DeWalt may not be the first brand you think of when it comes to hand tools, but they have drastically changed their lineup in recent years to be strong competitors. We know and love them for their power tools and rugged construction after all DeWalt Tough is their tagline. The new lineup of hammers though sticks out in their new additions as having unique features without an exorbitant price. Let’s take a dive into the new DeWalt Steel Hammers Review and see what they are all about.
DeWalt Steel Hammers Review Overview
An interesting fact about hammers is just how long they’ve been around. Hammers estimate to date back over 3 million years ago and were used in primitive building, protection, and even food sourcing. It’s pretty hard to believe that in modern days, where technology and electronics seem to be changing at a pace no one can keep up with, that a tool used so long ago is still used today. Not only are hammers still used though, but they are also a necessity and likely an everyday tool for the vast majority of professional contractors from plumbers, electricians, and used in everything from demolition to carpentry.
There really is no limit to what a hammer can do. Even with modern power tool technology, you would be remiss to ever discount the value of a good hammer. If you’re a full-time framer, you know more than anyone the importance of getting the most out of each swing. So as technology advances, hammers have seen their fair share of changes too, each with the intent to make them not only more useful but more efficient. DeWalt announced a full lineup of new hammers recently, some specialty hammers with a wide range of uses, and others the classic framing and multi-purpose ones we know and love. Today, we are looking at these two classic hammers to see what’s new, and what has changed in hammers today.
DeWalt Steel Hammers Review Features
We are going to take a look at two hammers in the DeWalt lineup, the 20 oz Multipurpose hammer and the 22 oz framing hammer. DeWalt includes a Full Lifetime Warranty on these hammers, including hassle-free replacement.
Both hammers feature a 1-piece steel construction providing durability and strength. Additionally, the heat treated shaft improves their overall durability, especially in harsh conditions.
The design of the hammers provide 35% less sting over traditional hammers, this is done by a reduction of vibrations to reduce arm fatigue. Additionally, the hammers are designed with balance in mind, providing ideal comfort and allows for ideal results and user control.
The grip of these hammers is smooth and feels solid and comfortable in your hand. Designed to give a 25% increase in grip durability, these hammers are designed to last.
One feature that stands out instantly with these hammers is the tri-pull technology. Having three claws designed to remove nails of all sizes and types.
The magnetic nail starter is located on top of the head and allows the hammer to hold a nail for starting instead of the user holding the nail themselves. This could potentially prevent a slew of hammer related thumb injuries.
The 20 Oz Multi-Purpose hammer, Model DWHT51380 features a smooth milled head for finishing applications.
The smooth head protects against potential workpiece marring and is ideal for a wide range of applications. This hammer weighs in at 1.25 lbs total.
The 22Oz Framing Hammer, Model DWHT51381 uses a checkered or waffle style face for improved grabbing and sinking of nails.
This hammer, as its name suggests is the ideal hammer for framing and weighs in at 1.375 lbs.
DeWalt Steel Hammers Review Performance
When you pick up these hammers, a few things happen. First, you’re instantly blown away simply by the feel of them. They’re balanced extremely well, as the weight is designed slightly top or front heavy giving each strike or swing a natural feel. It’s as if the hammer simply wants to hit the nail with as much force and precision as it can. The grip helps along the simple comfort of these hammers as well. Assisting your grip improves not only the user’s comfort but also your end result. There is no slipping or adjusting, even with sweaty or greasy hands the hammers stay secure.
Two features you don’t often see on hammers is the tri-pull technology and the magnetic nail starter. Now before you discount either of these features and subsequently their ability to improve a hammers functions, consider this. How often have you needed to pull a misplaced or poorly seated nail with very little success due to the claw just not wanting to grab it? Especially when using nails with smaller heads, it’s quite possible you’ll be left cursing something trying to wedge a nail out when it just won’t catch on the claw. This hammer has eliminated a lot of the frustration in these various situations. Additionally, the location of the two additional pulls resulted in less marring on the surface of the wood than a traditional claw nail pull.
The magnetic nail starter is as well, genius. Now, I have seen these before, but it’s not often I get excited about their result. Generally speaking, the magnets usually seem flimsy at best and therefore don’t offer much in the way of nail holding. If you use hammers on any sort of regular basis, it is an inevitability that you will at some point nail yourself with the hammer instead of the nail itself. I have done this more than I would care to admit to as well, as I am sure everyone has. I am in fact, fairly certain that this is where my colorful language was learned. All jokes aside though, this struggle can be real. Thankfully, this innovation makes this problem a thing of the past as this nail starter was a really good way to eliminate the “ouch” you can experience with common hammer use.
DeWalt Steel Hammers Review Value
These hammers will soon be available at The Home Depot for purchase, but you can follow up at DeWalt.com for more information. As of now, the DeWalt Framing nailer (Model DWHT51381) will run $31.97 and the General Purpose (Model DWHT51380) will run $29.97. Hammers have such a wide range of price points but for the quality you are getting from these, the price seems very reasonable.
DeWalt Steel Hammers Review Final Thoughts
It’s an interesting thing, hammers. For a tool lover like me, I love a good innovative tool. Add a few features that are unique and I am sold, and it was definitely the case with these new hammers from DeWalt. The tri-pull and magnetic nail starter stand out in way of features, as well as the one piece steel and improved grip. We have talked a lot about DeWalt lately, especially with their cordless launches like the Jigsaw and the Jobsite Speaker, but its great to see their innovation hasn’t stopped with power tools. Without a doubt, these hammers earn top marks from me, not just for their new features, but for their ability to also remain useful to the traditionalists in the market.
