# Hammer???



## kycontractor (Feb 8, 2009)

I've always been an Eastwing guy, but that Vaughn BlueMax looks pretty cool? Any Opinions???


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## Buck25 (Jan 30, 2009)

"My tool is a Stilletto."


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## s. donato (Jan 23, 2008)

i use estwing 16oz general purpose, estwing 24oz framing, and dead on 8oz finish

but who uses a hammer ;-)

i think when i buy another it will be a douglas - i like their head design.


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## JT Wood (Dec 17, 2007)

Buck25 said:


> "My tool is a Stilletto."




x2.

I have used the blue max, it's ok. 

I use my estwing when I have to hit concrete, I hate them. My stilletto is the cat's as$. 

Try the vaughn Ti-tech Its a good balance of price vs awesomeness.


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## xxwckdxx (Jan 14, 2009)

douglas here


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## DrewD (Jun 10, 2007)

Stiletto here. Once you go titanium, you never go back


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## john5mt (Jan 21, 2007)

Ti bone for framing
estwing 16 oz with the leather handle for finish

if i couldnt afford my ti bone i would go with the vaughn 19oz hatchet handled blue max for framing.


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

The Barco Rocket Hammer Steel Handle 20 oz Straight Claw, 16" Handle 
Model A20RL 

Real easy on the elbows.


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## PA woodbutcher (Mar 29, 2007)

16 oz estwing and 4 lb maul.:laughing: I don't hand drive enough sinkers for a 24 oz. I have a few of the estwings though. Some dirtier than others,1 for roofing and other dirty jobs. 1 fairly clean for framing and and 1 almost new for finish. Demo gets the 4 lb maul.

I think swinging the same style and weight hammer keeps the feel the same. I can pretty much sink a finsh nail.


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

PA woodbutcher said:


> I think swinging the same style and weight hammer keeps the feel the same. I can pretty much sink a finsh nail.


 
:thumbsup: True, but I use my 20oz Estwing for 95% of the time. If I get it dirty, i clean it as to not mark up finish work. That other 5% I use a 10oz little rip hammer...:clap:


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## English Roofer (Dec 22, 2008)

I use a Estwing 16oz anti shock claw hammer, does the biz!
Cheers
Dave


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

I have a tendency to lean toward air power for everything. When I do use a hammer , it's usually to pull nails or to tap things around for the gun. Right now I'm using a 20 oz. Vaughan fiberglass handle and like it for an all around tool.


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## Trim40 (Jan 27, 2009)

25' stanley tape


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## Trim40 (Jan 27, 2009)

could my other post explain why I cut it 4 times and it's still too short!


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## Sasquatch (Mar 26, 2008)

I have been wanting to get my hands on a Stilleto Tibone but for now I have been using a 16oz Vaughn curve claw. It does the trick, but maybe when the economy gets better I will get the tibone.


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## Graham J (Nov 7, 2008)

I have a 23 oz Vaughn (sp?) bluemax, and two wood-handled Stillettos, one I use and the other to replace it when the first cashes in the chips. If I were to buy Vaughn again, I would definitely go with the 19 oz bluemax. Far better ballance than the 23 oz.

Graham


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

kycontractor said:


> I've always been an Eastwing guy, but that Vaughn BlueMax looks pretty cool? Any Opinions???


Vaghn makes good hammers, but Estwing is the absolute best.

Next for me, Stiletto for framing.

Nothing else will do but those two.

Dalluge seems to make a nice Framer that "feels" good, 
but I've never sunk a spike with one, so I can't really tell.


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

DrewD said:


> Stiletto here. Once you go titanium, you never go back


*True.*


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

Sasquatch said:


> I have been wanting to get my hands on a Stilleto Tibone but for now I have been using a 16oz Vaughn curve claw. It does the trick, but maybe when the economy gets better I will get the tibone.


Don't wait!

Start out with a wood handled Stiletto 14 or 16oz Framer (only about $100.).

Once you spend a day with one, you'll "look" for reasons to use it! 

:thumbsup:

Look at that thing...it's almost tool porn!


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

English Roofer said:


> I use a Estwing 16oz anti shock claw hammer, does the biz!
> Cheers
> Dave


"Don't Eat Yellow Snow!"

:laughing:


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## stokes771 (Feb 7, 2009)

I can personally vouch for the Vaugh BlueMax 23 oz. It's all I will use, I tried the Vaughn Titanium with the hickory handle and it just didn't feel right. I found my wrist actually got a bit sore from using it trying to overswing all the time. Just my opinion.


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

A good read: 

http://www.contractortalk.com/f14/hammer-33779/index4/

:thumbsup:


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

stokes771 said:


> I can personally vouch for the Vaugh BlueMax 23 oz. It's all I will use, I tried the Vaughn Titanium with the hickory handle and it just didn't feel right. I found my wrist actually got a bit sore from using it trying to overswing all the time. Just my opinion.


There's definitely a learning curve to using a Ti hammer...you have to learn to let the hammer do the work. No matter how "too light" it seems, it will drive that nail.

It took me a day to figure out how to swing a Ti hammer and then a few days to master it...like any tool I guess.

But once I did, it was a revelation.

I still will use steel hammers for demo work without a doubt though.


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## stokes771 (Feb 7, 2009)

I used the thing for like 3 months and couldnt quite get the hang of it... I def. liked going by to my blue max


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## wallmaxx (Jun 18, 2007)

I let a guy use my Stiletto Ti-Bone 15oz all week. He's been trying to get me hooked on an iPhone for work...so I thought I'd hook him with titanium. 

I had to find my 23oz Death Stick. Holy crap! What a difference two years using my Stiletto, then back to wood and steel. 

The week is up and my "ting" machine is back with my bags.


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

stokes771 said:


> I used the thing for like 3 months and couldnt quite get the hang of it... I def. liked going by to my blue max


3 months? 
Wow.
Yep, Ti definitely not for you.

You're a steel man.


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## Sasquatch (Mar 26, 2008)

One question though to those with a titanium tibone Stilletto have any of you had trouble with the faces coming loose? The guy on my crew that had one said that was his only complaint. He was always having too tighten it and eventually it started to strip threads.


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

Sasquatch said:


> One question though to those with a titanium tibone Stilletto have any of you had trouble with the faces coming loose? The guy on my crew that had one said that was his only complaint. He was always having too tighten it and eventually it started to strip threads.


I don't use one of the replaceable head Stilettos.

I knew that was a bad ideal from the beginning.

First of all, titanium is so soft a metal that the face will flatten out no matter what so it's useless to change heads. Either way, you're going to end up with a smooth face head (in my case, it only took a few days). 

And, common sense told me that anything that you have to screw on then beat with all your might will definitely come loose eventually and over time will wear and be useless. 

I never thought it was a good idea from the get to...not that I'm an engineer or anything, but I can just look at something and shake my head and say..."That ain't gonna work, nope!".

I've heard some suggest using Loc-Tite on it, but doesn't that then defeat the purpose of having an interchangeable head? 

Anyway, I like the idea of an all Ti hammer (from head to handle) with a solid face. I'd love to see Estwing like attachment of the grip to the handle (not sure what Stiletto has now, might be similar). 

But, even though I now have a smooth face framer, I've never had any problem with my stikes ever sliding off of the nail head or of there not being any grip...the overwhelming weight savings does a lot for one's control. 

Waffle face guys...have your faces smoothed out and have you had any problems with the head sliding off of nail heads?


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## Sasquatch (Mar 26, 2008)

Thanks for the input. 
I have been really craving one because the guy on my crew let me use it one day to drive some sixties and I had a lot driving to do. After one of the short sides of a bole barn we were building with my hammer my arm was getting sore. He let me swing away down one of the longer sides and I felt I could do it all day long. 
I am going to have to do it, I will let you know when I get it.


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

Sasquatch said:


> Thanks for the input.
> I have been really craving one because the guy on my crew let me use it one day to drive some sixties and I had a lot driving to do. After one of the short sides of a bole barn we were building with my hammer my arm was getting sore. He let me swing away down one of the longer sides and I felt I could do it all day long.
> I am going to have to do it, I will let you know when I get it.


It's like when power steering was invented for cars! :laughing:

You're going to love it and come back raving about it. 

I kid you not, I literally "slept" with my hammer the first night. 
I didn't do it on purpose, I just was watching TV and kept it in my hand! LOL

I wanted one for years, but couldn't justify it because I thought it was ridiculous to spend $100. on a hammer, but damn...I'm so glad I did. 



http://stiletto.com/


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## strathd (Jan 12, 2009)

Vaughn rigging axe. It's all about the balance.


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## Gold Tie (Feb 26, 2008)

Loc tite works fine on the interchangable heads. You just gotta torque it lose! 

I used the wood handle stilletto for years and still have and love it! When I upgraded to the ti-bone, it took me a bit to get used to it. I love that thing now!! 

Sometimes I find myself tapping materials with the end of a nailgun before I say, "Hey, I'll use my other $300.00 dollar hammer"!!!


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## roadweiry (Feb 15, 2009)

For the last year ive been trying alot of different clubs. For the past 6 months of been swinging a 24oz vaughn 999. I like hammers with flat sides on the heads. I find myself nailing with the side of the head in tight spots alot. I figured with finding this site I would accumalate more and more tools....lol


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

stilletto 14 oz axe handle for framing and general carpentry most of the time, 

for finish work i carry a lee valley nailing hammer, aka the shark claw, has a duck like head and a cats paw claw

but for demo and anything that will put the stilletto at risk of snapping another handle i go back to the estwing 20 oz


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## JT Wood (Dec 17, 2007)

2ndGen said:


> I don't use one of the replaceable head Stilettos.
> 
> I knew that was a bad ideal from the beginning.
> 
> ...


 I use a dremel to put a waffle back on when the face gets too smooth.


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## Buck25 (Jan 30, 2009)

2ndGen said:


> Waffle face guys...have your faces smoothed out and have you had any problems with the head sliding off of nail heads?


Smooth as a you know what; no trouble with the head sliding. And the best part? Now I can use my framer to set finish nails!:thumbup:


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

roadweiry said:


> For the last year ive been trying alot of different clubs. For the past 6 months of been swinging a 24oz vaughn 999. I like hammers with flat sides on the heads. I find myself nailing with the side of the head in tight spots alot. I figured with finding this site I would accumalate more and more tools....lol


Brother, you have no ideal!

:laughing:

You will scrutinize things about tools you never thought about before coming here!

Welcome to the fold!

And, I'm telling you know, get a credit card your wife has no knowledge about.

Trust me, soon, she is going to take all of yours away! 

Wait...

(Huh? What's that honey? No! That's not typing you hear. No, I'm not on that damn forum again! Ok, I'm coming!)

Gotta go guys! 

Keep the faith!


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

hughjazz said:


> I use a dremel to put a waffle back on when the face gets too smooth.


Ahhh! :thumbsup:

I'm stealing that one!


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

Buck25 said:


> Smooth as a you know what; no trouble with the head sliding. And the best part? Now I can use my framer to set finish nails!:thumbup:



Yeah, I noticed that too! 

I've been using my Stiletto for finish work (provided there's space).

That thing is just sweet.


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## galla35 (Feb 27, 2009)

I use a Vaughn California framer for finish, estwing 16oz, and the good old wonder bar if its a real tight spot. I have heard alot about stilettos but never used one would you say go or no go? I dont know if i can justify a hundered and a quarter for a damn hammer...


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## knucklehead (Mar 2, 2009)

galla35 said:


> I think you guys have me sold :clap:what would you recomend... the only thing is i have to have a straight handle...


My first stiletto, my wife bought me for christmas and it was the curved handle. I accepted it like I loved it. I thought I would switch to straight when I broke the handle. After a day or two I loved it . I would never go back to straight.


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## TempestV (Feb 3, 2007)

Stiletto tools dates back a ways, back when Stiletto meant this:


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## TempestV (Feb 3, 2007)

knucklehead said:


> My first stiletto, my wife bought me for christmas and it was the curved handle. I accepted it like I loved it. I thought I would switch to straight when I broke the handle. After a day or two I loved it . I would never go back to straight.


When I bought my ti-tech used, it came with a straight handle. I tried it for a while, and just couldn't make it feel normal. I ended up cutting off the perfectly good handle and putting a curved handle on. On the other hand, my Ti-bone has a straight handle (although it does have a little bit of a knob at the bottom) and it feels good.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

> Stiletto tools dates back a ways, back when Stiletto meant this:


We use to refer to thoes as "Arkansas Toothpicks" 

Even though I do more hammering with pliars then my hammer, I bought a Stilette woodhandel 14Oz Hammer; and for the little framing I do I love it. I think I appreciate the face its lighter on my toolbelt and in my tool bag then the fact it drives nails like a Ramset.

I think the spikes on the face lasted about 10 strikes before they flattened out...I prefer it now that it doesnt perforate my fingers when i use it for small staples.

As for Douglas hammers....they are a joke, the I-Beam handel is a really weak designe and snaps like a twig at the first sight of a concrete nail.


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## WilsonRMDL (Sep 4, 2007)

I just picked up my first stilett hammer yesterday, 14oz wood handle, curved. So far I love it, I forgot it wasnt my regular 22oz stanley a few times and almost took my thumb off a few times


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

*HOLY WOW! *

So I go in to check out some tools and while looking at the Stilettos, a salesman comes up to me and tells me that Stiletto was having a promotion! 

If I buy a Stiletto, they'd give me $50. off of the price with a trade in hammer, it didn't matter how beat up the old hammer was or if it was a .99 Cents Store Hammer! 

So I went into my van and pulled out two cheap hammers that weren't worth the space they took up and brought them in. Picked up two 14oz Stiletto Curved Handled Framers! I have a 16oz. T-Bone, but wanted a 14oz anyway.

Gave one to my worker for his birthday (I was going to do that anyway). 

So, I got 2 Stilettos for only $89. (including tax) after all was said and done! 

I was just beamin' when I walked out of that store!

:thumbsup:


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

WilsonRMDL said:


> I just picked up my first stilett hammer yesterday, 14oz wood handle, curved. So far I love it, I forgot it wasnt my regular 22oz stanley a few times and almost took my thumb off a few times



Enjoy it! 

Did you take it home and hold it all evening the first day you got it?

Did you walk around looking for things to pound a nail into?

LOL!


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

> Did you walk around looking for things to pound a nail into?


I think anyone that spends that kinda money on a stiletto does that...if you look at the basement in my old house there is about 4 dozen 16's in the basement staircase and beam.


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## strathd (Jan 12, 2009)

2ndGen said:


> *HOLY WOW! *
> 
> So I go in to check out some tools and while looking at the Stilettos, a salesman comes up to me and tells me that Stiletto was having a promotion!
> 
> ...


 Thats COOL !!


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

Inner10 said:


> I think anyone that spends that kinda money on a stiletto does that...if you look at the basement in my old house there is about 4 dozen 16's in the basement staircase and beam.


:lol: I did exactly the same thing to my basement staircase! :lol:


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

strathd said:


> Thats COOL !!


Imagine if Stiletto could sell Ti Hammers at $45. a pop?

There'd really be no excuse anymore (besides personal preference).

I don't think the steel hammer will ever go away (I have another Steel Estwing Builder's Hammer on my purchase list for demo work), but I firmly believe that if Ti Hammers (quality Ti Hammers, not cheopo junk) were produced and sold for that area (only $10. more than a standard hammer), they'd easily be the most preferred general use hammer.


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## Blackcloud (Apr 19, 2009)

I use a 21oz curved handle graphite dead on for framing. and a regular 21oz curved dead on for demo, general hammering, etc, etc. have no complaits about either one


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## CharlieM (Aug 16, 2007)

16 oz Bluegrass. What else?


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

14 oz stiletto framing
19 oz japanese hammer for siding and trim
16 oz estwing for cabinet work
20 or 22 estwing for demo


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

Geepers man.

Since I started using my 14oz Stiletto, my 16oz feels "heavy"! 

:laughing:

They both accomplish the same, but I feel like I can do rougher work with the 16ozer.


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