Copperhead don't play
Member
My father in law was a carpenter. He did not pull nails nor would he let you pull nails with his hammers. He said it would get them out of balance.
- Thread starter Copperhead don't play
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Sean Feeney
Well-known Member
If wood handle: sometimes breaks the handle
MarkB_MI
Well-known Member
- Location
- Motown USA
How did he get them IN balance in the first place?
I've heard similar tales from old-timers who really didn't want anyone else using their tools. Stir in a little superstition with mistrust and you get old wives', or rather old carpenters' tales like that.
I've heard similar tales from old-timers who really didn't want anyone else using their tools. Stir in a little superstition with mistrust and you get old wives', or rather old carpenters' tales like that.
In my younger days I helped build a few houses as well as pole barns. One house didn't have electric power until after it was sided and roofed. Hammer balance makes a difference. I don't think pulling nails or others using it can take it out of balance. When you find the hammer balanced to your hand it makes driving a lot of nails in a day much easier. When you find that hammer you do not want to use any other hammer. My well balanced hammer to my swing may not be balanced to your hand and swing. Driving a dozen or so nails a person most likely could not tell the difference unless he bent half of them.
MarkB_MI
Well-known Member
- Location
- Motown USA
>When you find the hammer balanced to your hand it makes driving a lot of nails in a day much easier.
So I repeat myself: how do get it "balanced" in the first place? How does one tell a "balanced" hammer from one that's "unbalanced"? Can you buy a Coats Dynamic Claw Hammer Balancer machine?
There are heavy hammers and light hammers. There are long and short-handled hammers. I've never seen (or held) a "balanced" hammer.
So I repeat myself: how do get it "balanced" in the first place? How does one tell a "balanced" hammer from one that's "unbalanced"? Can you buy a Coats Dynamic Claw Hammer Balancer machine?
There are heavy hammers and light hammers. There are long and short-handled hammers. I've never seen (or held) a "balanced" hammer.
My son broke one of the claws off my steel shanked carpenter's hammer. Spoiled that one big time.
Was building a pole barn before all these impact driven screws became popular. Friend loaned me a 24oz carpenter's hammer. Drove about 3 nails with that, and went back to my old faithful 16oz one. That was my dad's and I treasure it both for it's usefulness as well as it's balance, not to mention the sentiment.
Keep a few Walmart specials for general beating on things....
Was building a pole barn before all these impact driven screws became popular. Friend loaned me a 24oz carpenter's hammer. Drove about 3 nails with that, and went back to my old faithful 16oz one. That was my dad's and I treasure it both for it's usefulness as well as it's balance, not to mention the sentiment.
Keep a few Walmart specials for general beating on things....
In my view, balance depends upon where you hold it. Back when I did a fair amount of rough carpentry (but not my regular job), I bought a few framing hammers over time ("California Framers" I think they called them). They were wood handled, milled face, 26 oz or 32 oz, IIRC. Big heavy hammers and if you swung them all day or held them wrong, your wrist would ache. Learned to let the hammer do the work and it helped a lot. Could sink a 16d nail in a 3-4 hits with few bent nails. Watching a "real" pro carpenter made me look like an amateur (which I was :lol: ). And if you hit your thumb with that milled face on a newer hammer, it would make your skin look like hamburger. Ouch! :shock:
Goose
Well-known Member
This thread brings back memories.
After I graduated from high school, I worked construction for several months as a general laborer before I joined the Marine Corps. That was before power saws, when all of the carpenters used hand saws for everything. Nobody had even dreamed of air nailers yet, let alone cordless air nailers. I think you could have shot the job foreman and got off easier than if you messed with one of the carpenter's tools.
Sometimes I think the proverbial "good old days" weren't quite as good as people recall.
After I graduated from high school, I worked construction for several months as a general laborer before I joined the Marine Corps. That was before power saws, when all of the carpenters used hand saws for everything. Nobody had even dreamed of air nailers yet, let alone cordless air nailers. I think you could have shot the job foreman and got off easier than if you messed with one of the carpenter's tools.
Sometimes I think the proverbial "good old days" weren't quite as good as people recall.
Balance might just be a term foreign to some pertaining to hammers. All hammer manufactures do not make there hammers the same. When driving nails some hammers just have a better feel and seem to put less strain on your wrist and arm over a days work. I use the term balance to explain the difference. My eighth grade education most likely leaves a void for my mind to come up with a better term for this. Until someone can supply me with a more appropriate term to explain how a hammer feels in my hand I will continue to use the term balance as an exclamation.
Stephen Newell
Well-known Member
Balance sounds like a fairy tale but it's a sure way to break the handle off a hammer pulling nails. If the nail doesn't come easily get a crowbar.
wilson ind
Well-known Member
True and only balance hammers in the dark of the moon
MarkB_MI
Well-known Member
- Location
- Motown USA
Well, since you used the word "feel" twice to describe it, maybe that's a better word. Personally I don't have a problem if you want to describe whatever quality this is as "balance", as long as you don't say a hammer can get "out of balance".
Gee gosh You done got my post mixed up in your mind. My first post said I didn't think pulling nails would get a hammer out of balance. Does it take a harsh that's stupid to think you could unbalance a hammer. I didn't think so. There is no machine that would balance your time between two or more projects either. If you look it up balance is use properly in many ways. One way is (meaning "general harmony between parts") This would be the one I would pick for using a hand, wrist,arm and hammer.
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