Dead Blow Hammer

Bob Korves said:
Actual dead blow hammers are pretty much lead, or plastic with shot in them. They do not bounce enough to matter. I have two sizes of orange HF dead blow hammers, am completely happy with them, and want for no others. I have brass, urethane, rawhide, and others, but they are not dead blow. They rebound. They do have their uses, where rapping without marring is more important than really moving something, where the dead blow hammer excels, when considering effort vs. results.

Edit: Lead is also good, but becomes badly distorted with use (more or less, depending on hardness), is toxic, and will need to be re-cast after some time. I do not have one, but would not turn one down for occasional use.
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I would agree with your choice. Over the years I've had many different brands and styles of "dead blow" hammers. Lead was the choice 40 years ago. The only downside is they had to be remelted and recast on an almost annual basis The first plastic ones I bought were Snap On. They did an ok job, but over the years the plastic reacted to the coolants and cutting oils. A few years ago they started turning white and eventually large pieces of plastic broke off each time they were used. I didn't trust them anymore, but, I was in a hurry and didn't want to do extensive research, so I bought a couple HF ones to get me through. I still have them and have added several more in the last few years. Even if they do fail (which I see no signs of) they're inexpensive enough they can be tossed in the trash and replaced on a regular basis.
 
I use the hell out of my two HF dead blow hammers, and have for some years. They do not show any damage or wear. They are also cheap, especially on sale, 20-25% discount coupon, and also a freebie.
 
I have been buying HF dead blow hammers for years, finally wore a couple of them out and had to but a couple more. As said above, they are cheap to buy and are pretty rugged. I do wish they would put lead shot in them rather than steel shot. The old lead shot ones seem to work better.
 
The lack of feel from a dead blow hammer will sometimes bother me. To tap into position without marring anything I like using a small ball peen hammer and a dowel of the right size for the job at hand. I have a range of dead blow dowels (wood, brass & aluminum) as well as a broad range of hammers each being designed for a special purpose but my 60 year old ball peen hammer is my favourite.
 
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Tozguy said:
The lack of feel from a dead blow hammer will sometimes bother me. To tap into position without marring anything I like using a small ball peen hammer and a dowel of the right size for the job at hand. I have a range of dead blow dowels (wood, brass & aluminum) as well as a broad range of hammers each being designed for a special purpose but my 60 year old ball peen hammer is my favourite.
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That works, but it takes two hands. Sometimes it matters...
 
I have been using HF dead blow hammers for ever. And for interchangeable hammer why buy something so easy to make?
 
Does anyone use wooden mallets. Been making my own for years, poplar for light weight. Oak , hickory, dogwood, even Osage orange for harder beating.
 
I'll vote for the orange Harbor Freight hammers. I have the medium sized one and it is about right for tapping work into a vise. HF also has a hammer with plastic pads that I like to use for tapping smaller work into a vise.
 
kd4gij said:
And for interchangeable hammer why buy something so easy to make?
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For me, cause I was an auto mechanic back when I bought mine. Back then, the only lathe I knew of & had ever used was a brake lathe. ;)
 
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