By Mark Clement
There are very few tools that connect you with your work more directly than your hammer. Choosing the hammer that's right for you isn't always easy, and I've spent lots of time looking. It ends up the "right" one is actually two—the Douglas DFI20S and the Norwolf A-Hammer.
Douglas DFI20S
There's about a million reasons to like the DFI20S, but the one that leads the pack is that I can devastate a nail with it. And the next nail and the next one. The solid wood handle transfers very little vibration into my arm, too, which my elbow thanks me for regularly.
Douglas actually categorizes this model as a finish hammer, but try telling that to my framing and demo projects. The 16-inch long handle's flared bottom provides great reach for framing walls and for getting extra leverage to rip out lath or stubborn 2-by.
The head is a work of art. Really. Even if you don't use the tool, its symmetry is something to behold. In action, the head design is all action: Its magnetic nail holder is perfect. The sharp rip-claw is ideal for plunging into—and through—building materials. It's ideal for demo or splitting blocks in framing applications. The nail-puller on the hammer's cheek is fabulous. A bent ring shank is no match. And it just looks super stealth.
The handle is sweet too. Douglas even realizes that wood handles can break (I haven't broken it yet) so replacement handles are easy to get and install. And, if I forget to switch out for trim work, the DFI20S is still a gem. This is a tool that's hard to go wrong with.
DFI20S, Douglas Tools, $70
Norwolf A-Hammer
My go-to hammer for running trim and general remodeling is the Norwolf A-Hammer. But don't be confused, the A-hammer is superbly designed and indestructible—and it crushes nails too.
However, I like it for trim work because it's small. At 18 ounces (there are also 14- and 22-ounce models) it's compact and light. The small head and shorter handle gets into tight spaces. Its sharp, slightly curved claw works nicely for prying or nudging trim into place, and the low profile while it hangs in my hammer loop means less chance of gouging a finished door jamb or other material while moving through the site. The handle also doesn't bounce into my legs like a longer hammer can, and my hips are happy only carrying 18 ounces all day.
For framing and demo, you couldn't kill this hammer if you had to (I tried). The A-Hammer's aircraft aluminum shank is light and tough. O-rings in the head—along with the rubber handle—dampen vibration. The rubber handle also makes the tool easy to hold on to on hot days. You're going to have a hard time making 38 bucks buy a better tool.
A-Hammer, Norwolf, $38
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