UKC

Hi all,

I'm looking for a stainless steel headed Hammer. I'm been told that they do exist, maybe from Stanley, but I am struggling to source one.

It's for bolting so 600-1000g would be ideal. Jim Titt's website says to weld on 6mm stainless to another hammer, we would prefer to have one built in stainless if possible. Apart from buying a meat mallet has anyone got any ideas?

In reply to The Green Giant:

Do search for a stainless steel strapping hammer

In reply to Removed User:

Thanks, the weight's too little though. They only seem to be about 250grams unfortunately.

In reply to The Green Giant:

Doesn't need to be too heavy if you're just tapping units into the drilled hole.
Heavier; but a lot more expensive is the Kong Speleagle.

In reply to The Green Giant:

Black Diamond do one as do some other companies. Welding a stainless plate on is the easier option.

In reply to jimtitt:


If you happen to have a welder/access to a welder

In reply to The Green Giant:

Could you perhaps fix a weight onto the back of the hammer head or at the top of the shaft to make a light one heavier?

In reply to gethin_allen:


I make welded stainless products so I´ ve a fair selection of welders lying around. 5 at the last count for stainless.

In reply to jimtitt:
I know, your reputation precedes you.

My point was that not everybody is in your position having welding equipment just laying about.

In reply to gethin_allen:
Ask a local car garage to weld a 6mm SS plate on ?

Or why not use a studding bar connector threaded on the bolt end and hit that ? Any damage will be to the connector.

Ideally one in SS but that is probably being too pedantic.

like these.
http://www.tradefixdirect.com/nails-screws-fixings/coach-bolts-hook-bolts-e...

In reply to The Green Giant: Search some welding tool suppliers, they sell copper and stainless hammers.

In reply to gethin_allen:


Every welder has. Otherwise the option is for people to buy the proper tool for the job like a stainless steel peg hammer. Can´ t see the difficulty personally.

In reply to Rick Graham:




The problem is mainly with glue-in bolts and particularly when they are installed with hammer capsules where marking and later rust areas are inevitable if you don´ t use a stainless faced hammer. With bolt-ins it doesn´ t matter anyway.

In reply to The Green Giant:

Why does the hammer have to be stainless?
Have you thought about titanium? Although they aren't cheap a 12 Oz titanium hammer hits with the same impact force as a 20 Oz steel hammer.
Ive got one of these on my "to buy" list http://tinyurl.com/zd7suor

In reply to mwr72:
The carbon footprint of titanium is huge compared to steel you know?

In growing order, it's steel, aluminium, carbon fibre, and then titanium.

It's HUGE I tell you. Buy a steel one and the planet will thank you.

( For things like bike frames, ti might turn out to be greener if it lasts a lot longer due to not rusting/corroding away, but that'd never happen to a hammer. )

In reply to Timmd:
I already have a couple of steel estwing hammers, on some jobs with a lot of hammering they can be fatiguing compared to the titanium hammers.

PS, a titanium hammer would far outlast any titanium bike frame.

In reply to mwr72:

Ah, I see. I thought it was possibly a magpie like urge for something exotic.


Yes, I know it would.

In reply to Timmd:

Well tbh (and please keep this to yourself) that does have a lot to do with my choice of ti hammer

In reply to mwr72:

I'm glad you posted, just reading this has totally changed my point of view on titanium hammers, and I've picked up a tip on how to tighten the head on my wooden handled hammer, too.

It's quite interesting to read about the reduction in vibrations going back through to the arm and elbow, as well as less weight causing less wight related injuries.

http://www.aconcordcarpenter.com/titanium-hammers-vs-steel-hammers.html

You can learn something new every day...

In reply to jimtitt:


Perhaps there's a new product line for you. Buy a load of reasonable hammers, weld on some stainless plate and sel them for bolting use.
There's got to be a profit in there.

Why dos anyone need a stainless hammer ? head?



Please ???

In reply to Name Changed 34:

Good question, now you mention it.

In reply to Name Changed 34:

Why dos anyone need a stainless hammer ? head?
Please ???

I thought the same and Googled something like: 'Why use a stainless steel hammer'?
Now I know...

In reply to Timmd:

you he will get one from a surgical supplies btw but WHY???

In reply to gethin_allen:



Hmm, sounds like a real business opportunity! Buy a load of hammers, alter them and sell them in direct competition to the companies already making them in stainless anyway like Kong, Black Diamond and Omega Pacific.

In reply to Name Changed 34:



Like I wrote earlier, to avoid rust on the bolt.
We (the manufacturers or at least some of us) spend time and money treating bolts so the surface iron is removed to prevent corrosion taking hold and causing pitting which is a major cause of failure in stainless components. Having someone bash the sh#t out of the bolt later with a steel headed hammer breaks the passive oxide layer and embeds steel particles in the stainless making our efforts a waste of time.

In reply to jimtitt:

Sorry I had not read your post from before, and I had wrongly assumed the need of a S/S hammer was for vanity.

Given what you say, would it not be better to used a hard Nylon something softer than the bolt?

link to hammers and Thor web page
https://www.thorhammer.com/hammers/nylon.html

In reply to Name Changed 34:

You could indeed, some people use a rubber mallet.
BUT there´ s more to bolting than just hammering the bolt in if you are putting up new routes especially on southern Euro limestone, there can be a lot of rock bashing and grubbing out cracks to remove vegetation, earth, loose rocks and stuff, prising off loose flakes etc. And you really need a metal hammer to sound test the placement and maybe flatten off the area where the bolt sits. The other end of the hammer is equally important unless you want to carry several. A good pick (and a longer than usual handle to save your knockles) is highly desirable, wooden handles don´´ t last very long either and keep coming loose if you bolt in hot climates and a decent weight makes things easier.
I use an vintage Forrest Mountaineering Mjollnir with a stainless plate welded on and a custom pick which is the best I´ ve come up with over the years. Something over 700g like a big-wall hammer rather than a lightweight Euro piton hammer is the way to go, the Omega Pacific wall hammer would probably be my choice if I had to buy one.

In reply to jimtitt:
Hi Jim,

Thanks for your (and others) extensive replies. It's for a mate who bolts extensively in a warm climate, he said he knew of some from ordinary companies such as Stanley, I've not been able to find such hammers though.

Will wait to hear back from him before I buy/get anything made, but am glad to have a few options now. I'm also glad this has been educational for a few people, I definitely didn't know you shouldn't be hitting in stainless with ordinary steel.