There is nothing exciting about a hammer–until a company known for making ordinary products that feel better in your hand and work more easily than the average model, put a squadron of industrial designers to the task of perfecting the prehistoric tool.
OXO International, that company, which is better known for its keen line of housewares, jumped into the hardware business in August when it unveiled a collection of hand tools at the National Hardware Show in Chicago. Those tools share with OXO’s more familiar jar openers (and can openers and vegetable peelers and salad spinners) an ease of use in addition to some pretty nifty features.
Like: the MarGuard located on top of the hammer head. The small wedge of soft Santoprene (a rubber-like polymer) serves as a bumper, protecting walls and woodwork when you remove nails.
“If you are a woodworker, you know to put something in between the hammer and the wood. You know the tricks,” explains Larry Witt, vice president of sales and market development for OXO International. “Hence, the idea came up that we could build something into the top of the hammer, which could give that same benefit to somebody who didn’t know.”
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The MarGuard serves another function, as well. It and the soft ring that OXO built in between the hammer’s shaft and head are designed to absorb vibrations. While the Santoprene handle was designed to offer a comfortable, non-slip grip, it also is part of this “shock-absorption system.”
There is one other noteworthy design feature on this hammer: Note the flat shaft. According to Witt, flat is better than sharp, should the user “mis-hit.”
“If you hit yourself with the flat edge, it will still hurt–believe me. But it’s better than hitting yourself with a sharp edge,” says Witt.
The OXO Good Grips Hammers will start trickling into stores by the middle of this month. Bed Bath & Beyond stores will carry both the 10-ounce model ($20) and the heftier 16-ounce size ($22). Select True Value stores will stock the larger model, starting around Jan. 1.