09-05-2024, 06:18 AM
Clearly, about 96% of the posters, including me, have never heard of a Ti hammer, let alone used one.
That makes most of the responses laughable, as in not with.
Wirecutter does get carried away, and I don't trust a lot of their picks, but that doesn't mean they're always wrong.
From the article that apparently went unread by most:
If you’re looking for a hammer that weighs noticeably less than the others, hits harder, is easier on the arm, and has a number of unique features such as a well-designed side puller and a level of customization with the grip area, we recommend the Stiletto 10oz Trimbone Smooth/Curve Titanium Hammer. Titanium hammers, a favorite of framing crews and other relentless hammer-swingers, are lighter than their steel counterparts and transfer more of your swinging power into the nailhead and less back into your arm. This 10-ounce hammer is an inch longer than our 16-ounce top-pick Estwing, but it weighs about the same as the little 12-ounce Estwing. We’re longtime users and admirers of titanium hammers, and this compact model is about as comfortable to use as they come. But titanium hammers are not cheap compared with steel hammers, so at just under $300, this is a hammer that you really need to use in order to justify purchasing. In the end, there are a lot of reasons to go with the Stiletto hammer, but price isn’t one of them.
Surprising as it seems, Ti hammer are actually a thing, and apparent with people who use hammers for a living, and not just to adorn an upscale workbench.
Not being the most ardent home handyman type, I'm just guessing here, but I'd bet most nail guns, cheaper though they can be, are heavier than this hammer, and can't be used everywhere a hammer can.
My guess is that's one reason why hammers still exist after the invention of nail guns.
A titanium hammer transfers 97% of your energy from swinging the hammer to the nail, while a steel hammer transfers only 70% of your energy to the nail. That means titanium drives the nail more efficiently and that there is less recoil energy to travel back into your arm (3% vs. roughly 30% with steel). This clarifies the claims that titanium is roughly 45% lighter than steel but hits just as hard, and that titanium can help to save your elbow from the shock of hammering.
https://www.finehomebuilding.com/project...el-hammers
A quick DuckDuck shows a lot of sites that talk about Ti hammers and say pretty much the same thing - lighter, more efficient, less tiring.
I've seen no tests or reviews by someone like Tom or Charlie Silva, Kevin O'Conner, or Norm Abram whom I would accept at face value.
Some information supporting Ti hammers came from Bob Vila, which might have some sway, but I never cared for the guy much.
I know, irrelevant.
Me, I won't be buying one of these, not even when the next COLA rolls in.
But if someone who works for a living says 'this is the best thing since zinc nails', who am I to argue.
At this point, based on a cursory search and no personal experience, not even 'I know someone...' I'm happy to leave it with I get it and if you know, you know.
That makes most of the responses laughable, as in not with.
Wirecutter does get carried away, and I don't trust a lot of their picks, but that doesn't mean they're always wrong.
From the article that apparently went unread by most:
If you’re looking for a hammer that weighs noticeably less than the others, hits harder, is easier on the arm, and has a number of unique features such as a well-designed side puller and a level of customization with the grip area, we recommend the Stiletto 10oz Trimbone Smooth/Curve Titanium Hammer. Titanium hammers, a favorite of framing crews and other relentless hammer-swingers, are lighter than their steel counterparts and transfer more of your swinging power into the nailhead and less back into your arm. This 10-ounce hammer is an inch longer than our 16-ounce top-pick Estwing, but it weighs about the same as the little 12-ounce Estwing. We’re longtime users and admirers of titanium hammers, and this compact model is about as comfortable to use as they come. But titanium hammers are not cheap compared with steel hammers, so at just under $300, this is a hammer that you really need to use in order to justify purchasing. In the end, there are a lot of reasons to go with the Stiletto hammer, but price isn’t one of them.
Surprising as it seems, Ti hammer are actually a thing, and apparent with people who use hammers for a living, and not just to adorn an upscale workbench.
Not being the most ardent home handyman type, I'm just guessing here, but I'd bet most nail guns, cheaper though they can be, are heavier than this hammer, and can't be used everywhere a hammer can.
My guess is that's one reason why hammers still exist after the invention of nail guns.
A titanium hammer transfers 97% of your energy from swinging the hammer to the nail, while a steel hammer transfers only 70% of your energy to the nail. That means titanium drives the nail more efficiently and that there is less recoil energy to travel back into your arm (3% vs. roughly 30% with steel). This clarifies the claims that titanium is roughly 45% lighter than steel but hits just as hard, and that titanium can help to save your elbow from the shock of hammering.
https://www.finehomebuilding.com/project...el-hammers
A quick DuckDuck shows a lot of sites that talk about Ti hammers and say pretty much the same thing - lighter, more efficient, less tiring.
I've seen no tests or reviews by someone like Tom or Charlie Silva, Kevin O'Conner, or Norm Abram whom I would accept at face value.
Some information supporting Ti hammers came from Bob Vila, which might have some sway, but I never cared for the guy much.
I know, irrelevant.
Me, I won't be buying one of these, not even when the next COLA rolls in.
But if someone who works for a living says 'this is the best thing since zinc nails', who am I to argue.
At this point, based on a cursory search and no personal experience, not even 'I know someone...' I'm happy to leave it with I get it and if you know, you know.