I use my Martinez for everything that my estwing used to do. Haven’t damaged or broke it yet. I don’t remember when I got it, but enough use to warrant regrinding the claw twice and my waffle face is pretty much a smooth face. The steel head is every bit as strong as estwing. They drive nails the same, the difference being is I don’t feel the weight on my belt. I’ve gone through every tool I actually carry and lightened the load and my knees and back complain less now. A steel handled estwing makes sense in context with wooden handled hammers. Breaking handles doing rough stuff sucks, carrying the weight of steel sucks. A titanium head with wood handle is insanely light, but not as durable. Martinez is the best blend of durability and light weight imo. I don’t remember what it’s called but estwing has an aluminum handle/steel head hammer that seems comparable to the Martinez in terms of weight/performance. I don’t know if the durability is there but might be a cheaper option worth a look. As you said, your knees, back, joints go first. Keeping your bags/tools light is going to minimize the wear on your body. I feel better at the end of the day, I’m faster throughout the day. I got my hammer as a gift, no skin in the game for Martinez but I’d have a hard time going back to an all steel hammer. I’d probably go to the aluminum estwing or just deal with a wood handled hammer. I’d still want the Martinez tho. The titanium squares are stupid, aluminum is already light, the Johnson structacast plastic square is my favorite to have in my pouch, the only other thing I have that’s titanium is my cats paw, the weight difference is big on that. Lighten the load, lift with your legs, use leverage, preserve your body, get an equal amount of work done if not more. And get quality kneepads. Don’t be stupid with money, but your body is the most valuable tool you actually own. Take care of it
Yes that is one thing i forgot to mention was the weight of the hammer in my belt. As with anything you get used to it and that is why i carrieds so few other tools with me. Yes the steel cats paw weighs a ton for such a simple thing so that stayed in the truck until it came time to break down braces or whatnot. Great comments and thanks for watching.
I have a small collection of Steel hammers that I've used since I was teenager, and now that I'm over 60, and under 160 pounds I've found that I can't do much hammering without being sore in the wrist, and forearm tendons the next day. That's why I bought a Ti hammer. The face is larger in diameter than my steel hammers, and the nail pulling claw is the sharpest of them all. I don't use any hammer for weeks at a time, but I find the fact that it's very light makes it my 1st choice. I also bought 3 small styles of Ti crowbars and they are very sharp, and very light in my hands. Thanks for making this video, and I laugh at someone paying $400 - mine was well under $200 - but rich people are gonna strut.
I framed houses for about ten years, with a 28 oz Vaughan hammer, I do have a Stiletto titanium hammer 16oz I wish they were available when I was framing. Personally I think Estwing hammers are terrible, they transfer so much shock to your elbows. I used one for about a month and then tossed it. The original Hart hammers were also fantastic.
@@StationSt ten years framing and twenty-five years finish carpentry and running my own business, I have around fifteen different hammers over the years. Out here lots of masons use Estwing hammers, the one common thing about all my hammers is they all have a wooden handle, your not much of a carpenter if you can’t replace a handle every once in a while. My other titanium is a Douglas and I retired in years ago
I must compliment you on the logic of pneumatic tools being a game changer for professionals. I bought a very small nail gun to shoot tiny serrated "wires" through floor trim into the base board because the wood kept splitting when I used small finishing nails. Very inexpensive tool that saved me much frustrations. Liked and subscribed good sir.
I'm 22 now and my back and my shoulders make massive problems from shoveling from the work as a screetlayer and one of the best medicine for my badly injured shoulder is to nail things together with my 23oz voughan California framer with the wooden hatchedhandle I love it but you are right it isn't a break bar
@Station St Woodworking this is an awesome video. Have you heard of Squi.Jig speed squares? They are aluminum speed squares with a built in spirit level selling for around $170. It's so ridiculous at that price. I tried talking them into giving me one to use in my RUclips videos because I will never buy one at that price. I had no luck with that because my channel isn't big enough.
Im glad you liked the video! There are so many products that are so outrageous it boggles the mind. I'll be in the market for a track saw soon and no, will never be a Festool
I like titanium hammers better. I can just grab my Estwing when I want to dig a hole or pry something that I think could damage my titanium. What is wrong with having more than one style of hammer? There’s nothing wrong with just using an Estwing or whatever hammer you like best though.
@shawnglass108 you are absolutely correct. The only problem is when I'm on the job, I don't carry 2 hammers and I'm not going to go back and for to my truck for the other one. But at my house...I use both
Seems like titanium hammers were made for concrete form builders ( high rise/ bridge/heavy highway) The slots on the Martinez handle are 3/4” and 7/8”. Use them all day for our forms. The head of the stiletto fits on the head of a 1” she bolt.
I do have elbow issues, and the vibration of the Estwing was irritating. Worst if using a chisel as a pry bar for 1-1/2” T&G pine install. That being said 99% of the things we as Americans buy are not need based, but “want” based. As new guys come onto my crew, I get them a Martinez Hammer. Steel head and ears, best of both worlds. Keeping the overall weight down keeps my overall tool bag weight down. I have used several all steel hammers, I will gladly buy Titanium again.
Hammers are heavy to hit stuff. The energy of the hammer is due to the kinetic energy of the head. Swing hard. Hold gently. Swing hard to get head moving. Hold gently to reduce/eliminate vibration, and strain. What do I know, I use steel hammer heads with wooden handles. Wooden handles only break if you grip too hard. It is impossible to break a wooden handle if you hold gently. If you break a hammer handle, ask yourself if you are using the correct tool. Pry bars, jacks, etc exist.
The formula for kinetic energy is .5*m*v^2 Velocity (speed) is literally exponentially more important to kinetic energy than mass (weight). A lighter hammer swings faster while also being less fatiguing and delivering as much or more energy.
Well, I'm a 3rd generation carpenter. My grandfather and father both suffered from nerve and tendon damage in their strong arm, after 15 years, I was on the same track. I switched to titanium, and much of the pain went away from my wrist and elbow. I've tried probably 20 hammers over the years, and Estwing was the absolute worse one I tried. The felt recoil was terrible and balance was as bad. I had to work way too hard to control it. My favorite steel hammer was Dead On, but I rarely pick it up anymore. All of my hammers are now Titanium. Yeah, they're expensive, but my body is worth more than a hundred bucks.
I mostly frame off grid with rough cut full size or close to common store bought dimesional lumber. I use Lots of double hot dipped galvanized nails. And lots of 20 box and common nails. I also use my nail guns on things . Whichever gives me the strength and longevity I'm after . I've had a couple Stilleto Titanium framing hammers. One ended up at the bottom of the bay when my wife and I were building a floating dock. And being titanium , it couldn't be retrieved with a magnet. The other which I used a good bit and rehandled with a 16" straight handle ( I do not like Stilleto's curved handle shape At All !) . I gave to a friend that helped me on a building just after freeze up last year. I like wood handled framing hammers. But I keep steel handled framing hammers in my vehicles for whatever I may need a hammer for when out and about. I'm a wood handled framing hammer kinda guy. I've been building with the first California framing hammer I bought 30 years ago . A 25 oz Gossage Side Strike. Not at all exclusively but it's one of my main hammers. My other is a first series 22 oz Death Stick. And now that I don't have a Titanium at this time . A 19 oz Vaughan Cal framer. All have been rehandled with straight handles that I contour for my grip and use. Others on my favorite list that I have and use are the 25 oz Hart , 32 oz Vaughan framer , The Two POUNDER ! 28 oz Vaughan Rig Builder's axe. 21oz Gossage Side Strike 25 oz Tiawan PLUMB 23 oz original shape Vaughan Cal framer 22 oz Stanley , East Coast on a 16" wood 19 oz Vaughan Cal framer ( rough sanded face) All these are checkered face that I rechecker when they wear down a little. I do not and will not buy another Estwing steel handle framing hammer unless there is not any other option in an Emergency !
Im 35.. Been doing this stuff for over ten years..and I'm not a framer..but i feel the pain in my hands, wrist and elbow already..i swing a 20 ounce dewalt and am considering a titanium for my light work but repetitive hammer work like flooring, roofing, siding, etc
Two of my Estwing hammers grew legs and walked off when there were contractors around. I would be really pissed off if a $250.00+ hammer got stolen. I grind a little material off one of the claws with an angle grinder if a hammer rings, that eliminates the tuning fork effect. I enjoyed your video, just basic logic.
Martinez is the superior hammer. Titanium is soft and wears quickly. The claw is not sharp at all. Eswing is ok but it’s a little chunky. I use my Martinez for “everything “.
General carpenter (mostly finish). I built furniture for 10 years, where tolerances are very tight. Now I'm contracting. I was gonna buy a titanium hammer (cause I love the perfect tool) but now I'm gonna stay with my wood handle 23oz Estwing. We'll done, sir.
If you use an estwing all day everyday with out forearm problems then you just lucked out in the genetics department. There are metal hammers designed for anti vibration. I was 41 when my carpel tunnel started. It definitely wasn’t the first body part to go
I was in my early 30's when the arm pain got too bad so I stopped using the Estwing for daily use. I use a Vaughan rigging axe for framing work now, or a 19oz California framer for lighter work.
I promised myself i wouldn't be a broken down has been of a carpenter when i hit my 50s. so i slowed down enough to avoid injury but i still had put in many years of hard work. I think even a titanium hammer will cause wear and tear if used long enough.
I do agree with a lot of what you're saying about the ti hsmmers and steel hammers, im only 18 with only 4 years of real experience per say as a carpenter but i use 14 oz stiletto simply because i was given the head and thought it would be fun to make a handle for it, but if i wasnt given it then id still be using my 23oz vaughan, i think what it boils down to is the price of it and some people not wanting to admit there wrong on both sides
tennis elbow sucks. I get it periodically and it's debilitating. I know 3 other guys who get it too. That said I don't get it from swinging a hammer. I get it from using a framing nailer all day. The hammer is a none issue. I have a Boss titanium and it's kinda a silly joke. The best thing about titanium hammers is how light weight they are in your tool belt. Since none of us actually hammer nails anyway it's really nice to have a light tool belt
Thats a great perspective! The hammers are way lighter than a nail gun. I will say i hated the handle of my hammer smacking my knee all the time from my belt loop.
Just a few months ago I replaced my 30 dollar hammer(Stanley anti vibe) with a new hammer. Had that one for about 15 years(still have it). Went ahead and spent some money on a good one this time, 35 bucks😂(fiskers 20 oz) feels great in the hand, and if something smaps, wich it won't, I won't exactly be crapping my pants over another 35 or so. I see you are a new channel. I started mine up a few months ago. Feel free to check me out. You just might like my style, who knows. Subscribed.
@Station St Woodworking new to me as well. Was in Lowes helping my son out with a starter kit, and couldn't let him have a cooler hammer then me... I'll be seeing you "around"
I have the 16 oz fiskars here in germany. But here in germany we are built solid houses, no frame houses. In USA you can buy cool framer hammers. I love the stiletto 16 oz with wood handle, but i can't buy one. You can not buy it here. 😢 Hope i can get one from sweden.
One thing ive noticed is a trend is guys go full titanium or full steel. I own an estwing a ti bone 3 and a stilletto 14oz wood handle. They all have lots of heavy use. The 14oz claw is significantly worn down. For demo tho if you swing steel on a titanium cats paw you can see the cats paw wearing down over the course of a week. There is a time and place for titanium but not verything is better because of it. IF your getting into the trades start with steel and learn to control your tool. For older guys who don't want heavy bags or can't swing steel over head it's worth it. It's nice to see a video countering the common narrative that titanium is better. Some guys still use framing axes and they don't seem to complain.
I don’t think you have ever framed houses every day for years. If you have and did it while swinging an estwing hammer you would know that tennis elbow is a very real and extremely painful problem. And if you are a custom home farmer you use a lot of hand drives.
I rarely use a hammer as an electrician, just to drive concrete anchors. That being said, I have done some roofing and carpentry with my dad. The only issue is weight....a 20 oz hammer is a 20 oz hammer, ignoring handle construction. Handle construction matters WAY more than the metal used in the head when it comes to wear on your hand/arm. I would like to see more videos on hammer HANDLES. I use a use a steel Dewalt 12oz MIG hammer. I think a titanium hammers are better for the job....if you were originally using a hammer that was heavier than necessary. THIS is the reason I think we see praise, IMHO. It's not the titanium, it's the drop in weight.
Finally a constructive comment! Yea i started out with weight so thats what i grew accustomed to. I used a lighter hammer when doing roofing nails simply due to the smaller head and i hated it. Felt like a kids toy lol. Thanks for the comment!
I agree titanium sucks. I swear that more force goes into bouncing it back than driving a nail. I started in construction before nail guns. Have done production track work framing walls by hand driving nails. When I started guys used 25oz wooden handled hammers and 28oz rigging axes to frame walls. Metal and fiberglass handles framing walls without guns hurt quickly. I use 1 of 2 hammers now. If I am framing with a gun and not using my hammer to drive nails only to pry, beat and pull nailsI use a 21oz Vaughan with a fiberglass handle. If I am hand driving nails I use a 21oz Dalluge which is what I've been using for 37 years. Anyone who has swung one of these knows why.
A titanium hammer harnesses a full 97% of the energy garnered from that hammer swing and transfers it directly to the nail. For comparison, a steel hammer transfers only 70% of that energy to the nail. If you do some quick math you may wonder where the 27% loss of energy went on the steel head hammer. For the most part, it gets transferred back to the user through the energy that is released in the recoil of the steel. Essentially, vibrations are sent through the hammer head, back down the handle, and into your arm.
You can rattle off numbers to me all day, but when i see a guy put 6 blows of a tinfoil hammer to sink a 20 penny nail and i do it in 3 with my old Estwing...i tend to turn a deaf ear.
Titanium hammers makes more sense for framers than handymen or contractors. Framers swing hammers a lot more than anyone else and swinging and carrying one for 12 hrs a day makes a huge difference in how your body feels. Martinez hammers actually have a steel head only the handle is titanium. If I’m gonna pry I use a pry bar, if I’m gonna dig I use a shovel. I use a hammer to hammer. Titanium it just better if we’re talking about hammering.
I have tried using them to do form work. And every mexican bragged about their estwing. All you hear is ding, ding, ding...all day. Estwings are so damn annoying to listen to. Its their design. Their like tuning forks. Plus they all call them Eastwings. Didnt make a lick of sense. Im definitely interested in a rehandable stilleto. That may be the hammer of Space X...who knows?
Could it not be said that folks are different? And built different? And have different bodies? Those bodies may have different needs. It may be a case where a differwnt tool than the one you use, keep a man feeding his family with alittle less pain or maybe for a few more years. Im 39 and ive been in the trades for 19 years. My wrists and elbows bother after swinging a hammer all day. I guess by your estimation im no tradesman. Yet i ive fed my family all those years and met my customers needs. Folks are different and have different needs. All things in their place id say. I guess i gotta say im not going to judge a fellas worth by mearly what hammer he swings or by whether his wrists bother him. I know your just sharing your opinion , which is your right, but sir calling into question a mans value in his work because he has pain is unneccesary at best. Im sorry friend i just thought since you shared your opinion, id share mine. Take care and be well.
@@StationSt totally . Most of the time these days , if you have a lot of framing or second fix , you are going to use a nail gun . I still use my hammer every day and I'm not doing a ton of framing , but there's no way I'm spending 400 bucks on a hammer .
"I've never head any wrist issue" - dude, you're a bear. You could probably one-handed swing a sledgehammer and not 'have an issue'. Having said that, having way less muscle mass than you do, I've never struggled with normal hammers either and it should indeed never break on you. Chiseling wood though - I definitely switched my rubber mallet for a homemade wooden one (ash handle, oak head) and it hits just as hard with half the weight, so there might be something to this for people who hammer all day and don't look like the hulk.
I genuinely laughed at this comment and you are probably correct. Check out my new video where i reviewed a wood handled titanium hammer. I did change my tune a bit. Thanks for commenting!
Invalid logic. 1. Just because you haven't noticed any issues(yet) doesn't mean it doesn't generally cause issues for people. Similar to "I've been smoking a pack a day for decades and no cancer or emphysema, therefore smoking risks are overstated." 2. There are still tradesmen who do swing a hammer very often. And even among those who don't, they still may be doing plenty of other things which can also put a lot of stress on arms & hands, and any reasonable opportunity to reduce that stress can be a significant benefit. 3. The weight is also on your belt, which is on your back and legs. Lightening up your belt is another significant benefit. That said, I'm not spending $400 on a hammer. But I'll spend $100
Martinez hammers, Here's what I don't understand. Why is the handle titanium? I can follow the logic of the titanium head but the handle? If you want a light weight handle that doesn't send shockwaves to your hand then get a wood handle. A wooden handle would be lighter and transfer less shock than the titanium. Thing is, if ou put a wooden handle on a martinez steel head you'd then have a.....you'd have......you'd have a regular ol' hammer. Maybe the titanium handle is to provide the strength like a steel handle hammer has? OK, is that worth $300? I was thinking about buying a Martinez hammer. So i started checking them out. It doesn't make any sense. What I decided is going on is Martinez signed some legal documents when he sold Stiletto to the Chinese that made it where he can't produce a similar product. So, he decided to go back into business. Not being able to produce a titanium head he made the other piece out of titanium. The handle. Doesn't make a bit of sense but they look cool and it's made in America....by a Mexican.....so with some good marketing they sell. Gotta think the this is the dumbest of all the hammers. If you'll believe this one you'll believe anything. You brainwashed yourself. That hammer ain't doing nothing a wooden handle hammer the same weight wouldn't do.
Wood handles are great for hammering nails and tapping gaming into place, but not for leverage, pulling nails, etc. Titanium makes for great handles, but not for the strike face.
It's common sense. If you swing a hammer all everyday for your entire working life your going to suffer joint issues later on in life. Titanium hammers reduce that risk significantly as their much easier to drive nails with less force and less vibration. Sooner or later you'll have wrist and elbow issues. You might have just gotten lucky so far but your time will come and if you're too naive and stubborn to accept that then that's on you.
@liamjones7857 look at it this way, take me 3 blows to sink a 20 penny nail with my Estwing. I'd wager it would take a tin foil hammer 5 or 6 blows to sink the same nail. You are putting in way more swings and even though it feels light now, you are still putting as much or more miles on your arms as i am. And if you say you can sink a 20 p nail in 3 blows...youre either full of it or you are going to kill your arm even faster.
Amen brother!!! I totally agree with everything you said! Hell I've been swinging a hammer for nearly 40 years!! Never have i gotten tennis elbow, carpal tunnel,torn rotator cuff, hell i never even got a hang nail from swinging a hammer!! I've busted a few finger nails in my years! But that goes with the job! $450 for a hammer my ass!! I use my 20 oz estwing for framing aaaaand for trim as well. I also dig with it!! Yep yep, i will be damned if I'm gonna pay over $400 for something i can't use the same thing i use my estwing for!! I can get a lot of fishing tackle for $400!!! And still hang in there with anyone using a boss hammer!! Titanium my ass!! I need something thats got some weight to it! Im an old man but i betcha $5 against a bucket of shit that i can still drive a 16 penny nail in 2 swings!! I rarely use a nail gun. I'm old school and i love it. Betcha Those titanium swingers can't keep up with this old fart!! Hell thats whats wrong with this lazy ass country!! Folks scared they gonna have to work!! Well kiss my crippled ass, i still get up every morning and give it another day! I've had 7 back surgeries, 3 knee surgeries, and i take heart meds to keep the ole ticker ticking!! $450 for a hammer my ass!!! Its a rip off for those that are too weak to swing a real hammer!! And too damn lazy to carry a square and a measuring tape in their pouch!! The end!!!
You got it! A square a hammer, tape, blade and whatever nail i was using that day was about all i carried for years. Things sure have changed and im not even that old! Keep on ticking bud!
We are in a land of pretty boy's and pretty tools and some of these men are like girls in a dress shop stop spending your money on galactic tools learn your craft, expand your skill and go to work .
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I use my Martinez for everything that my estwing used to do. Haven’t damaged or broke it yet. I don’t remember when I got it, but enough use to warrant regrinding the claw twice and my waffle face is pretty much a smooth face. The steel head is every bit as strong as estwing. They drive nails the same, the difference being is I don’t feel the weight on my belt. I’ve gone through every tool I actually carry and lightened the load and my knees and back complain less now. A steel handled estwing makes sense in context with wooden handled hammers. Breaking handles doing rough stuff sucks, carrying the weight of steel sucks. A titanium head with wood handle is insanely light, but not as durable. Martinez is the best blend of durability and light weight imo. I don’t remember what it’s called but estwing has an aluminum handle/steel head hammer that seems comparable to the Martinez in terms of weight/performance. I don’t know if the durability is there but might be a cheaper option worth a look. As you said, your knees, back, joints go first. Keeping your bags/tools light is going to minimize the wear on your body. I feel better at the end of the day, I’m faster throughout the day. I got my hammer as a gift, no skin in the game for Martinez but I’d have a hard time going back to an all steel hammer. I’d probably go to the aluminum estwing or just deal with a wood handled hammer. I’d still want the Martinez tho. The titanium squares are stupid, aluminum is already light, the Johnson structacast plastic square is my favorite to have in my pouch, the only other thing I have that’s titanium is my cats paw, the weight difference is big on that. Lighten the load, lift with your legs, use leverage, preserve your body, get an equal amount of work done if not more. And get quality kneepads. Don’t be stupid with money, but your body is the most valuable tool you actually own. Take care of it
Yes that is one thing i forgot to mention was the weight of the hammer in my belt. As with anything you get used to it and that is why i carrieds so few other tools with me. Yes the steel cats paw weighs a ton for such a simple thing so that stayed in the truck until it came time to break down braces or whatnot. Great comments and thanks for watching.
If you really swing a hammer all day , titanium hammers are great. Love my stiletto.
Thats right..its all BS...if you can't swing a 19-22oz hammer you don't go and get a comparable titanium...you simply go get a lighter steel hammer.
I have a small collection of Steel hammers that I've used since I was teenager, and now that I'm over 60, and under 160 pounds I've found that I can't do much hammering without being sore in the wrist, and forearm tendons the next day. That's why I bought a Ti hammer. The face is larger in diameter than my steel hammers, and the nail pulling claw is the sharpest of them all. I don't use any hammer for weeks at a time, but I find the fact that it's very light makes it my 1st choice. I also bought 3 small styles of Ti crowbars and they are very sharp, and very light in my hands. Thanks for making this video, and I laugh at someone paying $400 - mine was well under $200 - but rich people are gonna strut.
This is the perfect scenario for someone wanting a titanium hammer and i simply cant argue with it. Glad it can keep you in the game!
I framed houses for about ten years, with a 28 oz Vaughan hammer, I do have a Stiletto titanium hammer 16oz I wish they were available when I was framing. Personally I think Estwing hammers are terrible, they transfer so much shock to your elbows. I used one for about a month and then tossed it. The original Hart hammers were also fantastic.
At least you tried an Estwing. Most proponents of titanium hammers have never really used steel hammers.
@@StationSt ten years framing and twenty-five years finish carpentry and running my own business, I have around fifteen different hammers over the years. Out here lots of masons use Estwing hammers, the one common thing about all my hammers is they all have a wooden handle, your not much of a carpenter if you can’t replace a handle every once in a while. My other titanium is a Douglas and I retired in years ago
I liked my old Hart hammer miss that thing I think I left it on a roof somewhere , never tried titanium before so can’t comment on them.
@@alexanderstevens145 I have 2 of them
16oz steel Hammer vs 16oz TI Hammer
TI Hammer is lighter they said🤣
This man has a great point
I must compliment you on the logic of pneumatic tools being a game changer for professionals. I bought a very small nail gun to shoot tiny serrated "wires" through floor trim into the base board because the wood kept splitting when I used small finishing nails. Very inexpensive tool that saved me much frustrations. Liked and subscribed good sir.
Thank you!
Wood handles and steel heads. Fat max has been incredibly durable.
I'm 22 now and my back and my shoulders make massive problems from shoveling from the work as a screetlayer and one of the best medicine for my badly injured shoulder is to nail things together with my 23oz voughan California framer with the wooden hatchedhandle I love it but you are right it isn't a break bar
@Station St Woodworking this is an awesome video. Have you heard of Squi.Jig speed squares? They are aluminum speed squares with a built in spirit level selling for around $170. It's so ridiculous at that price. I tried talking them into giving me one to use in my RUclips videos because I will never buy one at that price. I had no luck with that because my channel isn't big enough.
Im glad you liked the video! There are so many products that are so outrageous it boggles the mind. I'll be in the market for a track saw soon and no, will never be a Festool
You have some good well thought out points. I appreciate your opinion
@@merrickboyton3673 thank you! I appreciate that
I like titanium hammers better. I can just grab my Estwing when I want to dig a hole or pry something that I think could damage my titanium. What is wrong with having more than one style of hammer? There’s nothing wrong with just using an Estwing or whatever hammer you like best though.
@shawnglass108 you are absolutely correct. The only problem is when I'm on the job, I don't carry 2 hammers and I'm not going to go back and for to my truck for the other one. But at my house...I use both
@@StationSt, Yeah, I completely understand that.
Good point about knee's and back etc, causing aches and pains, before elbow and wrist trouble,, 👍
Seems like titanium hammers were made for concrete form builders ( high rise/ bridge/heavy highway)
The slots on the Martinez handle are 3/4” and 7/8”. Use them all day for our forms.
The head of the stiletto fits on the head of a 1” she bolt.
I do have elbow issues, and the vibration of the Estwing was irritating. Worst if using a chisel as a pry bar for 1-1/2” T&G pine install. That being said 99% of the things we as Americans buy are not need based, but “want” based. As new guys come onto my crew, I get them a Martinez Hammer. Steel head and ears, best of both worlds. Keeping the overall weight down keeps my overall tool bag weight down. I have used several all steel hammers, I will gladly buy Titanium again.
I've had my stiletto 140z titanium hammer for ten years and it kicks ass.
Another way to get rid of that "film" on the head of the hammer is to rub the head on concrete.
Old formwork trick ;)
Hammers are heavy to hit stuff.
The energy of the hammer is due to the kinetic energy of the head.
Swing hard. Hold gently.
Swing hard to get head moving. Hold gently to reduce/eliminate vibration, and strain.
What do I know, I use steel hammer heads with wooden handles. Wooden handles only break if you grip too hard. It is impossible to break a wooden handle if you hold gently. If you break a hammer handle, ask yourself if you are using the correct tool. Pry bars, jacks, etc exist.
Yes, the amount of force it takes to snap a hardwood handle should make one wonder why they are using a hammer for the task anyway.
The formula for kinetic energy is .5*m*v^2
Velocity (speed) is literally exponentially more important to kinetic energy than mass (weight).
A lighter hammer swings faster while also being less fatiguing and delivering as much or more energy.
Well, I'm a 3rd generation carpenter. My grandfather and father both suffered from nerve and tendon damage in their strong arm, after 15 years, I was on the same track. I switched to titanium, and much of the pain went away from my wrist and elbow. I've tried probably 20 hammers over the years, and Estwing was the absolute worse one I tried. The felt recoil was terrible and balance was as bad. I had to work way too hard to control it. My favorite steel hammer was Dead On, but I rarely pick it up anymore. All of my hammers are now Titanium. Yeah, they're expensive, but my body is worth more than a hundred bucks.
@@556blackwater many people say the same thing. I've bought a new titanium hammer and made a video on it telling what I think. Check it out
Everyone needs a cats paw in their bag.
I mostly frame off grid with rough cut full size or close to common store bought dimesional lumber. I use Lots of double hot dipped galvanized nails. And lots of 20 box and common nails. I also use my nail guns on things . Whichever gives me the strength and longevity I'm after .
I've had a couple Stilleto Titanium framing hammers. One ended up at the bottom of the bay when my wife and I were building a floating dock. And being titanium , it couldn't be retrieved with a magnet.
The other which I used a good bit and rehandled with a 16" straight handle ( I do not like Stilleto's curved handle shape At All !) . I gave to a friend that helped me on a building just after freeze up last year. I like wood handled framing hammers. But I keep steel handled framing hammers in my vehicles for whatever I may need a hammer for when out and about.
I'm a wood handled framing hammer kinda guy. I've been building with the first California framing hammer I bought 30 years ago . A 25 oz Gossage Side Strike. Not at all exclusively but it's one of my main hammers. My other is a first series 22 oz Death Stick. And now that I don't have a Titanium at this time . A 19 oz Vaughan Cal framer. All have been rehandled with straight handles that I contour for my grip and use.
Others on my favorite list that I have and use are the 25 oz Hart ,
32 oz Vaughan framer , The Two POUNDER !
28 oz Vaughan Rig Builder's axe.
21oz Gossage Side Strike
25 oz Tiawan PLUMB
23 oz original shape Vaughan Cal framer
22 oz Stanley , East Coast on a 16" wood
19 oz Vaughan Cal framer ( rough sanded face)
All these are checkered face that I rechecker when they wear down a little.
I do not and will not buy another Estwing steel handle framing hammer unless there is not any other option in an Emergency !
Im 35.. Been doing this stuff for over ten years..and I'm not a framer..but i feel the pain in my hands, wrist and elbow already..i swing a 20 ounce dewalt and am considering a titanium for my light work but repetitive hammer work like flooring, roofing, siding, etc
Used an estwing 20 ounce for 8 years..the DeWalt for the last couple
Dude make the switch get a Martinez you won’t regret it. It hits harder and feels so much better than the cheap steel hammers
Titanium is just expensive aluminum. lol Hammers and knives should be steel.
Thank you! So many ppl don't understand this!
My estwing framing hammer has been through hell and it looks brand new. Absolute beast of a tool, will my EDC when the zombies start
This.
Two of my Estwing hammers grew legs and walked off when there were contractors around. I would be really pissed off if a $250.00+ hammer got stolen. I grind a little material off one of the claws with an angle grinder if a hammer rings, that eliminates the tuning fork effect. I enjoyed your video, just basic logic.
@k1hasard yea one of the big reasons I don't do sub work anymore. Good tip on killing the ring!
Martinez is the superior hammer. Titanium is soft and wears quickly. The claw is not sharp at all. Eswing is ok but it’s a little chunky. I use my Martinez for “everything “.
General carpenter (mostly finish). I built furniture for 10 years, where tolerances are very tight. Now I'm contracting. I was gonna buy a titanium hammer (cause I love the perfect tool) but now I'm gonna stay with my wood handle 23oz Estwing. We'll done, sir.
If you use an estwing all day everyday with out forearm problems then you just lucked out in the genetics department. There are metal hammers designed for anti vibration. I was 41 when my carpel tunnel started. It definitely wasn’t the first body part to go
I was in my early 30's when the arm pain got too bad so I stopped using the Estwing for daily use.
I use a Vaughan rigging axe for framing work now, or a 19oz California framer for lighter work.
I promised myself i wouldn't be a broken down has been of a carpenter when i hit my 50s. so i slowed down enough to avoid injury but i still had put in many years of hard work. I think even a titanium hammer will cause wear and tear if used long enough.
I do agree with a lot of what you're saying about the ti hsmmers and steel hammers, im only 18 with only 4 years of real experience per say as a carpenter but i use 14 oz stiletto simply because i was given the head and thought it would be fun to make a handle for it, but if i wasnt given it then id still be using my 23oz vaughan, i think what it boils down to is the price of it and some people not wanting to admit there wrong on both sides
tennis elbow sucks. I get it periodically and it's debilitating. I know 3 other guys who get it too. That said I don't get it from swinging a hammer. I get it from using a framing nailer all day. The hammer is a none issue. I have a Boss titanium and it's kinda a silly joke.
The best thing about titanium hammers is how light weight they are in your tool belt. Since none of us actually hammer nails anyway it's really nice to have a light tool belt
Thats a great perspective! The hammers are way lighter than a nail gun. I will say i hated the handle of my hammer smacking my knee all the time from my belt loop.
Just a few months ago I replaced my 30 dollar hammer(Stanley anti vibe) with a new hammer. Had that one for about 15 years(still have it). Went ahead and spent some money on a good one this time, 35 bucks😂(fiskers 20 oz) feels great in the hand, and if something smaps, wich it won't, I won't exactly be crapping my pants over another 35 or so.
I see you are a new channel. I started mine up a few months ago. Feel free to check me out. You just might like my style, who knows.
Subscribed.
Yea man looks good, i subscribed. And to be honest, i never knew Fiskars made hammers! Lol.
@Station St Woodworking new to me as well. Was in Lowes helping my son out with a starter kit, and couldn't let him have a cooler hammer then me... I'll be seeing you "around"
I have the 16 oz fiskars here in germany. But here in germany we are built solid houses, no frame houses. In USA you can buy cool framer hammers. I love the stiletto 16 oz with wood handle, but i can't buy one. You can not buy it here. 😢 Hope i can get one from sweden.
If you use titanium hammers only for what they were designed for they should never break. If your prying concrete get a prybar.
This is my favorite hammer for the same reazon you said
One thing ive noticed is a trend is guys go full titanium or full steel. I own an estwing a ti bone 3 and a stilletto 14oz wood handle. They all have lots of heavy use. The 14oz claw is significantly worn down. For demo tho if you swing steel on a titanium cats paw you can see the cats paw wearing down over the course of a week. There is a time and place for titanium but not verything is better because of it. IF your getting into the trades start with steel and learn to control your tool. For older guys who don't want heavy bags or can't swing steel over head it's worth it. It's nice to see a video countering the common narrative that titanium is better. Some guys still use framing axes and they don't seem to complain.
Well said, i have cut down on the amount of tools i have simply due to not using them. Stuck with steel. Than you for the comment!
What weighs more? 5lbs of feathers? Or 5lbs of rocks? .....
Which takes up more space?
This guy is clown shoes. Still waiting on the DeWalt titanium hammers to drop.
I don’t think you have ever framed houses every day for years. If you have and did it while swinging an estwing hammer you would know that tennis elbow is a very real and extremely painful problem. And if you are a custom home farmer you use a lot of hand drives.
Im so glad you know all about me! Now do breakfast, what did i have for breakfast!?
I agree, I've been told never show up at a job site with a waffle head hammer. It makes Peter narks and looks un professional.
I rarely use a hammer as an electrician, just to drive concrete anchors. That being said, I have done some roofing and carpentry with my dad. The only issue is weight....a 20 oz hammer is a 20 oz hammer, ignoring handle construction. Handle construction matters WAY more than the metal used in the head when it comes to wear on your hand/arm. I would like to see more videos on hammer HANDLES. I use a use a steel Dewalt 12oz MIG hammer. I think a titanium hammers are better for the job....if you were originally using a hammer that was heavier than necessary. THIS is the reason I think we see praise, IMHO. It's not the titanium, it's the drop in weight.
Finally a constructive comment! Yea i started out with weight so thats what i grew accustomed to. I used a lighter hammer when doing roofing nails simply due to the smaller head and i hated it. Felt like a kids toy lol. Thanks for the comment!
I agree titanium sucks. I swear that more force goes into bouncing it back than driving a nail. I started in construction before nail guns. Have done production track work framing walls by hand driving nails. When I started guys used 25oz wooden handled hammers and 28oz rigging axes to frame walls. Metal and fiberglass handles framing walls without guns hurt quickly. I use 1 of 2 hammers now. If I am framing with a gun and not using my hammer to drive nails only to pry, beat and pull nailsI use a 21oz Vaughan with a fiberglass handle. If I am hand driving nails I use a 21oz Dalluge which is what I've been using for 37 years. Anyone who has swung one of these knows why.
I have not swung either but will definitely check em out!
A titanium hammer harnesses a full 97% of the energy garnered from that hammer swing and transfers it directly to the nail. For comparison, a steel hammer transfers only 70% of that energy to the nail. If you do some quick math you may wonder where the 27% loss of energy went on the steel head hammer.
For the most part, it gets transferred back to the user through the energy that is released in the recoil of the steel. Essentially, vibrations are sent through the hammer head, back down the handle, and into your arm.
You can rattle off numbers to me all day, but when i see a guy put 6 blows of a tinfoil hammer to sink a 20 penny nail and i do it in 3 with my old Estwing...i tend to turn a deaf ear.
Titanium hammers makes more sense for framers than handymen or contractors. Framers swing hammers a lot more than anyone else and swinging and carrying one for 12 hrs a day makes a huge difference in how your body feels. Martinez hammers actually have a steel head only the handle is titanium. If I’m gonna pry I use a pry bar, if I’m gonna dig I use a shovel. I use a hammer to hammer. Titanium it just better if we’re talking about hammering.
I have tried using them to do form work. And every mexican bragged about their estwing. All you hear is ding, ding, ding...all day.
Estwings are so damn annoying to listen to. Its their design. Their like tuning forks.
Plus they all call them Eastwings.
Didnt make a lick of sense.
Im definitely interested in a rehandable stilleto.
That may be the hammer of Space X...who knows?
😂 Are you a comedian sir?
Could it not be said that folks are different? And built different? And have different bodies? Those bodies may have different needs. It may be a case where a differwnt tool than the one you use, keep a man feeding his family with alittle less pain or maybe for a few more years. Im 39 and ive been in the trades for 19 years. My wrists and elbows bother after swinging a hammer all day. I guess by your estimation im no tradesman. Yet i ive fed my family all those years and met my customers needs. Folks are different and have different needs. All things in their place id say. I guess i gotta say im not going to judge a fellas worth by mearly what hammer he swings or by whether his wrists bother him. I know your just sharing your opinion , which is your right, but sir calling into question a mans value in his work because he has pain is unneccesary at best. Im sorry friend i just thought since you shared your opinion, id share mine. Take care and be well.
I think you went a bit deep but thanks for your comment.
Added that the head of a Martinez is the same price as 2 Estwings . He also wants nearly 60 bucks for a t shirt and hat . Says it all .
Im convinced that he makes these things for youtubers and elites as they are the only ones who csn comfortably afford it
@@StationSt totally . Most of the time these days , if you have a lot of framing or second fix , you are going to use a nail gun . I still use my hammer every day and I'm not doing a ton of framing , but there's no way I'm spending 400 bucks on a hammer .
I buy nice tools because it makes me happy :-)
Why would anyone want a lightweight hammer? Are you building or are you backpacking?
Did not take years for it to hit me....doh
"I've never head any wrist issue" - dude, you're a bear. You could probably one-handed swing a sledgehammer and not 'have an issue'. Having said that, having way less muscle mass than you do, I've never struggled with normal hammers either and it should indeed never break on you. Chiseling wood though - I definitely switched my rubber mallet for a homemade wooden one (ash handle, oak head) and it hits just as hard with half the weight, so there might be something to this for people who hammer all day and don't look like the hulk.
I genuinely laughed at this comment and you are probably correct. Check out my new video where i reviewed a wood handled titanium hammer. I did change my tune a bit. Thanks for commenting!
@@StationSt well most proper tools in my workshop are cast iron so I'm a bit prejudiced... will check it out :-).
Marketing nonsense
Invalid logic.
1. Just because you haven't noticed any issues(yet) doesn't mean it doesn't generally cause issues for people. Similar to "I've been smoking a pack a day for decades and no cancer or emphysema, therefore smoking risks are overstated."
2. There are still tradesmen who do swing a hammer very often. And even among those who don't, they still may be doing plenty of other things which can also put a lot of stress on arms & hands, and any reasonable opportunity to reduce that stress can be a significant benefit.
3. The weight is also on your belt, which is on your back and legs. Lightening up your belt is another significant benefit.
That said, I'm not spending $400 on a hammer. But I'll spend $100
Martinez hammers, Here's what I don't understand. Why is the handle titanium? I can follow the logic of the titanium head but the handle? If you want a light weight handle that doesn't send shockwaves to your hand then get a wood handle. A wooden handle would be lighter and transfer less shock than the titanium. Thing is, if ou put a wooden handle on a martinez steel head you'd then have a.....you'd have......you'd have a regular ol' hammer.
Maybe the titanium handle is to provide the strength like a steel handle hammer has? OK, is that worth $300?
I was thinking about buying a Martinez hammer. So i started checking them out. It doesn't make any sense. What I decided is going on is Martinez signed some legal documents when he sold Stiletto to the Chinese that made it where he can't produce a similar product. So, he decided to go back into business. Not being able to produce a titanium head he made the other piece out of titanium. The handle. Doesn't make a bit of sense but they look cool and it's made in America....by a Mexican.....so with some good marketing they sell.
Gotta think the this is the dumbest of all the hammers. If you'll believe this one you'll believe anything. You brainwashed yourself. That hammer ain't doing nothing a wooden handle hammer the same weight wouldn't do.
Wood handles are great for hammering nails and tapping gaming into place, but not for leverage, pulling nails, etc. Titanium makes for great handles, but not for the strike face.
A good fiberglass vaughn hammer gives the durability and antishock at fraction the price of the martinez
Bro can’t believe you’re a carpenter, tatanium, saved my elbow!!!! I’m a concrete guy!!! U have no idea, of what you’re talking about!!
Again, thanks for commenting. If you're that tender, maybe try office work.
It's common sense. If you swing a hammer all everyday for your entire working life your going to suffer joint issues later on in life. Titanium hammers reduce that risk significantly as their much easier to drive nails with less force and less vibration. Sooner or later you'll have wrist and elbow issues. You might have just gotten lucky so far but your time will come and if you're too naive and stubborn to accept that then that's on you.
@liamjones7857 look at it this way, take me 3 blows to sink a 20 penny nail with my Estwing. I'd wager it would take a tin foil hammer 5 or 6 blows to sink the same nail. You are putting in way more swings and even though it feels light now, you are still putting as much or more miles on your arms as i am. And if you say you can sink a 20 p nail in 3 blows...youre either full of it or you are going to kill your arm even faster.
Interesting!!!
Amen brother!!! I totally agree with everything you said! Hell I've been swinging a hammer for nearly 40 years!! Never have i gotten tennis elbow, carpal tunnel,torn rotator cuff, hell i never even got a hang nail from swinging a hammer!! I've busted a few finger nails in my years! But that goes with the job! $450 for a hammer my ass!! I use my 20 oz estwing for framing aaaaand for trim as well. I also dig with it!! Yep yep, i will be damned if I'm gonna pay over $400 for something i can't use the same thing i use my estwing for!! I can get a lot of fishing tackle for $400!!! And still hang in there with anyone using a boss hammer!! Titanium my ass!! I need something thats got some weight to it! Im an old man but i betcha $5 against a bucket of shit that i can still drive a 16 penny nail in 2 swings!! I rarely use a nail gun. I'm old school and i love it. Betcha Those titanium swingers can't keep up with this old fart!! Hell thats whats wrong with this lazy ass country!! Folks scared they gonna have to work!! Well kiss my crippled ass, i still get up every morning and give it another day! I've had 7 back surgeries, 3 knee surgeries, and i take heart meds to keep the ole ticker ticking!! $450 for a hammer my ass!!! Its a rip off for those that are too weak to swing a real hammer!! And too damn lazy to carry a square and a measuring tape in their pouch!! The end!!!
You got it! A square a hammer, tape, blade and whatever nail i was using that day was about all i carried for years. Things sure have changed and im not even that old! Keep on ticking bud!
We are in a land of pretty boy's and pretty tools and some of these men are like girls in a dress shop stop spending your money on galactic tools learn your craft, expand your skill and go to work .
Wrong !
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