Ramblings
My Hammers and Mallets
The stories, uses, and memories behind the hammers and mallets that have helped build, repair, and shape House 173.
I'm not aware of very many other dudes who sit around and write about their hammers. I mean, what guy sits around and waxes poetic about one of the simplest, oldest tools from antiquity? This guy (picture me pointing at myself with my thumbs while grinning a corny grin)!
Why Write About Hammers?
Mostly because I need some serious distraction from work. The pandemic still has its grip enough that there still aren't any projects going on. However, as the vaccines roll out, 2021 will hopefully shape up over the coming months. 'Til then, I find goofy, somewhat esoteric things to write about. Anyway, just a couple weeks ago I wrote about a few of my favorites of dad's tools including his Stanley SteelMaster hammer - the inspiration for my hammer. In that post, I also noted that I'd be writing about my hammers. Here's an old ad, I had to include it here, not just because of the hammer, but check out the young Yogi Berra!
My hammer: Estwing E3-16C
I say dad's SteelMaster was my inspiration because it's what came to mind when I bought my hammer. I know that because I still remember that moment as clearly as if it were yesterday. Even before signing the mortgage for 173 in '97, it was clear the house was to be a lifelong project. Not that it was in bad shape, but because it was old and in need of updates, personalization and yes - some repairs. Straight away, my hammer would become, if not the, then close to, the first tool I would own.
Mind you, these were the days before the internet, at least for me, so I had no resource to research hammers. Yeah - read this blog for awhile and you'll see that I research just about every purchase I make - it's that ingrained frugality don't-ya-know. So all I could go by was feel and what dad had. As a matter of fact, as I stood there, I kept hoping to see the SteelMaster:
Why the Estwing E3-16C Became My Hammer
This model was a bit more expensive than the wood handled hammers, but it just felt so right. I think I paid about $20 for the hammer, which was a ton of money for me in those days. But, on walking out of the store, I had my hammer, an Estwing E3-16C. I had never heard of Estwing, all I really knew about tools was Craftsman, Black & Decker and Stanley. As it turns out though, Estwing has been making tools right here in America since 1923, and as late as 2020 the E3-16C was rated the best curved claw hammer on the market. Do I have great instincts or what? OR..what a stroke of luck! Probably luck.
My E3-16C has served me faithfully since the day I bought it! I think a hammer, much like a man's baseball glove, moulds itself to a man's hand. Pick up someone else's glove or hammer and you instantaneously know it ain't yours. I like that. Oh, by the way - the E3-16C means Estwing (no idea about the "3"), with 16C meaning 16 ounce curved claw. The curved claw makes nail pulling easier for amateur DIY-ers like yours truly.
The New York Times on the Estwing E3-16C:
October 9, 2018
After testing 21 hammers over the past four years, we recommend the Estwing E3-16C, a 16-ounce, curved claw, steel-handled tool that’s a favorite of carpenters everywhere and nearly perfect for any household job. The E3-16C has powerful heft without being uncomfortably large or heavy, its slightly squishy, tacky grip is among the easiest to hold and the least prone to vibration, and its striking face gives a clearer line of sight than tools with oversized heads.
How Many Hammers Does One Person Need?
I've seen guys with literally dozens of hammers, I bet my dad even has at least a dozen-and-a-half. I'm not one of them. I'm a pragmatist, and only buy what I need instead of.....wait, what? Okay, I never actually counted my hammers:
I have more than I thought I did! But in reality I only bought maybe half of them, the others having been given to me, or bought a yard sales for pennies on the dollar. I don't know about you, but I fight the obsession within me to almost collect things I like. If I didn't fight it, I 100% know you would see so many other hammers, many in mint condition with labels in place - never having been used! Every time I'm out getting stuff for a project, I see some new improved version of some tool I have, and I stand there weighing my desire to get it, or just be happy with what I have because it's already better than I'll ever need. Nonetheless, as you can see I have a number of hammers - let's talk about some of them.
Looking at them all together, I realized there are really only two reasons a hammer has earned a place here. Either it does a particular job better than the others, or it carries a memory I’m not ready to part with. Sometimes it does both. That may not be the most disciplined system for building a tool collection, but it has kept me from buying every shiny new hammer that catches my eye, and it explains why a few battered old ones will probably remain at 173 as long as I do.
The Hammers and What They’re Used For
I've already told you more than anyone probably wants to know about my main hammer - my Estwing claw hammer. but there's a few others in the stable. There's an upholsterer's hammer with a magnet at one end to help start those small tacks. I got that one when I took the 3 or 4 week course on upholstering just for fun. Then I have the nylon, soft-faced hammer I often use as a persuader when nudging a board into place and don't want to mar the wood. And I have a couple ball peens and a Club hammer, the latter coming in handy any number of times - particularly when doing concrete work:
I also have a couple straight-peen hammers, one normal size, the other smaller. We'll talk about those a little more shortly. And, finally, I have a Shingle hammer. It's the one closest to the viewer in the picture below. It was given to me years ago, and I wasn't even sure what it's specific purpose was for a long time. I'll let the folks at Engineering Clicks explain: "The shingle hammer is a hybrid of various hammers and often referred to as a roofing hammer. It has a spike head and a square head and usually incorporates a small claw for pulling out nails. The spike is used to create nail holes in shingle and slate which will often shatter and break when using a traditional hammer. Once the hole is made the square head is used to push the nail through the slate/shingle and position it on a roof or similar structure."
To a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail. - Mark Twain
The Mallets and Their Different Jobs
Then there's the mallets. I don't use these that often but when I need them, they're nice to have around. To start, I have a large and a small rubber mallet. Two semi-interesting things: 1 - I use the small rubber mallet more often than the large, mostly because I use it to close paint can lids; 2 - I got the small mallet at the Dollar Store probably 20 years ago.
And finally, there's my wooden mallet. I often use it to knock wooden pieces together, when using a chisel. A wooden mallet won't mess up the striking end of the chisel as most metal hammers would. The best thing about this mallet is where I got it. To set the scene - you gotta understand Christmas with my family. It's always the most precious day of the year, but at the same time it's a flurry of activity with mixtures of small, meaningful traditions, the arrival and departure of people and their dogs, with a meal and gift giving, all over the space of a few hours. I love it, but if you can keep that in mind when you read the next sentence - I'd a appreciate it! I'm not sure who gave me my wooden mallet. It was Christmas 2018 and either my sister or her dude - Matt gave it to me. Dude. I like that better than boyfriend, but either way - one of them gave it to me and I love it! I used it the first time when I made the upstairs hallway accent table in March of 2019.
Impact Force of a Hammer
The hammer delivers an impact. Impulse equals the change of momentum. The hammer-head has mass m and had velocity v immediately before hitting the nail and comes to a stop. So its change of momentum is m*v. That is the impact. Impact is also force*time. (The time, t, is the fraction of a second during which the hammer-head came to a stop.)
Setting the 2 ways to calculate impulse equal to each other, F*t = m*delta_v
In our case, m*delta_v = m*v so F = m*v/t. You could say that the force comes from the original momentum changing to zero in such a short time. - Steve Johnson, North Dakota State University, 1966
The Hammers I Reach for Most
Just like my favorite shirt or jeans, or my favorite hat, team or even baseball bat, I have my favorite hammers. Four of them to be precise. First up, the straight peen hammers. The large one I seem to use around the house for small repairs, and the small one drives those tiny nails into the wall for pictures, mirrors and so on. They seem just right for the tasks for which I grab them!
Next is my ball peen hammer. I have a smaller one that I don't use all to often, but my bigger one seems to be my go-to in the workshop. It's not as big as my claw hammer, but has enough heft to get the job done. Here it is from when I was making the radiator cover for the dining room back in '18:
And of course my favorite -my personal version of Thor's Mjölnir!
If you made it this far - thanks for indulging me, but after all - it's the little things - right?
The Hammer Rack That Stayed with the House
One last thing, this story wouldn't be complete without a quick mention of where I keep my hammers. They're stored in the workshop in a hammer rack built many years ago by Mr. Mosher, the original owner of 173. When I remodeled the basement, I made it a point to save that wall because of the hammer rack. It's just another one of those things I love about 173.
Stay safe out there!
I opened this post expecting to feel superior.
I own one hammer. Wooden handle. Curved claw. No idea who made it. It lives in a kitchen drawer beside three screwdrivers, a tape measure, and batteries that may or may not be dead.
Then I reached the soft-faced hammer. That made sense. The little straight-peen for picture nails made sense too. The wooden mallet clearly has a job. Even the shingle hammer, which looks like it belongs in a medieval medical kit, apparently has a purpose.
By the time I reached the end, I was no longer wondering why you had so many hammers. I was wondering why I have spent thirty years trying to close paint cans with the handle of a screwdriver.
The Mosher rack was the part I liked best. Any workshop can have tools. Yours has continuity. One man built the rack, another man saved it, and the hammers keep hanging there while the house moves from one project to the next.
I am not saying I am going out to buy more hammers.
But I did move the screwdriver away from the paint can. - The Fellow Who Owns One Hammer
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of hammers are most useful for an average homeowner?
For most homeowners, a good 16-ounce curved-claw hammer will handle the majority of routine jobs, including driving and pulling nails, light demolition, hanging shelves, and general repairs. A rubber or soft-faced mallet is useful when force is needed without denting wood or damaging a finished surface. A small ball-peen or straight-peen hammer can also be helpful for metalwork, tiny nails, and more controlled strikes.
Beyond those basics, specialized hammers should earn their place by matching the work you actually do. A shingle hammer, upholsterer’s hammer, club hammer, or wooden mallet can be valuable, but only if your projects call for them. My collection grew gradually through gifts, yard-sale finds, and specific needs rather than from buying a large set all at once.
Why has the Estwing E3-16C remained your main hammer for so long?
The Estwing had the right balance, weight, and grip from the first time I picked it up. Its one-piece steel construction made it feel similar to my father’s Stanley SteelMaster, which influenced my choice even though I could not find that exact hammer. The 16-ounce head was substantial enough for household and renovation work without feeling unnecessarily heavy.
More than specifications, though, familiarity matters. After years of use, a hammer begins to feel natural in the hand. You know where the face will land, how much force a swing will deliver, and how the grip responds. That familiarity is difficult to replace with a newer tool, even when the newer model is technically excellent.
What is the difference between a hammer and a mallet?
A hammer generally has a metal head and is designed for concentrated impact: driving nails, shaping metal, breaking material, or pulling fasteners. A mallet usually has a softer head made from rubber, wood, plastic, rawhide, or another non-marring material. It spreads the force over a broader area and reduces the chance of denting or marking the workpiece.
That distinction is why I reach for a wooden mallet when using chisels or assembling wood joints, and a rubber mallet when tapping boards or closing paint cans. The job may still require force, but not the sharp, damaging blow of a steel hammer.
Why keep several similar hammers instead of using one for everything?
The differences can look minor until the tools are used. A smaller hammer offers better control for picture nails and delicate work. A ball-peen hammer is more useful for metal and workshop tasks. A club hammer delivers compact force for concrete or demolition. A soft-faced hammer can move a board without leaving a mark.
Having several hammers does not necessarily mean collecting for its own sake. It means choosing the amount and type of force appropriate to the work. The right hammer can make a job easier, reduce damage, and sometimes make the work safer.
What makes an ordinary tool become a personal favorite?
Usually it is not rarity, price, or appearance. It is repetition. A favorite tool is the one that has been present through years of repairs, mistakes, successes, and changes. The grip becomes familiar, the weight feels correct, and the tool develops a history that cannot be bought new.
My Estwing became my hammer because it was there at the beginning of House 173. It helped with early repairs, renovations, furniture projects, and all the small jobs that rarely receive their own posts. Its value now has less to do with what it cost and more to do with everything it has helped me accomplish.
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