How to Use a Hammer...the Right Way

Of all the tools that you’d think require little brains or technique to use, you would think that the oldest and probably most basic tool, the hammer, would be the one that fits that bill. The hammer is easy to use and is probably the most basic tool ever invented, but for the best results, there are some techniques for using a hammer properly that will save you a lot of headaches and maybe even injury. So what is the “right way” to hammer?

The first and most important thing, besides wearing safety glasses and other PPE, is to select the right hammer for the job. There are at least ten different types of hammer, but how often have we all used a normal claw hammer for probably every hammering job? Next time a hammer is called for, show off your handyman know-how and grab the right one.

Standard hammers consist of the traditional claw hammer that’s used for driving and removing nails, while the similar ripping hammer is for some types of assembly, but is used most often in demolition work. Then we come to mallets. There are many types of mallets, however their use is not exactly what you think it might be. Instead, rubber mallets are mostly for use when you don’t want to cause damage to the surface of something, but need some extra “oomph” to get something back into place. Wooden mallets are used with chisels. Soft face hammers are similar to mallets except they have the ability to drive nails. Ball peen hammers are good for metalworking and Mason’s hammers are cutting and setting bricks. Tack hammers are designed for…driving tacks, usually in carpeting and upholstery and drywall hammers are designed for cutting drywall and helps with driving the nail in. Lastly there are various styles of sledge hammers which are two-handed tools usually used in demolition work. Within these categories, there are many variations with their own specialties.

Now that you have an idea of what hammer to use for your work, you should also get a handle on how to use the hammer. The first thing, as with any tool, you should give it a good inspection prior to use. Making sure the head is tight on the handle by checking the wedges and for any cracks should prevent the head from flying off. If you have any reservations with the condition of the hammer, you should avoid using it.

In terms of gripping the standard hammer, America’s handyman, Bob Vila, recommends that you grab the hammer from close to the end of the handle with a firm grip. You want to make sure your grip is comfortable and feels balanced. Vila recommends using a couple of light placement swings to make sure you’re lined up and primed for the real blow. Then, use a “half-chop, half-throw” which lets the hammer’s weight do the bulk of your work in driving a nail. While there are considerable differences in using the other types of hammers, this technique, or some variation of it to use the hammer. The key point being that a hammer should be gripped near the end of the handle and a couple light swings should be used before hitting with the hammer. And it goes without saying, watch where the hammer goes when you back it up for a swing.

Whenever you need to use a hammer just remember the basic approach to using it well is to select the right one, grab it by the handle with a good sense of balance, take a couple test swings, let the weight do its job and of course, wear your safety gear. By following these steps you’ll have a much more successful time of using a hammer to get your handyman work done.