Hammers by their makers' figures
| Model | Family | Head weight | Overall length | Face | Claw | Handle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estwing E3-12C | Claw | 12 oz | 11 in | Smooth | Curved | Steel, one piece with the head |
| Estwing E3-16C | Claw | 16 oz | 13 in | Smooth | Curved | Steel, one piece with the head |
| Estwing E3-16S | Rip | 16 oz | 13 in | Smooth | Rip | Steel, one piece with the head |
| Estwing E3-20S | Rip | 20 oz | 13.75 in | Smooth | Rip | Steel, one piece with the head |
| Stanley 1-51-488 | Claw | Sold as 16 oz (450 g) | Not stated | Smooth | Curved | Steel; assembled weight 0.8 kg |
| Estwing MRWT | Tack | 5 oz | 10.5 in | Smooth | — | Hickory |
| Estwing CCD26 | Dead-blow | 26 oz | 12.75 in | Polyurethane | — | Steel, covered in polyurethane |
Each figure is the maker's own. Estwing's milled-face framing hammers run from 20 to 30 oz heads. Stanley's 0.8 kg is the whole tool assembled, not the head, so it is not compared with the head weights above.
Equipment notePaid link
16 oz curved-claw hammer
Estwing E3-16C
Estwing's curved-claw E3-16C from the table above: a 16 oz smooth-face head, 13 in overall, forged in one piece with the handle, by Estwing.
Paid link — BenchRoot may earn a commission if you buy through this link.
Match the hammer to the work
| If you mostly… | Look at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Nail backs, cleats and jigs | A claw or rip nail hammer; head weight and overall length | Estwing says nail hammers are for driving and withdrawing nails; its claw and rip hammers run from 12 to 20 oz heads |
| Pull nails | The claw, curved or rip | Makers sell both shapes; neither is defined by a set angle or ranked |
| Fit tacks | A tack hammer | Estwing's has a 5 oz head and a magnetic tack starter for one-handed starting |
| Knock parts together | A dead-blow hammer, or a mallet | Estwing says its dead-blow head eliminates or minimises denting and marring; mallets are on the mallet guide |
| Strike chisels | A mallet, or what the chisel maker allows | Estwing says never to strike another tool with a nail hammer |
| Frame buildings | A framing hammer | Estwing's have heavier heads and, it says, longer handles for more striking power; carpentry framing is outside this guide |
Read the weight correctly
A hammer sold as 16 oz is named by its head. Estwing's tables list head weight and overall length; Stanley sells its 1-51-488 as a 16 oz (450 g) hammer and lists an assembled product weight of 0.8 kg. Compare head weight with head weight. Neither maker names an ideal weight for woodworking, and neither does this guide; the families and head weights makers sell are the range to choose from.
Choosing a dead-blow hammer
A dead-blow hammer is for assembly rather than nails. Estwing's holds steel shot inside a polyurethane-covered head and comes in 26, 45 and 53 oz head weights, at 12.75, 14.37 and 15.25 in overall. Compare head weight and length the same way as for a nail hammer, and remember that a mallet does much of the same work in a woodworking shop; woodworking mallets compares them.
What to check on any hammer
- Head weight, read as the head alone, and overall length.
- Face: smooth or milled, as the maker states; not ranked here.
- Claw: curved or rip, as the maker names it.
- Handle and fixing: a head forged in one piece with a steel handle, or fitted to a wooden or fibreglass handle. OSHA warns that a loose, splintered or cracked wooden handle can let the head fly off.
- What it may strike: nails for a nail hammer; tools only with the hammer their maker names.
What a nail hammer cannot do
It is not a tool for striking chisels, punches or other hardened steel: Estwing says never to use a nail hammer to strike another tool and recommends a soft-face or drilling hammer for that. For chisels, a mallet or what the chisel maker allows is the answer; see the chisel guide.
Safety— Before the first nail
Wear eye protection, as Estwing asks of users and bystanders; it is explained in woodworking safety equipment. Keep the hand holding the nail out of the swing, and see woodworking safety rules.
Comparing hammers
- Family matched to the work: nail, tack or dead-blow
- Head weight compared with head weight
- Overall length
- Face and claw as the maker states them
- Handle material and how the head is fixed
- A mallet for chisels, not a nail hammer
The parts and families are explained in the hammer guide; screwdrivers in woodworking screwdrivers.
Sources
Specification-based: every figure is the maker's own for its own model, and head weight and assembled weight are kept apart. Makers' descriptions of their products are attributed to them. No hammer was tested, none is ranked and no price is given.
- 1.
Claw Hammer (E3-12C, E3-16C). Estwing.
Used for: The E3-12C and E3-16C: curved claw, smooth face, 12 and 16 oz head weight, 11 and 13 in overall, head and handle forged in one piece.
- 2.
Rip Hammer (E3-12S, E3-16S, E3-20S). Estwing.
Used for: The E3-12S, E3-16S and E3-20S: rip claw, smooth face, 12, 16 and 20 oz head weight, 10.75, 13 and 13.75 in overall.
- 3.
Framing Hammer (Milled). Estwing.
Used for: Milled-face framing hammers with 20 to 30 oz heads and, in Estwing's words, a longer handle for more striking power.
- 4.
Tack Hammer (Triple Wedge), MRWT. Estwing.
Used for: The MRWT tack hammer: 5 oz head, 10.5 in overall, hickory handle, magnetic tack starter.
- 5.
Deadblow Hammer (CCD26, CCD45, CCD53). Estwing.
Used for: The CCD26, CCD45 and CCD53 dead-blow hammers: 26, 45 and 53 oz head weight, 12.75, 14.37 and 15.25 in overall, steel shot in a polyurethane-covered head, which Estwing says eliminates or minimises denting and marring.
- 6.
16 Oz. (450g) Curve-Claw Tubular Steel Hammer, 1-51-488. STANLEY.
Used for: A curve-claw hammer with a steel handle and smooth face, sold as 16 oz (450 g), with an assembled product weight of 0.8 kg.
- 7.
Safety Tips. Estwing.
Used for: Nail hammers for driving and withdrawing common nails only; never a nail hammer to strike another tool; safety goggles.
- 8.
Hand and Power Tools (OSHA 3080). Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2002.
Used for: Loose, splintered or cracked wooden handles as a hazard.
About this buying guide
Written by BenchRoot Editorial. How BenchRoot sources, checks and corrects its pages is set out in the Editorial Policy. If something here is wrong or unclear, the contact page explains how to tell us.