Awesome Hammers

We never really thought about it before, but some hammers are made with other hammers. This video from Process X takes us inside a small tool factory in Japan to see how a skilled blacksmith makes various traditional hammer heads by forging steel and shaping each one using a pneumatic power hammer and hand tools.

We’ve previously seen art that was made by cracking sheets of glass. Artist Uncle Liu uses a pointed hammer to create tiny chips in glass, creating pointilist portraits from the indentations. You can find more of his astounding glass artworks on his page on Chinese website Douyin.

It’s not too hard for most mortals to lift dumbbells. On the other hand, you must prove yourself worthy to lift Mjölnir. Random Hands shows us how they cut up plates from rusty old dumbbells and welded the metal together to make a hefty but liftable version of Thor’s mighty hammer. The finished Mjölnir can be wielded by a new owner for $5000.

Most toolboxes have a screwdriver, hammer, pliers, and other basic tools. But sometimes, you need a specialized tool to get the job done. We’ve selected 15 cool and unique tools that can make quick work of various tasks, from removing stripped screws to cutting carpet to driving screws and nails in tight quarters.

This versatile hand tool facilitates several demolition tasks in one. Its uniquely-shaped head and handle can grab and yank out 2x4s, extract nails, chisel and punch holes in building materials, and more. It’s also got a built-in magnetic nail holder and a soft, injection-molded handle that provides a firm grip and absorbs shock.

As we’ve seen before, blacksmith Dmitry Shevchenko (aka Shurap) loves to make things by melting down metal hardware. While he usually forges knives, this time he turned his attention to making a uniquely-textured hammer out of a bunch of screws.

Thor’s mighty hammer can only be lifted by those who are worthy. Random Hands qualified for the feat by building their own Mjolnir, cutting apart an old bench anvil, attaching laser-cut decorations, lathing a metal handle, then covering it with wood and metal rings. Watching the grinder remove the old surface is so satisfying.

The makers of the Hammer Fist claim the compact multitool can drive nails, despite being about the size of a set of brass knuckles. LRN2DIY put the tool to the test to see if it works as well as they say. The big difference between the Hammer Fist and a conventional hammer is that it relies more on your strength than the kinetic energy of a swinging handle.

You can run down to the Home Depot and pick up a tool that uses gunpowder or compressed air to drive nails. I Did a Thing tried his hand at building his own explosive-powered nail gun, but his looks like a hammer, plus, it’s much more dangerous than off-the shelf tools. Kids, don’t dance barefoot on your lathe.

If you’ve ever had to hammer a nail in a tight space, you’ll appreciate Skil’s cordless power hammer. It can drive nails up to 3.5″ long with its percussive action. A magnet holds nails for one-handed driving, and its head adjusts between 0º, 45º, and 90º angles. Includes a 2.0Ah lithium battery and a quick charger. Demo video here.

If you’re not careful hammering nails, you can really smash your fingers. But Veysel Çelik has his nailing technique down to a science. We watched in awe as the professional builder banged in nail after nail in exactly the right spot with just a tap and a hit every time.

Given how beautiful this sledgehammer looks, we’re not sure we’d hit anything with it. The 10-pound steel hammer is handmade by Joseph’s Metal Works. Its bronze-accented head is filled with steel shot BBs, with a torched patina and a protective clear coat. Deerskin leather wraps around its metal handle.

This brass mini hammer from Barnett Prototyping is designed for tapping in nails in tight places where an ordinary hammer and handle won’t fit. It’s especially useful for things like pushing in cable staples along a baseboard, and also works as a nutcracker. Comes in 1.5″ long x 3/4″ diameter and 2″ long x 1″ diameter sizes.

A murdered-out version of the tough-as-nails Hardcore Hammer 2.0. It has a hefty 21 oz. steel head with an 18″ American hickory handle. Its head is made with a Ferritic Nitro-Carburizing (FNC) process which makes it incredibly hard. It has dual magnets for holding nails, and its waffle face keeps nails from slipping when struck.

A while back, the guys from How Ridiculous built a stupidly large hammer for smashing stuff. To kick off their latest round of hammer-induced carnage, they used it to drive a giant nail into the ground. Then they used it to screenprint a bunch of t-shirts, launch some baseballs, play a piano, and crack open an ATM.

Titanium is just as strong as steel but weighs about 45% less, making it ideal for pocket tools. But hammers depend on their heavy steel heads to drive nails effectively. Regardless of the reduction in driving force, Timothy Dyck’s titanium framing hammer looks amazing, especially with its accidental rainbow anodized finish.

Recently, The Hacksmith and his team built what is likely the world’s largest Thor’s hammer. At the end of that video, he promised they would drop it from a crane to smash things, and now we can share that footage. Among 2-ton Mjolnir’s victims were watermelons, a washing machine, a piano, and a pickup truck.

The Hacksmith spent more than the cost of Tesla Model S to make the world’s largest Thor’s hammer. His team fabricated the enormous Mjolnir by painstakingly welding numerous sheets of steel. It measures more than 15 feet tall when standing on its head. Watching it get dipped into the galvanizing tanks was amazing.

Hammers typically have a solid metal or wood handle and a solid metal head. But this unique hand tool by Hassan Abu-Izmero (with the help of his trainee Damian) conceals that structure under dozens of stainless steel washers welded together. The washers appear to be purely aesthetic, but they sure look cool.

These compact claw hammers might not have the leverage or heft of traditional hand tools, but they’re great for working in tight spaces and small enough to carry in a pocket. Measuring just 4.7″ long and weighing only 8oz., you can even keep one in your EDC pack. Sold in sets of two.

Given how soft copper is, it seems like an unlikely material for a sledgehammer. But it sure looks pretty, so that’s probably why Robinson Foundry decided to make one out of the eye-catching metal. To fabricate it, he first created a 3D-printed form for a sand mold, then filled it with molten copper and machined its final shape.

Random Hands had an old anvil he used for blacksmithing tasks. When it was time to replace the rusty old thing, he chopped out a 40-pound chunk from its center and gradually reworked it into Thor’s mighty hammer, Mjölnir. Stick around to the end to see if he’s worthy and can lift it.

The guys at the Hydraulic Press Channel have been trying to get a hammer to explode under the crushing weight of their 150-ton press. Despite their best efforts, they couldn’t get it to happen. Will adding some liquid nitrogen help make their explosive dreams a reality? Hit play and find out.