Are you trying to cut roots or dig a trench, but don’t know which striking tool to use? No need to worry. In this blog, I will be clearing up your confusion by discussing different types of striking tools and their uses. First, let’s learn, What striking tools are. The primary purpose of the striking tool is to hit or strike the objects. They have different uses based on their shape and size.
Different types of striking tools
There is a variety of range of striking tools such as hammers, mallets, axes, etc. Some other striking tools are sledgehammers, clawhammers, rubber mallets, dead blow hammers, splitting maul, pick axes and mattocks, bar diggers, and a pry bar. Let’s learn about different types of striking tools and their uses in detail-
Sledgehammer
A sledgehammer is a large heavy hammer. It has a long handle with a large and heavy head, further allows to generate a significant amount of force with each swing. Thus, these are suitable for heavy-duty demolition activities such as the breaking of stones and heavy materials. Furthermore, these hammers come in different sizes for more precision tasks.
Uses
- Used in construction and demolition work.
- Breaking and crushing materials.
- Demolishing walls, structures, and large bodies.
Clawhammer
From professional work to household DIYs, clawhammers are widely used striking tools. It is a versatile tool that has a dual head. It contains a head to drive nails into materials on one side and a claw to pull out nails. Its handle comprises different materials like wood, metal, or fiberglass thus providing a sturdy grip.
Uses
- Used in DIY tasks, home repairs, carpentry, and construction work.
- Driving nails into the materials.
- Removing nails out of the materials.
- Suitable for small demolition tasks.
Rubber Mallet
A rubber mallet is a lightweight striking tool. Unlike other hammers, its head is made of rubber. When force is applied using a rubber mallet, the force gets evenly distributed across the material. So, it does not deform the shape of the object. It is also a good choice for tasks where delicate materials are involved.
Uses
- Used in leatherworking, tile installation, metalworking, etc.
- Good choice for tasks where adjustments need to be made without leaving any mark.
- Assembling furniture and wood joint fitting.
Dead Blow hammer
Just like a rubber mallet, a dead blow hammer is also used to strike the object without leaving any marks or damage. But, it has a different construction, as well as the impact from a rubber mallet. Its head is made of steel filled with steel shot, sand, or other dense materials, further allowing one to apply controlled force while minimizing the rebound and vibration.
Uses
- Has applications in metalworking, woodworking, and assembling pieces.
- To tighten or loosen parts of automotive without damaging the material.
- Good choice for tasks where precision and controlled force are required.
Splitting Maul
A splitting maul is a heavy striking tool. It has the characteristics of both an axe and a sledgehammer. Its head looks like an axe on one side and a sled on the other side. sledge-axes, blockbusters, and block splitters are other names for splitting maul. The key purpose of splitting maul is to split the wood. This does cut the wood like an axe but splits or breaks the wood apart.
Uses
- To split wooden logs.
- Chopping the timber.
- Used by forestry workers, as well as homeowners.
Bar diggers
A bar digger is a hand tool used for breaking hard materials like clay, frozen ground, and concrete. There are different types of bar diggers such as roughneck telegraph and true temper all steel digging and tampering bar. The roughneck telegraph bar digger has a chisel blade and pointed tip, thus allowing it to easily break the materials. Whereas, the true temper all steel digging and tampering bar contains a chisel blade on one end and a tamping plate on the other.
Uses
- Used to pry, tamp, and demolish the objects.
- Good choice to dig a hole.
- Loosen the compacted soil.
Pry Bar
A pry bar or crowbar is a striking tool that has a single curved end and flattened points. The curved end contains a notch that can be used to remove nails. In addition, it can force two objects apart to lift the objects. The uses of prybars vary from one another as they come in different sizes and models.
Uses
- Used for prying open, separating, or lifting the materials.
- Remove the nails or break the wood or drywall.
- Break apart the rightly fitted objects.
- Lift the heavy materials.
Choose the right striking tool for your need
As there are a variety of striking tools, choosing the right striking tool is important. Each striking tool varies in terms of strength, head design, and uses. They have their specialty and application of use. The material that you are working with and the force required also matter in selecting the right striking tool.
For example, woodworking requires lightweight hammers or rubber mallets. Whereas, a sledgehammer is a good choice for demolishing or crushing the hard materials.
Thus, it is important to consider different factors such as material, task, striking surface, power required, etc while choosing the striking tool.
Conclusion
Overall, selecting the right striking tool is crucial so that you can do your job effortlessly. Using the wrong striking tool can affect your productivity, as well as it can damage the material. Also, you should ensure the grip and balance of the tool in hand to properly use the tool and ace your task.
Get yourself high-quality striking tools at JCBL Handtools. Here, we manufacture products up to international quality standards to satisfy your needs. Click here it check out our product range.
FAQ
What are striking tools?
Whether hit or strike an object, striking tools are a handful. There are various types of striking tools based on their size, design, and purpose like hammers, punches, chisels, etc.
What are the uses of striking tools in the workshop?
In the workshop, striking tools are used to shape materials, drive in or pull out nails, and other tasks where forceful impact is required.
What are the 4 types of striking tools?
Hammers, punches, chisels, and drifts are the four types of striking tools. Some other types of striking tools include clawhammers, rubber mallets, dead blow hammers, and crowbars.
