Post:My Homely Tool

From Fusselman.org

My submission for the "Homely Tool" contest is my 3 pound Estwing drilling hammer.I was first introduced to this tool at a friend's shop, where he used it as his "go-to hammer", or as he alternatingly described it "BFH" or "Tapperanis". I eventually had to have my own, purchased at the local hardware store, for between $25 and 30, which seems like a lot for a glorified hand sledge. In reality, though, this hammer embodies all that is right about a beating implement. First off, the head and handle are integral, so there's no risk of the head ever coming off. It has two symmetrical faces so it's not picky about which way you pick it up, and a comfortable, rubberized grip, which is a bit smaller and easier to hold than most wood-handled "sledge" style hammers.

Perhaps the most important feature of this particular hammer is it's balance. I first used it on a project to bend some rebar. We literally pounded on iron with it all day without so much as a scuff. More importantly, the shorter length and even balance is such that you can make a "circular" motion with the hammering face, greatly reducing the work needed to continue swinging it. I find that I can control it easily for precise work, but that it also packs quite a punch for driving chisels and such.