Hammer It Home!

Did you know that the  hammer  is the oldest human tool? Gosh, imagine the Neanderthal man with a  hammer  in hand trying to make some music by banging that beautiful  hammer  on those mineral-rich rocks!! Anyway, Wikipedia defines the  hammer  as “a tool meant to deliver blows to a target, causing it to move or deform.”

Though the  hammer  may seem ordinary, every homeowner needs it at some time or the other. It is mainly used for driving in nails, breaking up things, and some more fun activities – remember, it is not to be used for threatening your neighbor. There are different types of  hammers  for different uses, and the following is their list.

Types of  hammers 

Claw  hammer : Bangs in nails from one side, while the other side is shaped like a curved claw and is used for extracting nails.

Ripping  hammer : This is like the claw  hammer , except that the side that is used to extract nails, is straight. This  hammer  helps in ripping boards.

Finishing  hammer : Used in smallish workshop jobs and also for general use, the finishing  hammer  features a smooth face on one side and a pick on the other.

Tack  hammer : This is a lightweight  hammer  used to drive light stuff such as tacks and brads.

Ball Peen  hammer : One of the sides of this is round or ball-shaped and this  hammer  is used for working on metals.

Mallet: This looks like a brute, but is made with wood and plastic chisels and normally used to strike chisels.

Sledgehammer: These are the  hammers  that the blokes on the World Wrestling Entertainment carry around. A sledgehammer is used for heavy work, such as breaking concrete.

Thor’s  hammer : There is no such  hammer  in the tools industry.

Working with  hammers 

Here are some handy tips on how to use  hammers :

  1. If you want to extract a longish nail, first place a piece of wood under the  hammer’s  head. This ensures that the wood that is worked on, is not damaged.
  2. While  hammering , wear safety goggles because you don’t want wood and metal particles flying off into your eyes.
  3. Take the thinner piece of the wood and measure its thickness. Now, the nail that you must use should be double (in length) of that thickness.
  4. Drill a small hole before  hammering  the nail into that spot.
  5. Blunt the point of the nail before  hammering  it in. You can do this by tapping the nail with the hammerhead.

 Hammers  are designed for a specific purpose and there are loads of models available on the market. At some point or other, you will feel the need of a  hammer , so it will be prudent to equip yourself with a  hammer  kit.