Leaving out tiny jeweler’s hammers at one end and machine powered mauls at the other, there are only a hundred or so different models in between.
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Lightweight tack hammers are best for upholstery projects, Roman-claw hammers for home improvement jobs, heavier straight-claw hammers for framing, up to 20-pound sledges for demolition work. Choosing the right tool for the job at hand will depend on two major components: weight and shape.
Weight
There are many shapes, but in most applications weight is the key. Most people get the best results from a 16-ounce model. Smaller and lighter 13-ounce hammers are easier to handle but don’t pack much of a punch. And if you have trouble hitting a nail on the head, multiply the problem because you’ll be hitting it a lot more with a light hammer.
Hammers in the range of 20 ounces are standard for pros, and run up to about 26 ounces (quite a handful) for framers. They get used to the weight, but it’s likely to seem unwieldy for most DIYers.
But weight is subjective, and a good reason to try several at the home center or hardware store. If it feels head-heavy the first time in your hand, it will only feel more so as you use it. If it feels whippy and almost like a toy, move up to a heavier model.
Shape
The most basic and versatile is a hammer with a curved claw opposite the head, sometimes called a Roman claw. It’s the most efficient for nail-pulling and general prying though, in theory, you won’t be using that end of the tool too much. Some newer models also have a magnetic nail-holder forged into the top so you can start a nail one-handed.
Here are a few examples:
Craftsman’s Soft Face Hammer is used mainly for projects like assembling furniture or setting wooden dowels that could be marred by a metal striking face. It’s full-size (about a foot long) and comes with four different, interchangeable striking heads. The composite heads are 1-inch in diameter. More info:
; $20
Garrett Wade calls them shop hammers, but the elegant collection of four very small tools are tack hammers, or maybe for model makers driving brads held with tweezers. The wood handles are about 9 inches long, and the heads from 11/2 to almost 3 inches More info:
; set of 4 is $16.60
Jackson Professional Tools is out with a new tool called the Pulverizer, basically a handheld sledge for masonry and demolition work. It’s only 13 inches long but weighs 3.5 pounds with a claw at one end and a 11/2-inch striking face on the other. At the tail end of the rubber-grip handle is another large pry bar and nail-puller, angled out from the handle, which takes some getting used to. More info:
; about $40
True Temper’s new line of 19 hammers, in stores in late January, includes several basic styles with the options of steel, hickory or graphite handles. The 22-ounce framing hammer with a graphite handle is a substantial, nicely finished, well-balanced tool that also has a magnetic nail-holder built into the head above the oversize striking face. More info:
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; about $30
Vaughan’s latest model is the V3, a well-balanced 16-ounce hammer with a traditional Roman claw and 13-inch handle. The tool has a slender, I-beam shaft and is available with a smooth or milled striking face. The handle is covered with a shock-absorbing rubber grip. Forged into the head is a magnetic nail-holder to start a nail one-handed, and a unique side slot for pulling a nail in a space too tight to use the claw. More info:
; $34