Did you know that the hammer is the oldest
human tool? Gosh, imagine the Neanderthal man with a hammer in hand trying to
make some music by banging that beautiful hammer on those mineral-rich rocks!!
Anyway, Wikipedia defines the hammer as "a tool meant to deliver blows to
a target, causing it to move or deform."
Though the hammer may seem ordinary, every
homeowner needs it at some time or the other. It is mainly used for driving in
nails, breaking up things, and some more fun activities - remember, it is not
to be used for threatening your neighbor. There are different types of hammers
for different uses, and the following is their list.
Types of hammers
Claw hammer: Bangs in nails from one side,
while the other side is shaped like a curved claw and is used for extracting
nails.
Ripping hammer: This is like the claw
hammer, except that the side that is used to extract nails, is straight. This
hammer helps in ripping boards.
Finishing hammer: Used in smallish workshop
jobs and also for general use, the finishing hammer features a smooth face on
one side and a pick on the other.
Tack hammer: This is a lightweight hammer
used to drive light stuff such as tacks and brads.
Ball Peen hammer: One of the sides of this
is round or ball-shaped and this hammer is used for working on metals.
Mallet: This looks like a brute, but is
made with wood and plastic chisels and normally used to strike chisels.
Sledgehammer: These are the hammers that
the blokes on the World Wrestling Entertainment carry around. A sledgehammer is
used for heavy work, such as breaking concrete.
Thor's hammer: There is no such hammer in
the tools industry.
Working with hammers
Here are some handy tips on how to use
hammers:
If you want to extract a longish nail,
first place a piece of wood under the hammer's head. This ensures that the wood
that is worked on, is not damaged.
While hammering, wear safety goggles
because you don't want wood and metal particles flying off into your eyes.
Take the thinner piece of the wood and
measure its thickness. Now, the nail that you must use should be double (in
length) of that thickness.
Drill a small hole before hammering the
nail into that spot.
Blunt the point of the nail before
hammering it in. You can do this by tapping the nail with the hammerhead.
Hammers are designed for a specific purpose
and there are loads of models available on the market. At some point or other,
you will feel the need of a hammer, so it will be prudent to equip yourself
with a hammer kit.