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Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge

Craftsman 12" Bandsaw – Fully Rebuilt + Turning Blanks

Striking Hammer Faces Together

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Striking Hammer Faces Together

#1

Striking Hammer Faces Together

I am the H&S guy at a roof truss manufacturing plant. Occasionally a truss plate ( gang nail) must be removed after it has been through the finishing press (poor position, wrong size); this is a surprisingly  difficult task. It is usually done by driving the claws of a claw hammer under the truss plate by striking the face of the hammer with another hammer in order to start the process of peeling off the offending truss plate. We do not allow the use of one claw hammer to strike the face of another claw hammer because of the risk of the hardened hammer faces chipping and sending a projectile flying into someone's body ( yes it has happened more than once). We have been using dead blow hammers to drive the claws of a claw hammer under the plate that needs removal and this does work. The problem is that the guys in the shop find the dead blow hammers big and unwieldy and they have a short life in the shop as their rubber faces quickly break down . My question is: is it safe to strike the hardened face of a claw hammer with the softer face of a ball peen hammer or a machinist's hammer? The other members of the JHSC were wondering if this would be a possible alternative.


 

Thanks


Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

#2

Peter Martin

Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/a5/35/a1/cece7e2e48cbfd/CA2542947A1.pdf

The above might be something to consider fabricating.


Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

#5

Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

https://www.ampcosafetytools.com/

Might be worth an email to these folks to see if a bronze hammer is suitable to strike the claw hammer. Or possibly fabricate a tool with a similar claw feature with a softer steel face...?


Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

#7

Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

Seems to me being a work place under OHAS regulations it will likely make striking any two hammers a problem.

What you want is a soft hammer they are manufactured but no lawyer will allow the manufacturer recommend hitting another hammer. This statement is as close as any are likely to come “Designed for striking cold chisels, brick chisels, star drills, spikes and hardened nails”

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Estwing-40-oz-Sure-Strike-Steel-Engineer-Hammer-MRF40E/202183858

You could have any hammer you like annealed (softened) at most any place that heat treats steel by getting hot enough and cooling it slowly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncK6M1OAn_I&ab_channel=ChristCenteredIronworks

From CYA point of view the smart move is to give the guys Wounder bars that are designed to be struck and about the same size and weight as a second hammer.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-12-in-Wonder-Bar-Pry-Bar-55-515K/100093815

 



Walta    


Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

#8

Try one of these

A flat pry bar like the one shown below should work equally well or better than a claw hammer and be much safer than what you are doing now.  You can beat on one of these all day long and not break it nor the hammer striking it.




Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

#9

Re: Try one of these—YES!!

This one, or Walter’s ‘Wonderbar’ suggestion, is a good way to go. Note you can grind a lower angle on the wedge-end, if that would make it easier to get under the plate.  

Never had a problem hitting these guys with the nearest 2-lb sledge or what have you.

Wiley


Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

#10

Jason Roehl in Lafayette, IN

Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

I saw the suggestions for a crowbar, buy my preference for separating fastened pieces of wood is usually a cat’s paw prybar—the end opposite the cat’s paw is thin, and the cat’s paw can be struck to drive that thin end in between.


 

Jason


Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

#11

Peter Martin

Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

Not a cat's paw but similar with two flat prying surfaces made by Estwing and available on Amazon




 


Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

#12

Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

Cat’s paw versus Wonderbar type.  Actually this is an old Vaughn ‘Superbar’:




Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

#13

Jason Roehl in Lafayette, IN

Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

Wiley, I like the bottom one in the photos—I find it better to strike the end of cat’s paw for “surgical insertion” of the other end than a comparable action on the crowbar, where I’d be striking a curved surface, or far off the axis of the desired force along the bar.


 

Jason


Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

#14

Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

Agree.  Really good point!  It’s an essential tool for rebuilding stuff.  I have a friend who comes over to help me with retrofit—essential in an old house.  This guy remodels for a living, and he liked that catspaw so much that he got one or two for his own toolboxes.  

The insertion end is thinner than the others, and I like to grind them all to a lower angle so you can use less force and not tear up the underlying so much—lots of times you want minimum to no damage to the underlying.  

The reason for the pictures is to show the OP the size differences, which might make a difference in his case.  I do think they all benefit from a bit lower insertion angle to reduce the bashing force and take it easier on the underlying.

Wiley


 


Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

#15

Peter Martin

Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

Using a rock to lever it off was interesting. The trick seems to be to lift the edges enough to be able to grip it and "roll" it off. I'd probably weld together some kind of Rube Goldberg device using a cat's paw, conduit bender, and Vice Grips to to do it in one smooth motion. ;)


Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

#16

Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

I'd have a local blacksmith or machine shop make a tool to do the job. Chisel type edge. The first 6" would be slightly curved. The handle would be about 2 feet long. Strike it with a hammer to drive it into place between the metal plate and the wood. The handle will be sticking up. Push it down and it will pop the metal plate off.  


Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

#17

No, they are harder than claw hammers

A wonder bar or cat's paw seems like the answer.  Claw hammers are among the softest available.


Re: Striking Hammer Faces Together

#18

Re: No, they are harder than claw hammers

What about using an air chisel to lift the plate, and then you can get under there with a pry tool.


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