claw hammer

tool

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Last updated

June 24, 2026

Quick Summary

A claw hammer is a type of hammer tool designed for pounding and delivering blows. Its head is typically made of metal and features a forked or "claw" end specifically for pulling out nails. This dual functionality makes it a common tool for carpenters and other tradespeople.12

Hammers, in general, vary greatly in design and weight depending on their intended use. Heavier hammers can be power tools, while hand hammers consist of a handle and a striking head. The physics behind a hammer's effectiveness involves factors like the weight of the head, the length of the handle, and the velocity with which it is swung, all contributing to the force of the blow.3

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hand tool
Hammers and hammerlike tools
…name hammer is the carpenter’s claw type, but there are many others, such as riveting, boilermaker’s, bricklayer’s, blacksmith’s, machinist’s ball peen and cross peen, stone (or spalling), prospecting, and tack hammers. Each has a particular reason for its form. Such specialization was evident under the Romans, and a craftsperson of…
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…name hammer is the carpenter’s claw type, but there are many others, such as riveting, boilermaker’s, bricklayer’s, blacksmith’s, machinist’s ball peen and cross peen, stone (or spalling), prospecting, and tack hammers. Each has a particular reason for its form. Such specialization was evident under the Romans, and a craftsperson of…
Read More