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Hand-forged pattern-welded differentially-heat treated nails and screws. The wave of the future!
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Hammer thread
- Thread starter Rmfcasey
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Hand-forged pattern-welded differentially-heat treated nails and screws. The wave of the future!
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I also strongly prefer screws for almost any practical application. Like SamuraiDave, the only nails that I even own are finishing nails. The good quality screws that are available today will take a licking and keep on kicking WAY past nails plus another decade. I've built enough fences, decks, sheds, patio shades, etc to know that nails will often leave you looking like an ass come next spring. Framing houses has its own set of standards, which primarily focuses on being FAST to the neglect of quality (generally speaking, nothing personal). For all other projects, I will go to lengths to use screws instead of nails.
On a hammer note, I picked up one of these Task Force white rubber mallets from Lowe's the other day. I believe it was Square Peg that suggested using the white rubber to avoid getting all the black marks on axe handles when hanging. A great idea, much cleaner. Unfortunately, the hammer only made it through about 7 or 8 swings to seat a Kelly Perfect jersey before the head flew off. What did I expect from a $5 hammer.....
Anyway, I gorilla glued the crap out of it, so we'll see if the cheapo can hang on for a few more hang jobs.
On a hammer note, I picked up one of these Task Force white rubber mallets from Lowe's the other day. I believe it was Square Peg that suggested using the white rubber to avoid getting all the black marks on axe handles when hanging. A great idea, much cleaner. Unfortunately, the hammer only made it through about 7 or 8 swings to seat a Kelly Perfect jersey before the head flew off. What did I expect from a $5 hammer.....
Anyway, I gorilla glued the crap out of it, so we'll see if the cheapo can hang on for a few more hang jobs.
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Like I have said screws are a great deal better for many things but I have yet to hear of a building code that allows for a deck to be built with screws only. Screw down the decking and screw the bond into the house(with lags or spax) but the frame is always nailed together(often with screws added to keep things tight) and they don`t as far as I know make screw on joist hangers.I am not trying to come across as a jerk or anything ,but I have been at this for a while and I always ask the older guys "why". Nails will pull out, some more easily than others but screws are brittle and often more flawed than you might realize. However nails are just wire after all. If you frame a wall in your house screws are fine but if you are putting in a header in a load bearing wall you really do need nails.
Hand forged nails would be great but could they heat treat the center and leave the outside softer?
Hand forged nails would be great but could they heat treat the center and leave the outside softer?
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That's interesting. I didn't think your being a jerk at all. I didn't mean to be either. Funny though I've always framed up deck frames with screws. Granted that I've always used the best screws that I can buy.
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At this rate we're gonna' need to have a thread on manual screwdrivers/braces/breast drills/etc. just to keep pace. 
Last edited:
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Possibly the result of expansion/contraction of the discontinuous layers with moisture change?
Square_peg
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At this rate we're gonna' need to have a thread on manual screwdrivers/braces/breast drills/etc. just to keep pace.
Don't get me started.
Braces, Yankees, egg beater drills, I've got a few of each and I bet there are several here with way more than what I got. But's it's just too off topic for this forum. I mean, can a drill bit really be called a blade?
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Don't get me started.
Braces, Yankees, egg beater drills, I've got a few of each and I bet there are several here with way more than what I got. But's it's just too off topic for this forum. I mean, can a drill bit really be called a blade?
You sharpen them when they get gull, don't they?
I recently picked up a huge all-steel 1" wood auger and the edge needed serious restoration but it bores like a champ now. Gonna' use it for notching and pegging together fence posts.
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What did I get started?
I have all of my Grandfather's old tools. Pretty amazing stuff. I can't imagine using some of his hand cranked drills and augers. It would wear me out.
Ok, so let me get this straight
Nails + Screws = really good
Nails + Screws + Adhesive = better
Now that I think of it my Father and I replaced his back door a few weekends ago. All we used were 3" and 4" screws and adhesive.
As we tore into things we found a load-bearing fixture that was hollowed out by carpenter ants.
We started by hosing down everything with specialty "Carpenter Ant/Termite Killer", then went and got pressure treated lumber and a couple tubes of Liquid Nails Contractor Adhesive.
We tried to kill them as fast as we found them. And as we find, the deeper you dig, the more you find you need to replace. So you get into the project as deep as you dare and make a list of what you still need in materials.
The load bearing fixture was between the door we were replacing and the large pane glass window in the kitchen.
Due to us watching "Holmes on Homes" we had a better idea of how to attack the problem. And weren't really intimidated by having 6 2x4's that were eaten away.
We tore out the old door, used that space to add temporary joists to hold the house up. Then rebuilt the entire area that needed it.
We Glued and screwed everything together before fitting the new door and door-fame back in.
I'm pretty sure we are good to go. The Pressure treated lumber + Termite and Carpenter and killer + screws and construction adhesive make me feel that the wall will be good for another 31 years.
However, you guys make me feel like we should of added some nails.
Although I'm pretty sure if that thing needs nails it means the rest of the house no longer exists as I have no idea where else in that house has 6 2x4's joined together holding up that much weight.
I have all of my Grandfather's old tools. Pretty amazing stuff. I can't imagine using some of his hand cranked drills and augers. It would wear me out.
Ok, so let me get this straight
Nails + Screws = really good
Nails + Screws + Adhesive = better
Now that I think of it my Father and I replaced his back door a few weekends ago. All we used were 3" and 4" screws and adhesive.
As we tore into things we found a load-bearing fixture that was hollowed out by carpenter ants.
We started by hosing down everything with specialty "Carpenter Ant/Termite Killer", then went and got pressure treated lumber and a couple tubes of Liquid Nails Contractor Adhesive.
We tried to kill them as fast as we found them. And as we find, the deeper you dig, the more you find you need to replace. So you get into the project as deep as you dare and make a list of what you still need in materials.
The load bearing fixture was between the door we were replacing and the large pane glass window in the kitchen.
Due to us watching "Holmes on Homes" we had a better idea of how to attack the problem. And weren't really intimidated by having 6 2x4's that were eaten away.
We tore out the old door, used that space to add temporary joists to hold the house up. Then rebuilt the entire area that needed it.
We Glued and screwed everything together before fitting the new door and door-fame back in.
I'm pretty sure we are good to go. The Pressure treated lumber + Termite and Carpenter and killer + screws and construction adhesive make me feel that the wall will be good for another 31 years.
However, you guys make me feel like we should of added some nails.
Although I'm pretty sure if that thing needs nails it means the rest of the house no longer exists as I have no idea where else in that house has 6 2x4's joined together holding up that much weight.
Possibly the result of expansion/contraction of the discontinuous layers with moisture change?
Maybe so. The worst I have seen was in the flight path of a Airport though.
Don't get me started.
Braces, Yankees, egg beater drills, I've got a few of each and I bet there are several here with way more than what I got. But's it's just too off topic for this forum. I mean, can a drill bit really be called a blade?
Don't you have any of them spoon bits? It about has to be a blade.
And them Yankees are still useful. A little one fits so nice in a set of nail bags.
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I'd love to find myself a nice three-jaw breast drill one of these days but they're always either two-jaw, beaten to hell and back, or both. Most commonly both. 
Where I live my Amish neighbors use a brace and bit to drive screws in steel on pole sheds. They will have 8 or 10 men up on the roof cranking away driving screws.
Back to the thread have we decided yet if mag hammers are hype? On a related note does anyone prefer hatchet handles on framing hammers?
Rmfcasey
Back to the thread have we decided yet if mag hammers are hype? On a related note does anyone prefer hatchet handles on framing hammers?
Rmfcasey
Square_peg
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I haven't tried a hatchet handle on a framing hammer but I put one on one of my cross peens. It's OK but I don't like it as well.
No spoon bits here yet but I've got a box full of square taper shank bits. I use them with a brace on trail projects. The battery never dies.
I would like to prove mag hammers are bs. But I have yet to find one cheap or free.
As far as hatchet handles go you have what is called a California framer hammer style. It made good hammers great.
I used a rigging axe for years, 28oz vaughn's. I could pick up a 32oz Calif framer and it would be its equal and more. I was just to used to the Axe to change. No excuse just set in my ways.
screened porch
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I'd love to find myself a nice three-jaw breast drill one of these days but they're always either two-jaw, beaten to hell and back, or both. Most commonly both.
I still think a hammer-polled half hatchet like the plumb victory pictured is a good woods hatchet. With a wooden handle the balance is better than with the admittedly tougher steel handle.
Oh, and that's the prettiest breast drill I've seen, pictured with it- 3 jaws, two speeds, and every tooth in place.
Nice stuff! Those steel handles is how the titanium manufactures claim that they hit harder than a steel hammer. Yep they are comparing them to estwings and the like. A more inefficient striking tool I have not used.I still think a hammer-polled half hatchet like the plumb victory pictured is a good woods hatchet. With a wooden handle the balance is better than with the admittedly tougher steel handle.
Oh, and that's the prettiest breast drill I've seen, pictured with it- 3 jaws, two speeds, and every tooth in place.
I have an old Plumb carpenters axe. Its a bit different than most carpenters axe's. Has a curved blade. Right handed. Not sure on the weight but it is light. I think I could do good work with it but it looks like it has never been hung. So kind of having second thoughts on using it.
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SamuraiDave,
About the nails thing; a bunch of screws and adhesive would be fine you more than likely made it stronger than it ever was anyway.(pre-infestation)
I have one of the hatchet style handles on one of my framing hammers and I hate it, I think I could love it if it was a nicely shaped (and thin) handle like a really old axe handle .You guys of all people know what I am talking about the old axes with the really narrow ,dare I say thin haft with a nice know at the end ,not the blocky big box store crap they push on people.
About the nails thing; a bunch of screws and adhesive would be fine you more than likely made it stronger than it ever was anyway.(pre-infestation)
I have one of the hatchet style handles on one of my framing hammers and I hate it, I think I could love it if it was a nicely shaped (and thin) handle like a really old axe handle .You guys of all people know what I am talking about the old axes with the really narrow ,dare I say thin haft with a nice know at the end ,not the blocky big box store crap they push on people.