I always thought a heavier hammer meant better clinching, but I was wrong.

After a long day shoeing draft horses at the county fair, my shoulder was aching and my clinches looked rough. An old timer named Frank watched me for a minute and said, 'You're fighting that hammer, son. Try my 14-ounce.' The lighter weight let me control the blow perfectly, giving me a smooth, tight finish every time. What's your go-to hammer weight for finishing work?

2 comments

2 Comments

iris_dixon918d ago

Read an article once that said a lighter hammer gives better feel for the final blows. Been using a 16-ounce for finishing ever since.

the_drew7d ago

Yeah that makes a lot of sense actually. I tried a lighter hammer for trim work and the control is way better, you can really feel when the nail sets. Switched to a 12-ounce for that stuff and it just feels more precise. Might have to give the 16 a shot for bigger finish nails though.