DEWALT DWHT51054 20 Oz. Rip Claw Hammer

Product Information

If you’re taking on ambitious projects, and you’re comfortable using a bigger tool—or you’re simply someone who actively looks for reasons to swing a hammer—we recommend the Estwing E3-20S. There’s a nice little flare at the base of the handle, and the grip area has a good tack to it, so the hammer won’t easily slip out of the hands during a hefty swing. If you need a hammer only for light-duty use (like installing picture hangers and tapping together knockdown furniture), you can take a step down in weight to a 12-ounce hammer.

These all-purpose tools work well for prying, knocking things into place, or even doing some good old-fashioned demolition.Also, with the smaller hammer, your knuckles are much closer to what you’re hitting, so an overstrike or any kind of miss is more likely to put your hand at risk. With the 16-ounce hammer, it took us, on average, four swings to bury a 16d framing nail (3½ inches long). A well-placed swing can bury the claw between two boards, and a twist of the handle pulls them apart. When we compared the two side by side, the handle of the Ox Tools hammer was less comfortable to hold, since the logo is slightly raised.

I’ve worked with countless hammers, using them to drive everything from teeny-tiny brads to massive framing spikes. We also didn’t like that the logo is carved into the neck of the hammer because it just collected gunk and dirt. A curved-claw hammer: This type of hammer has a pronounced arc in the claw that provides great leverage for pulling nails, so it’s ideal for around-the-house use. Some competitor models had individual finger grooves, which can be uncomfortable or limit the way you hold the tool.During this breaking-in process, the hammer starts to look a little ugly, and you may think there’s something bad going on, but there is really nothing to worry about.