't hammers for life (they wear much faster than steel does),
but it's what one saves while using it where the benefit is found
(saved weight swinging, less damage to arm, 1 lb. less
around one's waist when in tool belt, etc...).
For me, it's worth it.



One wouldn't take a Ferrari Off-Roading if they have a Hummer in the stable.

__________________
"I've been up on the roof. I know what those guys go through.
My whole life has been about making that profession respectable."
Ken Hendricks
www.SolutionsRoofing.com

Tinstaafl

Ultimately, that's what it comes down to.

We all have different work patterns. For me, generally the task is more important than the tool--I wouldn't want to pussyfoot around because of the replacement expense. And yes, a big framer is heavy, but then I don't have to carry a couple of other tools that would add up to even more weight.

hughjazz

So I guess you all get pedicures then to keep those feet looking pretty!!

Inner10

My point exactly!

For a hundread bucks I shouldn't have to tip-toe around it and carry it around on a velvet pillow.

TempestV

I love my Ti-bone because I don't have to baby it most of the time. The only time I go to the demo hammer is if I'm doing something that will damage the claws- digging, concrete forms, where you are often tapping on wedges with a claw, ect. For prying and such, I'm pretty sure that the ti-bone is stronger than the demo hammer (The Kobalt framing hammer's hickory handle is hell for stout, but it's still a wood handle).
I'm surprised that a store that carries Stilleto hammers doesn't carry loads of extra handles. From what I've seen of the guys I've worked with that had them, the handles are pretty weak. The local stiletto dealers have buckets full of them. If I was in the market for an all titanium hammer with a wood handle, I'd get a dalluge. The socket that the handle fits into is way larger than on the Stilettos, which means that the handle has a larger cross section. As a result, they don't seem to have such a problem with broken handles. My Vaughn also has a larger handle socket, and I'm not all that worried about breaking it. My Kobalt that I use for demolition has the heaviest duty handle of any wood handled hammer I've ever seen, and I tend to treat it like most people would use a steel handle hammer, and it stands up just fine. If Kobalt would make a titanium hammer with the same handle, I'd probably buy it.

2ndGen

I bike ride (both road & mountain).
I'll hear some of the guys complain about carrying a 10 lb pack on their back.
I carry 30-50 lbs around my waist for 6 hours a day at work.

It's allllllllllllllll relative.



When I demo, I always have to have a pry bar around (Roofing).
So, it's "there" already. Roofing is all I do. My tool arsenal is simple.

But, there is another hammer on my hit list that I am absolutely drooling over:

Estwing Builders Series Framer (I used to use a 30oz framer)


http://www.estwing.com/product.php?product_id=500

GORGEOUS!

__________________
"I've been up on the roof. I know what those guys go through.
My whole life has been about making that profession respectable."
Ken Hendricks
www.SolutionsRoofing.com

Inner10

Onece they are back in stock in Ottawa I'l fix up my stiletto and throw it to one of my guys to use, I'm eye-balling the Mini-14 just because it would fit nicely in my tool bag.

Anyone have a mini-14?

2ndGen

A Ti hammer is not for demo work.
If you want to do demo with it, then a steel hammer is superior.
Would you deny yourself the benefits of a Ti just because you can't rip a house down with it?

The right tool for the right job.

It's one of those "if you have to ask" situations.



And, I never used ANY wood handled hammer to do demo with.
Matter of fact, never even used on until I got my Stiletto.
Wood handles just don't make sense on a hammer that is going to be used for demo work. For that, steel is REAL!

It's not the hammer, but the one who wields it.
And, I wouldn't take a knife to a gunfight!

+ YouTube Video

__________________
"I've been up on the roof. I know what those guys go through.
My whole life has been about making that profession respectable."
Ken Hendricks
www.SolutionsRoofing.com

Inner10

Why not? They are light reduce tennis elbow and offer many comfort advantages and I cannot take advantage of this when doing demo work?

I've only heard of one person breaking a Ti-Bone.

2ndGen

Because Ti is softer than steel.
It's superior to steel for driving nails (which is what it's for).
And who wants to knock down a structure with a 16oz hammer?
I use a sledge or a driver hammer for that.
Wayyyyy better and makes my jobs way easier.
I accomplish more work with less time with steel for demo work.
But for driving nails, the results are the opposite.

I've brutalized my Ti hammers...I just know what "not" to do.
The same things I wouldn't use a wood handled steel hammer for,
I won't use a Ti hammer for.

__________________
"I've been up on the roof. I know what those guys go through.
My whole life has been about making that profession respectable."
Ken Hendricks
www.SolutionsRoofing.com

Inner10

I get it, I'm too much of a bully to respect it for its sole purpose of driving nails.

I've got wood handled hammers that lasted years...this one lasts months, you can't tell me the handle isn't a bad designe. Wouldn't you agree?

For taking things apart I must admit a lighter hammer is nicer to work with, much less fatigue. Just like driving nails with a lighter hammer. A sledge hammer's job is a different job all together. I don't take the sledge out all that often I tend to use my Fiskar's Axe, nice and light!

Tinstaafl

Yer a better man than I am, Gunga Din. I carry a 22/24 oz (don't remember, and the lettering is long since worn off) regular Estwing framer. I even use it for finish work, now that the waffling's worn off and I don't get scabs on my wrist from bumping it any more.

That, a flat bar and a catspaw usually do okay for gentle demo. I've had guys leave the room when I start in. If I need to go to the heavy tools, they leave the building.

But I have to admit, these days I don't wear the belt all day unless I really have to. It's about 25 lb and I'm 59. Those numbers just don't go together all that well.

2ndGen

I've been thinking about that. The thing with Ti is that it isolates the energy put into it keeping it from reaching the user (it's principal benefit besides weight).

I would think that those same properties put too much strain on the handle of the hammer.

It would be a poor design it it was meant to be used in an application it wasn't designed "for" (for example, an application where a pry bar is supposed to be used).

If it's not designed for that, but it's used for that then fails, then it's user error (not faulty design).

When yours broke, was it from merely pulling out a nail with the claw?

There always could be the simple possibility that it was just a bad handle (material). An ax handle is an ax handle.

The only reason I'd see it breaking would be if some unreasonable amount of pressure was put on it. Remember, that's not a steel head that dissipates the energy, but a Ti head that concentrates the energy. Besides, I find pulling nails farrrr easier with Stiletto's 8oz Ti. You can pull a 16D nail with one motion with it's claw.

+ YouTube Video

I could understand your preference.

Me, I like to hit something once and watch it crumble Gallagher Style!

+ YouTube Video

__________________
"I've been up on the roof. I know what those guys go through.
My whole life has been about making that profession respectable."
Ken Hendricks
www.SolutionsRoofing.com

2ndGen

That was when I was young, dumb and full of cum!

I thought bigger was better and it was for certain things. My pride refused to let me get rid of it and you know Estwings don't die. It was stolen .

But I went with a 28oz after that because I couldn't find any 30ozers locally (even the first one was ordered from across the country).

I came across a Hart California Special and fell in love with Framers after that.
I think it was actually a 23ozer? Odd number if I remember correctly.









I'm 40 and I don't wear it unless I have to.

Luckily, for production Roofing, all I need is my Eswting Roofer's Hatchet,
a Roofer's knife and my Stiletto Clawbar along with my Bostitch RN46 Gun.
I keep the belt loaded about 10' from me at all times though in case the gu jambs up
or if I need my snips or tape or chalk or...well, you get the idea.

__________________
"I've been up on the roof. I know what those guys go through.
My whole life has been about making that profession respectable."
Ken Hendricks
www.SolutionsRoofing.com

Inner10

Tin, I unloaded my belt last week, it was giving me a soar him being so side heavy from my electrician's pouch...I think I need suspenders.

First time was a nail.

Second was a piece of small wood strapping nailed to a wall.

It broke really easy both times, yet I use it to pound the crap out of stuff and sink concrete nails.

2ndGen

If you haven't seen these yet, check them out...
http://www.bestbelt.com/product/belt-free/index.html

Sounds like your head (the hammer that is ) is not right.
Send it back. See what they say.

Pulling a nail is too easy for it to break.

__________________
"I've been up on the roof. I know what those guys go through.
My whole life has been about making that profession respectable."
Ken Hendricks
www.SolutionsRoofing.com

Inner10

I have looked at the Oxys, looks like quality stuff but not exactly what I need. I carry around lots of little tools, at the moment my belt is this:


http://www.rnicholls.com/catalog.php...roduct&id=2675

Coupled with this inner belt:

http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber

I threw the Kunys outer away and just used the padded inner belt.

This pouch is on the right FULL of tools:



Then I have my PD40 Laser, Test-Ums Toner, Simon Wire Checker and Bullpin bag.

Tinstaafl

They actually do help, tremendously. The first time I broke down and tried them, I was kicking myself for weeks for not doing it sooner.

Worked great over the cold weather months. Then warm weather--T-shirt season--came. No shirts with collars = raw neck skin. Game over.

TempestV

Stiletto steel headed hammers also have really weak handles. In fact, from what I have seen from the people I have worked with, the steel headed hammers are worse. I think the problem isn't so much the material used, as it is Stiletto's handle design. When I was looking for a new handle for my Ti-Tech (not because the handle broke, I just wanted to replace the straight handle with a curved handle), I stopped in at one store, and all they had for replacement handles were Stiletto. I tried one in the ti-tech head, and it was noticeably smaller than the handle socket on the head. A smaller handle is going to have a smaller cross section, making it weaker. a dalluge has a much more stout handle, and I've never heard of problems with those handles breaking. I've also never had a problem with the handle on my Ti-Tech. That's two options for a wood handled titanium hammer that you don't need to baby so much.

Old Man

Theres a lot of fancy contraption hammers designed to take yer money.

All the old timers know theres only one hammer with the cojones to last a lifetime and thats the Dalluge. Buy one and you'll never buy another hammer cause the damn things just dont wear out.

The first thing to go on a framing hammer is the waffle pattern (Hart, Vaughn and their various knock offs). The Dalluge steel is so damn hard you cant wear it out... No bells no whistles, just does what its supposed to do decade after decade.