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PROPER USE AND CARE OF HAND TOOLS

INTRODUCTION
Hammers and other striking tools are perhaps the most widely used, and probably the most often abused of all hand tools. They are made in various types, sizes and configurations for specific purposes. They should be selected for their intended uses and used only for those purposes for which they are designed. Misuse can cause the striking face to chip, possibly resulting in eye or other serious injury. Proper use of virtually all types involves certain basic rules:

A hammer blow should always be struck squarely with the hammer striking face parallel with the surface being struck. Always avoid glancing blows and over and under strikes.
When striking another tool (chisel, punch, wedge, etc.), the striking face of the proper hammer should have a diameter approximately 3/8" larger than the struck face of the tool.

RIGHT
Always use a hammer of suitable size and weight for the job. Don't use a tack hammer to drive a spike, nor a sledge to drive a tack.
Never use one hammer to strike another hammer or a hatchet.

WRONG
Never use a striking or struck tool with loose or damaged handle.

WRONG
Discard any striking or struck tool if tool shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming, or excessive wear.

RIGHT
Never regrind, weld or reheat-treat a hammer.

NAIL HAMMERS

Description. Nail hammers are made in two patterns; curved claw and straight or ripping claw. The face is slightly crowned with the edges beveled, although certain heavy-duty patterns may have checkered faces designed to reduce glancing blows and flying nails. Handles may be wood, tubular or solid steel, or fiberglass. Tubular steel, solid steel and fiberglass are generally furnished with rubber-type grips which are occasionally used also on wood handles.

Proper Uses. Nail hammers are designed for driving unhardened common and finishing nails only and nail sets, using the center of the hammer face. The claws are for pulling common and finishing nails and ripping woodwork and should not be struck against metal.

Abuse/Misuse. Never strike one hammer with another hammer or a hatchet. Never strike concrete, steel chisels or similarly hard objects with a nail hammer as the hammer face may chip, possibly resulting in eye or other serious bodily injury.

WRONG

Never use a hammer with loose or damaged handle. Never strike with the side or cheek of a hammer.

WARNING: Hardened steel-cut, pole barn and masonry nails should never be driven with a nail hammer. These nails may shatter or may cause a hammer face to chip with an indirect or glancing blow, and should never be driven unless safety goggles are worn. When not driven through a piece of wood, a hole should be started with a small star drill or masonry bit. A hand drilling hammer or sledge is the proper tool to use.

When to Replace. Discard any hammer if the striking face or its bevel show dents, chips, mushrooming or is excessively worn, or if the claws show indentations or nicks inside the nail slot, or if claw is broken. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle.

BALL PEEN HAMMERS

Description. Ball peen hammers are one of the most commonly used hammers. They have a rounded, slightly crowned striking face with bevelled edges and a round, ball-shaped peen. Handles may be wood, solid steel, or fiberglass. The solid steel and fiberglass types are generally furnished with rubber-type grips which are occasionally used on wood handles.

Proper Uses. Ball peen hammers of the proper size are designed for striking chisels and punches, and for riveting, shaping and straightening unhardened metal. When striking a struck tool (chisel or punch), the striking face of the hammer should have a diameter approximately 3/8" larger than the struck face of the tool.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use a hammer with a loose or damaged handle. Avoid glancing blows to minimize chipping of the hammer. Never strike with the side or cheek of the hammer.

WRONG

When to Replace. Discard any hammer if it shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming, or excessive wear. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle.

RIVETING AND SETTING HAMMERS

Description. These hammers are designed for machinists' and tinners' use. Handles are usually wood. The Machinists' Riveting hammer has a round poll with slightly beveled, flat striking face and rounded cross peen. The Tinners' Riveting hammer has an octagon poll with a flat striking face with slightly beveled edges. The cross peen is slightly rounded. The Tinners' Setting or Paneing hammer's face has sharp corners and no bevels. The cross peen has a sharp beveled edge.

Proper Uses. The Riveting hammer is designed for driving and spreading rivets on sheet metal work. The Setting hammer is designed for forming sharp corners, closing and peening seams and lock edges, and for use by glaziers for inserting glazier points.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use these hammers for general purpose work-they are strictly specialized tools intended only for driving and spreading unhardened rivets and forming sheet metal. The square, sharp corners and sided of the setting hammer make it especially vulnerable to chipping if improperly used.

When to Replace. Discard any hammer if it shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming, or excessive wear. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle.

SCALING AND CHIPPING HAMMERS

Description. Scaling and chipping hammers are special-purpose tools and are made in varying configurations by different manufacturers. The two patterns illustrated are typical.

Proper Uses. These hammers are popular in iron foundries and welding shops. They are designed for chipping welds, scale, rust and paint from unhardened metal.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use these hammers for any but the above purposes. Never use a hammer with loose or damaged handle.

When to Replace. Discard any hammer if it shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming, excessive wear, or dulling. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle.

BRICKLAYERS' HAMMERS

Description. Bricklayers' hammers are special-purpose tools. The striking face is flat with beveled edges. The blade has a sharp, hardened cutting edge. Handles may be wood, solid steel or fiberglass and may be furnished with rubber-type grips.

Proper Uses. Bricklayers' hammers are designed for setting and cutting (splitting) bricks, masonry tile and concrete blocks, and for chipping mortar from bricks.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use these tools to strike metal or to drive struck tools (including brick sets and chisels). Use a hand drilling, blacksmith or engineer's hammer.

WRONG

When to Replace. Discard any hammer if it shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming, excessive wear or dulling. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle. Cutting edge may be redressed. See instructions in section V.

PROSPECTING PICKS

Description. These are special-purpose tools used by geologists and prospectors. The striking face is flat with beveled edges. The long pick is pointed and may be either round or square. Handles may be wood, solid steel or fiberglass, and may be furnished with rubber grips.

Proper Uses. Prospecting picks are designed for splitting rock and for digging and prying out rock with the pick. The pick is also used as an aid in climbing.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use these tools to strike metal or to drive struck or hammered tools. Never use a pick with loose or damaged handle.

When to Replace. Discard the pick if it shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming, excessive wear, or dulling. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle.

SOFT FACE AND NON-FERROUS HAMMERS AND MALLETS

Description. Soft face hammers and mallets are made of various non-ferrous materials (wood, rawhide, rubber, plastic, copper, brass, lead, etc.). Heads are cylindrically shaped with two flat striking faces. Handles are usually wood or fiberglass.

Proper Uses. Soft face hammers are intended for striking blows where steel hammers would mar or damage the surface of the work. Wooden mallets are properly used for striking wood and plastic-handled chisels, gouges, wood pins and small stakes, and to form or shape sheet metal. Rubber and plastic hammers are used for setting stone. Plastic hammers usually have replaceable tips, available in varying degrees of hardness.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use these tools to drive nails or crews, or to strike sharp metal objects. Never use a hammer or mallet with loose or damaged handle.

When to Replace. Discard any hammer or mallet if it shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming or excessive wear. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle.

MAGNETIC HAMMERS

Description. Magnetic hammers are usually made in the patterns illustrated. One end of the head is magnetized to hold tacks. Handles are usually wood.

Proper Uses. Primary use of these light-duty hammers is holding and driving tacks. The tack hammer has a long thin claw for pulling tacks in corners and along walls; also used for removing light mouldings. The heads of the other two patterns are designed for starting and driving tacks only. The magnetic end is used for starting the tack; the opposite end, for driving.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use these hammers for driving other than tacks and upholstery nails. Never use a hammer with loose or damaged handle.

When to Replace. Discard any hammer if it shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming or excessive wear. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle.

ENGINEERS' HAMMERS AND SLEDGES, DOUBLE FACE

Description. This is the most commonly used type of sledge hammer and is made in slightly different head configurations. All patterns have crowned striking faces with beveled edges.

Proper Uses. Sledges are designed for general sledging operations in striking wood or metal. Common uses are drifting heavy timbers and striking spikes, cold chisels, star drills and hardened nails.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use a sledge to strike a hammer, sledge, or maul. Never use a sledge with a loose or damaged handle.

When to Replace. Discard any sledge if it shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming or excessive wear. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle.

BLACKSMITHS' HAND HAMMERS AND SLEDGES, STRAIGHT AND CROSS PEEN

Description. These heavy-duty hammers are designed for blacksmiths' use in striking metal. Striking face is crowned with beveled edge.

Proper Uses. The striking face is designed for general blacksmith work in striking unhardened metal. The peens are used for shaping (fullering) and bending unhardened metal.

RIGHT

Abuse/Misuse. Never use a sledge to strike a hammer, sledge, hatchet, axe or maul. Never use a sledge with loose or damaged handle.

When to Replace. Discard any sledge if it shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming or excessive wear. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle.

STONE SLEDGES AND SPALLING HAMMERS

Description. These are stone masons' tools and are made in slightly varying configurations by different manufacturers. The sledge usually has a crowned, oval striking face with a napping face opposite. The spalling hammer may have a beveled or straight edged face.

Proper Uses. Stone sledges are designed for breaking up stone and concrete. The spalling hammers are designed for cutting and shaping stone and concrete.

RIGHT

Abuse/Misuse. Never use these tools for striking metal. Never use a tool with loose or damaged handle.

When to Replace. Discard any sledge if it shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming or excessive wear. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle.

HAND DRILLING OR MASH HAMMERS

Description. These heavy, short-handled hammers are made in slightly varying configurations by different manufacturers. The double-faced head has crowned and beveled striking faces.

Proper Uses. These hammers are designed for uses with chisels, punches, star drills and hardened nails. Their design permits heavy blows with limited swing-especially advantageous in restricted working areas.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use these tools for sledging or stone work. Avoid glancing blows against other hardened surfaces. Never use a hammer with loose or damaged handle.

WRONG

When to Replace. Discard any hammer if it shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming or excessive wear. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle.

BUSH HAMMERS

Description. This is a striking tool of compact, rectangular design having striking faces with sharp, hardened teeth.

Proper Uses. Bush hammers are designed for a single purpose-roughing and chipping concrete.

RIGHT

Abuse/Misuse. Never use this tool for striking anything but concrete. Never use a hammer with loose or damaged handle.

When to Replace. Discard the tool if teeth are dull and/or flattened. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle.

WOODCHOPPERS' MAULS

Description. Woodchoppers' mauls have a round, bevel-edged striking face with a splitting edge opposite.

Proper Uses. These tools are designed for splitting wood. Also they are used in conjunction with wood splitting wedges by first making a notch with the splitting edge and then driving the wedge with the maul's striking face.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use this tool to strike concrete. Never drive one maul by striking with another maul, sledge or other striking tool. Never use a maul with a loose or damaged handle.

WRONG

When to Replace. Discard any maul if it shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming, or excessive wear. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle. Redress the bit as instructed in section V.

AXES AND HATCHETS

Description. Axes are made in various patterns and head configurations. The more widely used types are illustrated. Hatchets are made in an even greater variety of patterns, since specific ttypes are intended for use by various tradesmen (carpenters, roofers, dry wall installers, rig builders, etc.). Handles may be wood, tubular or solid steel, or fiberglass. Tubular steel, solid steel and fiberglass handles are generally furnished with rubber-type grips.

Proper Uses. The double bit axe is usually used to fell, trim or prune trees and to split and cut wood. It is also used for notching and shaping logs and timbers. The single bit axe, in addition to the above uses, is used to drive wood stakes with the face. Hatchets are used for cutting, splitting, trimming and hewing, and driving unhardened nails and stakes with the striking face.

Abuse/Misuse. The cutting edges of axes and hatchets are designed for cutting wood and equally soft materials. They should never be struck against metal, stone or concrete. The striking faces of hatchets are properly hardened for driving common nails but should never be used to strike chisels, punches, star drills or other hardened metal tools, or for striking stone or concrete. Never use an axe or a hatchet as a wedge or a maul. Never strike with the sides, and never use an axe or hatchet with loose or damaged handle.

WRONG

When to Replace. Discard any axe or hatchet if it shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming or excessive wear. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle. Cutting edges may be redressed if properly done. See instructions in Section V.

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