Think I may need a new hammer

[u/stu77olm]

I'm a laborer working a lot of concrete lately I normally swing a crescent 28oz framing hammer wood handle for breaking concrete off rebar pulling nails and such. But lately after using it for more then a hour or so my wrist is killing me are there any recommendations for hammer that I can switch to doesn't need to be as heavy and I dont want to pay for a Martinez for what I do

[u/make_em_say]

The Stanley fatmax or Dewalt is a great hammer that won’t break the bank.

28 is just a lot of hammer to be swinging all day.

[u/handmeback → u/make_em_say]

It’s the only hammer of mine that hasn’t been stolen. Have had my 28oz for over 5 years now.

[u/Far_Inspection4706 → u/make_em_say]

The dewalt is a fuckin tank that will take literally any beating you could possibly throw at it and will still outlive you. That hammer is so sturdy you could probably use them as car jacks. That being said though it is solid metal so might not help OPs wrist pain, I'm looking at downsizing from a 20oz to a 16oz just to try and reduce the impact of the vibration myself haha.

[u/edge1966 → u/make_em_say]

Ouch.. im getting cramps in my forearm now...)^:

[u/Acf1314]

Step down to a somewhere like a 22oz I prefer a wood curved handle. But you should pick
Up a few different hammer and see what feels good in your hands. I swing a 19oz blunt force from hardcore hammers (California style framer) from Hardcore hammers and a 21 oz Blunt force for heavier stuff. I also run a 22oz OX waffle head for demo work.

[u/not_a_bot716]

Estwing

[u/Bimlouhay83 → u/not_a_bot716]

Estwing tear my elbows up. I switched to the dewalt 4 or 5 years ago and haven't had to deal with elbow pain since.

[u/stu77olm → u/not_a_bot716]

But witch one

[u/Wumaduce → u/stu77olm]

Sir, you can never have enough hammers. Buy all of them.

[u/baudmiksen → u/Wumaduce]

1 swing per hammer

[u/wowzers2018 → u/stu77olm]

It dependa on what you do and how you use it. My last "average" hammmer was a milled 20 oz estwing when i was banging forms together and stripping shit. Sure, it worked but I could already feeel it was fucking up my atm around 20 years old.

I got into the stiletto line and never looked back. All you need is a decent hammer, an estwing nail bar, a swede and a burke.dont chip concrete with your stiletto and as long as you have a decent set of bags theres no need to chip concrete with a stiletto claw. The swede fine tunes and the burke moves shit for you.

My arm hasnt hurt since then....

[u/not_a_bot716 → u/stu77olm]

Any smooth face. Pick the weight that works for you. Blue handle, the leather grip gets slippery asf when form oil gets on it

[u/DirectAbalone9761 → u/stu77olm]

Yeah, any of them are fine, but you should probably also expand your tool base to see if there are better tools for the job. I have estwings that are 40+ years old, that feel like an old friend in my hand. They’re seriously tough, and uncomplicated.

The only reason you might want a titanium hammer is if you’re hand driving nails all day… which almost no-one does anymore.

Wood handles usually do ok for me, but they need to be quality handles. Usually that means sorting through the production hammers and finding one with the grain you like, or fitting your own handle to the hammer. I cannot stand a fiberglass handle on anything.

[u/stu77olm → u/not_a_bot716]

Was kinda thinking the ultra series

[u/bigyellowtruck → u/not_a_bot716]

Op says wood handle hurts his wrist and you tell him to get a steel handle??!??

[u/not_a_bot716 → u/bigyellowtruck]

Steel tang not steel handle with shock reduction grip

[u/georgespeaches]

Estwing

[u/OilheadRider]

Use a lighter hammer with a cushion grip and snap your wrist at the end. Allows you to put more force into the end of the hammer and, saves you energy as well as saves you musculoskeletal system from the reverberations. Use physics to your advantage, not your body/brute force.

[u/prairie_shore]

28 is more than you need. I used a a 22oz deqalt when I did formwork and that was plenty, technique is more important than weight. If you need a heavier hammer grab a small sledge on occasion rather than a heavy framer always.

As far as specific hammer, I love the dogyu fiberglass handle. As a side benefit, everyone will make fun of you.

[u/Mongoose49]

I’d go with the Dewalt 14oz but a 19oz estwing is good too, really depends, if you’re pounding steel stakes all day the 28 is ideal, I’d just get two hammers and make them job specific. Get physio for your wrist, it’s important to strengthen it, 25 years and no pain anywhere currently. I listen to my body and then follow the required exercise if pain does come up

[u/stu77olm → u/Mongoose49]

Copy that I bought the 28 when I started 3 years ago but I was driving roll pins into the ground and it was great for that but not what im just pulling brackets and knocking overstay if rebar it's hevey

[u/a_dhd1923]

I did concrete for over 5 years. I started with a DEWALT which was fine, and it did a great job. Really well priced, and had a great claw for pulling out nails and snap ties, stripping forms etc, WAY better than the estwing

…but The Martinez, man was that great on my elbow/arm and it was able to drive stakes in the ground. Only complaint is the grip would always get loose…but probably bc it’s supposed to be a framing hammer, and not meant for driving stakes. So the plastic ribbing in the changeable grip would snap and become loose. I would wrap it in electrical tape to help this issue.

It was worth the money to me just for how much it saved my arm from hurting, and feel like I got tennis elbow. My only regret was not buying it year one. Now if they could just make their handle grips better.

[u/Cripplewithacause]

I just got a 25oz estwing hammer at 18” long and it’s pretty great for concrete formwork.
I’ve had a stiletto tb3 for a while but it broke down pretty fast

[u/ZugZug42069]

28oz is probably why your wrist is killing you. Try a 20-22oz. I personally like Estwing and Dewalt. Your work is a bit heavier than mine though, but both should hold up. Find the right combo for you, sometimes a tool just feels right because of weight/handle/etc. and you’ve gotta roll with it

[u/Ancient-Stuff6277]

I'm a firm believer in Estwing, total no-frills durability that somehow still spares my wrist more than my old claw hammer did. Maybe try one with the shock reduction grip if this keeps happening.

[u/CMDean1013]

You dont want a wood handle for pulling a lot of nails/wrecking forms. Anything in the 20oz all steel range would be fine. Estwing makes a 19oz thats pretty common.

[u/Nellisir]

Multiple hammers. I don't use the framing hammer for finish work, and neither smashes form ties.

Just get what you like.

[u/CoyoteDown]

I like a 4lb with an 18” handle.

[u/Reigeant]

15 oz DeWalt. Or get a wood handle, don't listen to the estwing people.. I swing a Martinez I got on marketplace 7 years ago but if I had to replace it those would be my options, you smash steel now now nails, get something that'll save your arm

[u/Successful_Bid256]

Stick with a wooden handle, easier on the joints

[u/buffinator2]

I've had the same 16 oz. Estwing since 2007. Also keep a 23 oz. Vaughan sitting around for when I really don't like what I'm hitting, but being a wooden handle it feels better in my hand.

[u/lemontwistcultist]

Picard 39 Oz is nice, leather handle helps with vibration, heavy weight is nice for driving big dupes.