Thread: Any builders using stiletto hammers?

Before nail guns were common here, framing was done by hand on site, as I guess was the norm everywhere. My elbow is paying the price of all those years. Hasn't been bad for a while but after nailing a deck by hand recently, about 8000 nails, it has been causing a lot of pain.
Estwing are the hammers of choice here, my current one 15 years old. They usually get pinched before you can wear them out.
Have been looking at the stiletto titanium hammers, crazy expensive but might be easier on the arm. Just wondering if any of you builders out there have tried them, or can recommend something similar.

My dad swung an estwing hammer for 20 or so years till he had trouble with his elbow, his orthopedic surgeon said a big problem is the shock to the elbow from steel shank hammers ,, a condition that wasn't much of an issue with plain old wood handles,, he went back to wood and his symptoms have relieved a bunch before he retired, , like a lot of carpenters he tryed the new dangled hammer when they came out, anyway , take that for what it's worth, in my business we like wood handled sledgehammers better than the composite materials also. Good luck. Tc

Well let me say they are crazy money around here. It was highly recommended by an older contractor that I know well, so I bit the bullet and bought one. I have since returned to a previous career of working on the water, my son started in carpentry around the same time. I gave him the hammer. It has been well used and has had the face replaced on it, and as far as I know it is still going strong. It was very comfortable to handle for the most part, but it did not work well if you wanted to choke up on it for fine work, another advantage of a wood handle. If you can find a well balanced head with a wooden handle that has the handle shape that is comfortable in your hand, it can't be beat. Finding a good wood hammer is pretty tough theses days. Both the stiletto and the wood handle hammers won't bother your elbow or carpal tunnel and an Estwing will drive both conditions crazy.

My grandfather and father both used wooden handle hammers and I don't recall either having trouble with their elbows, might be something in that.

The only wooden handle hammer you can get here now are made in China, would have to import it, I think stiletto do one. Off to ebay.

I used an Estwing of various styles for over 25 years with very few issues. I have no experience with the Stiletto hammers and i really cant figure how they claim the same force with less energy (or so I'm lead to believe). I'm beyond needing one now but it would be cool to give one a go.
I still prefer to frame with a hammer but sheathing is the job of a nailer, which in my opinion is harder on your arm
Mike

I prefer to make my own frames, but it is not viable on a house lot here, can't match the price. Hand nailing gives a better end result too, but again labor wise, not efficient.
Have quite a few years left before I can retire. Looked at a stiletto, the head is HUGE,. and I already have 1 thumb a quarter inch wider than the other

I guess efficiency necessitates the use of a nail gun therefore making your choice of hammer more a matter of a ripping tool. You might then be as well off to carry a nice Hart framing hammer with a good old hickory handle
For nailing purposes I mean

Never heard of them, will have a look. Cheers.

Originally Posted by Grazor

Never heard of them, will have a look. Cheers.

Hart Tools

Use the paslode as often as I can, but it is amazing how many times a day you pull out the hammer.