I'm sticking with the new Estwings. I have two new and two old, shortly the two old will be headed for the garage for light duty.

 

23 oz. Douglas. AMAZING hammer. Feels great, handle's strong, looks cool. The side nail puller is the greatest- once you use a hammer with one, you'll never use a hammer without one:thumbup: .

 

gotta say im a stilletto man. cant beat a 14 oz hammer that drives like a 24, but the all metal models stink for balance--not worth the price.

 

Ive used the same estwing 22 oz since i started out in 84, I lost it about 5 years ago so bought a new one, promptly found it and had to give the new one away. A friend got me one of those big straight handled framing hammers
when he was on holiday in the US, one with a "waffled" face, man I was the king nailer until I hit the side of my thumb with the damn thing, JEEEEZZZ that thing just mashed it up, I reckon I threw it at least 150 yds.
Back to my old friend the Estwing after that.

 

Been using 22 oz. estwing for many years,even use it for trim and installing cabs.It does double duty as pry\wrecking bar,don,t try this with wooden handle hammers.

 

I have been framing for 24 years and have had guys complain about their elbow hurting. First thing I say is get rid of that junk estwing. Think about it, a steel handle is going to transmit shock to your elbow. Sure your elbow might not hurt now, wait 10 or 20 years. X-rays will prove how you wasted your elbow. To me a rigging axe is the only way to go. Its all about the balance. How can you choke up on a estwing in a tight spot? Its like holding a 10 lb butterknife by the blade. Go to a store swing a 22 oz. estwing than a 28 oz rigging axe. Which one seems heavier? I can sink 5 sinkers in 5 seconds with my rigging axe and have won many bets doing it. Usually from estwing users that say its impossible. Most of my greenhorns come on my job with a estwing and after awhile they go back to the store to get something usable.
Sorry about the ranting but I think an estwing belongs in a farmers toolbox where they can use it to pound out tractor axles.

 

I tried one of them death stick hammers and it sucked. Broke the handle within the first hour! I'll stick to my Vaughn 21 oz with the fiberglass handle, since I use 'em for demo as well as all sorts of nailing, not just framing. I also have a Vaughn 19 oz with the long blue handle if I'm gonna pound a lotta nails, that is a comfortable hammer.:thumbup:

 

I must be crazy. After reading all the bad reviews for the death stick.
I use a 24oz straight hadle Death Stick everyday for the last 4 years. I go through a hadle about every 2 months but my tool supplier keeps me stocked with handles @ $1 apiece. I have a douglas with the nail puller on the side hate it. You cant pick a wall header nothing. I also have a Stiletto T-Bone but I won that and its to pretty to use on job site. I figure if i ever go broke I can sell it to cover a mortgage payment!!

 

stiletto t-bone is awesome. the whole head is a sweet spot. a 16 oz. hammer that hits lkie a 32oz.worthw every penny

 

I used a Estwing 22 oz from 1990 until very recently last summer. Now I use it for demo only. You can not break it and it does a great job breaking other stuff thats about it. Now it is a Vaughn 19 oz blue max extra long. Much better no more vibrations. And yes after all that time with the estwing my elbow does hurt.

 

Ive used the same estwing 22 oz since i started out in 84, I lost it about 5 years ago so bought a new one, promptly found it and had to give the new one away. A friend got me one of those big straight handled framing hammers
when he was on holiday in the US, one with a "waffled" face, man I was the king nailer until I hit the side of my thumb with the damn thing, JEEEEZZZ that thing just mashed it up, I reckon I threw it at least 150 yds.
Back to my old friend the Estwing after that.

Nick, we call them "waffle" face UNTIL you hit your finger. Then they are known as "meat tenderizers":laughing: :laughing:

 

I used to use a 28 oz eastwing for about fifteen years then switch down to 22 oz for the last 10 yrs.now i have to wear braces casted to my arms permanately due to chronic pain and fibromyalga. your arms go to rubber and ache like hell.so now i use a paslode stick nailer and it is much easier and a little faster.:cheesygri

 

When I was 18 I bought my first hammer a Stanley 20 oz Steelmaster with rip claw. I thought that was the baddest hammer until one day I was framing a wall and the head flew right off. The hollow tube handle broke right below where the head mounts. I still have that hammer but I replaced it with an Estwing framing hammer with waffle head that I use for everything.

 

cranbrook, my right arm is beginning to slow down too. Curious, I always thought that exersise was good.

 

I used to use a 28 oz eastwing for about fifteen years then switch down to 22 oz for the last 10 yrs.now i have to wear braces casted to my arms permanately due to chronic pain and fibromyalga. your arms go to rubber and ache like hell.so now i use a paslode stick nailer and it is much easier and a little faster.:cheesygri

In '87 I was in the middle of an addition job and my right elbow just locked up at a 90deg angle. Talk about painful. Right then and there I switched to nailguns and screwguns. Luckily I was dating my chiropractor and after about 8hrs of nonstop therapy and adjusting she had it opening up again. The nastiest thing happened after a couple days. Have you ever seen the way an old black and blue mark turns a greenish color?? I had about a 1/2" wide greenish bruise mark that went from my shoulder all the down to my wrist.

 

I gave my son all of the hints that I wanted another Estwing, weight forward, for Christmas. He forgot. Best thing for mashin' your finger since the stone.

 

exercise i believe is still good.i still love to pound nails with a hammer and cut rafters until you feel like your arm is gonna fall off. i just can,t pick what day i can still do that.at least with birdhouses i dont need to lug as much lumber and worry about falling off a roof.:biggrin: if you start gettin pain don,t stop what your doin just be more cautious how you do things. being aware can save a lot of pain in the long run.

 

Well what nobody uses a rocket by True Temper anymore.

 

i use a estwing 22 oz framer, 20 oz ripping claw, and a wood shake hachet. just this summer someone borrowed my 20oz estwing so i resurrected my 20oz plumb that is built just like an estwing but has a red handle that looks like a leather wrap instead of the blue. i haven't found any difference in the two 20s they are built just alike and feel good. i haven't seen another plumb like mine, would like to get another cause it is easy to see

 

Bought a 28oz plumb steel handle when I was 17 or 18 and if I have to do anything over trim work I love the weight. I just get it moving and it does the rest. I've never been a fan of the flat top head design of the death sticks and stillettos.

 

Hammered!!

Hey,

I used to have a Vaughan waffled framer, nice heft, until my 6 yr. old son "borrowed" it and now it's gone, gone, GONE. How the HELL can you lose a big hammer, fer Christ's sake?! It's not your co-workers you need to worry about, it's your CHILDREN! Ya gotta lock 'em up! (Uh... tools? Or kids?)

 

I still beat em with my Belknap Bluegrass and from what I've seen of it I will break before it does. I first started in "84" in high school and went into the field with another friend who wrestled with me. We both got the same hammers (16oz, 21oz) and are still using them to this day. Heads are still tight on the handles with no wedging added. I used to have estwing metal hammers but they delivered too much shock to my bones as compared to the wood handle.

 

I use a delouch _da-looosh~ if you ever heard of it. BRASS HEAD

 

I am partial to the 22oz Rigid California style, sold by Home Depot. It is just balanced right. Those Death Sticks suck. Bought one and ended up using it as a paper weight for my plans by 9 A.M. the first day. Their nail puller, "The Exhumer", sucks for pulling nails. The bottle opener/saw wrench on it is cool though.

 

my nail man gave me my first stilletto 14o.z and I broke the handle ripping truss buckets off in one pull, watched down the road every day until he dropped of my new handle then it got stollen with my trailer and tools, they're like drugs I guess, the first free, gotta have it from then on at 139.00! Just say no!