Hammers, mallets, and sledges are striking tools used to apply a striking force. There are many different kinds specially designed for specific purposes.
Carpenter’s Hammers
Plain Faced Claw Hammer –
Bell Faced Claw Hammer –
The Carpenter’s or Claw Hammer’s primary purpose is to drive or draw (pull) nails. The Claw hammer has either a straight or a curved claw. The face may be bell-faced or plain-faced and the handle can be made of wood or metal. Some handles are made of fiberglass.
Machinist’s Hammers
Machinist’s hammers are mainly used by people who work with metal or around machinery. Instead of a claw, these hammers are characterized by a variable shaped peen at the opposite end of the face.
Ball-Peen Hammer – The ball-peen hammer has a ball which is smaller than the face of the hammer. It’s useful for striking areas that are too small for the face to strike. Ball-peen hammers are made in different weights, usually 4, 6, 8, and 12 ounces and 1, 1 1/2, and 2 pounds.
Machinist’s hammers are also divided into hard-face and soft-face classifications. The hard-face hammers is made of forged tool steel while the soft-face hammer is made from brass, lead, or a tightly rolled strip of rawhide.
Soft face hammers are used where there may be danger of damaging the surface of the work when pounding on a machined surface.
Straight Peen Hammer –
Cross Peen Hammer –
Soft Metal or Plastic Hammer –
Mallets
The mallet is a short handled tool used to drive wooden handled chisels, gouges, wooden pins, or for forming or shaping sheet metal where a hard faced hammer might damage the surface of the work.
Mallet heads are made from a soft material, usually wood, rawhide, or rubber.
Wooden Mallet – made of wood and usually used to drive wooden handled chisels or gouges or to form sheet metals and strike other surfaces where a hard faced hammer may damage the surface.
Carpenter’s Mallet – A carpenter’s mallet has a wooden head with a steel ring around the wood at each end.
Rawhide Mallet – Made of tightly wound strips of rawhide.
Rawhide Faced Mallet –
Rubber Mallet – A rubber mallet is frequently used to pound out dents in sheet metal or automotive body work. It’s also used for other purposes that require a soft face so as not to damage the surface.
Sledges
The sledge is a steel headed, heavy duty driving tool that can be used for several different purposes. They are used to drive bolts, driftpins, large nails, and to strike cold chisels and small hand rock drills. Longer handled sledges are used to break rock and concrete or to drive spikes, bolts, or stakes.
The head of a sledge is usually made of high carbon steel and weighs between six and sixteen pounds. The shape of the head can vary depending on the job for which the sledge is designed.
Double Face Sledge –
Cross Peen Sledge –
Screw-In Inserted Plastic Face –