For all you young guys watching this listen to what he is saying . I am 61 and had to change careers because of the damage to my elbows. And getting down on my is not fun it hurts.
Stiletto are great hammers, I have 3 of them, but have since moved to Martinez hammers. The ability to change the whole head, claw and all, was a factor.
Good morning Rob. Great segment! I too am a bit of a hammer snob........in all honesty I never spent the dollars on a Stiletto hammer and I wish that I did. I have had a new role in our industry and only swing the hammer for our home remodeling or my kids projects......so those hammers I have that hang from my "sacred tool belt"......have many memories of many trim carpentry jobs. However, after seeing what you have posted......I am going to add that very same trim hammer to my belt. Change at any stage is smart if it helps our aging bodies. Thanks again for all you bring to our industry!
Wise words Rob. Titanium hammers are not that common in Oz due to the price. You guys make them. After shipping and exchange rate. These are seriously expensive hammers. But for a few years I have had a Stiletto framer. I like it yes. But there are two problems for me. It is not a general purpose hammer. A 20 Oz steel hammer, like what I have used for most of my 42 years as a carpenter. I can carry that one hammer and go from framing, to demo, to panel pins. And comfortably, for me, do all. The head on the framer is too big for fine work. And the length too long also. And to have another titanium finish hammer at several hundred dollars is prohibitive. Secondly. Too little too late. I have had the hand operations. The knee operations. Damaged tendons. Cut nerves. Crush injuries. Slipped discs. Industrial deafness. If there is an injury that can happen in our trade, I have had it. Often multiples. Now in my sixties It has taken its toll. When I first started a titanium framer would have been a God send. We hand nailed every nail of every house. 3 inch, 4 inch nails pounding all day. For young blokes starting out. Don't think it can't happen to you. Because it can and will. Unless you take precautions early. I am one of the blokes that dosed up on pain killers to numb the pain and keep working. The game is hard enough. Work smart.
Today's young carpenters MOSTLY will use nailers but theres still enough nailing to justify a lighter, less vibe hammer. Good luck to you sir, and its never too late!
Kids now a day have the luxury of battery operated nailer’s and framing nailer’s to make their lives easier and safer. Even over pneumatic for the hearing safety away from compressors.
I feel your pain...literally. On a stiletto mini-14 at the moment, length is good, as a general use hammer it's a good choice. At $400 aus, it's a pricey choice though, especially for youngsters starting out...but the lesson to be learnt is that you start thinking about the long term early, the grind on your joints only shows up later, and if you wait till then it's too late.
4:00 -- Rob I had a similar situation in my thumb, index, and middle fingers of both hands stemming from vibration injuries in a factory. Was denied workman's comp. I believe I damaged the nerve going through my carpal tunnel. Here's how I relieved the tingles and pain by 80% or more: I religiously wore powerful wrist-straps every night (both wrists) along with 3 full strength doses of ibuprofin every day for two years. No surgery, never even visited a doctor, but this routine helped TREMENDOUSLY. I used the 3M Futuro deluxe wrist stabilizers from CVS Pharmacy. When worn they go from mid palm to one-third of the way up your forearm. They are light grey or biege colored. About $30 each and totally worth it. The straps last about 4 months of nightly use before needing replacement due to velcro becoming too loose. Relief from morning pain is immediate but actual healing took 1.5 years. Nerves fix themselves slowly; the nerve pain is aggravated by the fact that we all curl our wrists when we sleep, especially if we like to sleep cold (adding extra blankets helps too). I was 28-31 years old during this time. Major downsides of this strap treatment: 1) the straps fit around your thumbs and can chafe your skin area there. Apply a nice skin lotion before applying the straps before bed and after you wake up. If the skin chaffing gets really bad (like mine did) you can buy those thin, velvet-like three-finger gloves for shooting billards, put them on first, then put your straps on over the billards gloves. The thinner the glove the better. Got my pair on Amazon for cheap and they were very thin with no velcro to interfere with the actual wrist strap. 2) The wrist straps are not sexy at all so if you've got a wife or girlfriend prepare to catch some sass. The wrist strap velcro is also loud to remove and could annoy your partner in the early morning. 3) You will go through many straps as they only last 4 months but it's worth it. Wear the straps as tight as you can without cutting off circulation. I'm not a medical professional so consult with a doctor first. I hope my experience helps.
Jake - thanks for taking the time to comment. I have one iof those braces and have worn them at night but not that long. Thats a lot of motrin over a long period of time. - did you have any stomach issues?
@@ConcordCarpenter- No stomach issues for me. I'm always careful to take any pills with food if allowed and plenty of water. Always take pills long before going to bed so they are digested properly. And it wasn't Motrin, it was just Walgreens or CVS no-name ibuprofen. 200mg hard pills. And frankly I don't think the pills were the major repairer of my wrists anyway, it was the religious wearing of the straps. So if you want to cut out the pills go ahead. Get the same brand straps I mentioned. If the straps chafe your skin around your thumb's base, those thin, three finger billards gloves that go over just your thumb, index, and middle digits help as I mentioned. The tingling pain is caused by your wrists curling inward every night when you are deepest into your sleep-cycle, which in turn tightens bones and ligaments around your wrist nerves for hours, which in turn leads to weakness and pain when you wake. The straps keep your wrists straight through the night and prevent the nerves being crushed. It's exactly like the numbness and pain you feel in your legs when you sit on the toilet too long but now imagine it going on for hours in your sleep. I looked ridiculous every night wearing this but the method really helped. I assumed I would be wearing the straps forever or until I got surgery but the tingling pain spontaneously went away after about 18 months (I had also stopped exposing myself to the severe vibration at work and took care to avoid elsewhere). I'm 36 now and my tingling wrist pain is 90% relieved. I no longer take ibuprofen for the tingling and no longer wear the straps except for the occasional bad days. Pain also comes back mildly for a few mins if I lay on my side on someone's crappy couch and prop my head up with my hand. Best of luck to you! Forgot to mention: doing half- and full-body-weight pushups also helped. I believe these exercises loosen the wrists and strengthen the forearm muscles on the top of your forearm. The top forearm muscles being stronger counteract the amount of subconscious wrist curling you do at night. Also giving up caffeine helps a lot.
If I do too much rough framing, I get the same carpel tunnel in my wrists with one or both hands being numb. The wrist braces definitely help but not completely.
@@ConcordCarpenter-- Glad to hear it! That brand splint is the best one I've ever used but the velcro and its related strap weaken quickly like I mentioned. Be prepared to buy multiple splints, they're worth it. Hopefully you are not getting bad skin chafing around the base of your thumb? See my above note about it. Other things that helped me recover: 1) Avoid the vibrations and/or source of injury if you can. I was able to quit my job for a less physical office job. This will be tough for a working carpenter obviously unless you go full "boss mode" and only use the muscles on your pointing finger. 2) Reduce caffeine intake dramatically. Caffeine greatly restricts your blood vessels' inner diameter, thus increasing blood pressure, thus increasing constrictions in and around your affected nerves. 3) Stay warm at night. Go to bed uncomfortably warm even. Best of luck to you!
You bring up a good point about injury- this is why the advice to get steel framed hammers kind of sucks! "But they don't break!" If you break your hammer (unless you've put a massive amount of mileage on it), you're doing it wrong, get the 2, 3, 4lb hand sledge and pry bar. Hickory or titanium handled hammers are the way to go.
I use their 10 ounce hammer as a finish carpenter. I only use it to beat stuff into place when I need something more than just my Vaughan soft face hammer. I’ve never used my Stiletto to drive a single nail or even pull a nail. Sometimes, I use it as a pry bar. 240ish dollars is a lot for a club and a pry bar. I’m sure it’s a great tool though
Started framing in 94. My boss was adamant that a lighter hammer, swinging faster did the same amount of work. Keeping your arm directly under your shoulder,and hand all 3 in plane whenever possible. Thank you Mart Eash for saving (somewhat my shoulder. I only cut hardwood shims with a hammer. Vaughan 20 oz,fiberglass handle can still do some damage.
Been rocking a Stiletto for years, don't need the nail starter, wish there was an option without it. I used the top 1/4 of the head in tight places with my old Estwing, only thing I miss about it.
Been swinging a hammer since 1985. Never used a titanium hammer. I do not have any Injuries from my years of construction, carrying rock and block and lumber, leading big jobs, and swinging away. I feel lucky, because my grandpa, cousin, and friends, all show contractor body break down. I'm 61and still swinging, get 6 hours of sleep, still pain free. Might try titanium. I love a good hammer.
@@ConcordCarpenter Yep my customers used to warn me, go home don't work so hard so late. Your body will break down. I only went home when I met my goal. I am just a fuss about things being just right. My buddy would go home on schedule every day. Then I'd go back and straighten anything that looked crooked, being real careful no one would notice me correcting their crappy work. My jobs never got comebacks, or sued. Real lucky Another guy I knew got sued a lot. One day though I got on a job and a fellow (partner'snephew) had installed six toilets. I inspected them and tore them all out. Boy was my partner mad. They were flipping out all over me. But he calmed down I showed him the problem.. Dumb guy used pennies to level the toilets instead of doing it right! There were pennies all in the wax!
Spinal injuries from a car rollover here...the titanium hammers give me the ability to work above shoulder level which is impossible with a heavier steel hammer. Using a Stiletto mini-14 currently, and the only flaw I see in it is the rubber handle grip. It catches on belt hammer loops (corrected by a few rounds of duct tape), and I have seen some hacked up pretty badly over years of use. Apart from that I have no complaints. Still worth the cost in my case.
Driving nails is the last thing I use my hammer for nowadays unless I'm doing some concrete wall forming. In that case, I prefer a hammer that I can hit with the side (so I can drive nails in tight spaces). I think I would ratter carry a hammer made for demo than one made to drive nails. I've been using a 15 oz short handle Estwing for a few years and it's fine for my use.
How would you rate the titanium hammer for a carpet/flooring installer? I have an 18oz steel hammer which I use to hammer tack strips to wood floors but a 20oz steel to hammer tack strips to concrete. My question is: would a lighter titanium hammer be better for hammering into concrete floors over my heavier steel due to the lower vibration? Or do I really need the added weight of the heavy steel hammer?
The nail groove was invented by Stiletto, or did they just add a magnet? I ask because I have my grandfather's finish claw hammer that he used in the 1930s. It has a nail groove. It doesn't have a magnet to secure the nail. Instead, it uses two spring-loaded ball bearings.
Another great review 👍 How would you comment on using this as every day hammer, I current use a Stiletto T bone 14, don't do much framing but want a smaller lighter hammer.?
Thinking about picking up a titanium hammer. Im just unsure whether to go with Stiletto or Martinez. If anyone has used both, would appreciate your input!
That’s a tough one. Hammers are personal preference. But as a Martinez user you can’t go wrong with the m1 super low effort hard hitting hammer. And it has replacement parts so I’ll stick with m1.
@@pablopataconpretty much use pneumatic or now battery. End of day I’m not sore just hot and sweaty. Never really whailed using a hammer that’s a failure of measure/cut😅 But the advise at the end good for the newbie.
Stiletto by far is the best hammer. I do have to throw in that a heavy hammer is s still great for scaffolding. You need that knock down power for putting nails though walkboards.
I've been swinging the same 14oz Stiletto since March 2007! My current handle is from 2009 and is so comfortably worn down it's now form fitted!
For all you young guys watching this listen to what he is saying . I am 61 and had to change careers because of the damage to my elbows. And getting down on my is not fun it hurts.
Thank you so much for this review, i appreciate all the reviews over the years, has helped me make the right choices when buying tools
Thanks for commenting!
Stiletto are great hammers, I have 3 of them, but have since moved to Martinez hammers. The ability to change the whole head, claw and all, was a factor.
Good morning Rob. Great segment! I too am a bit of a hammer snob........in all honesty I never spent the dollars on a Stiletto hammer and I wish that I did. I have had a new role in our industry and only swing the hammer for our home remodeling or my kids projects......so those hammers I have that hang from my "sacred tool belt"......have many memories of many trim carpentry jobs. However, after seeing what you have posted......I am going to add that very same trim hammer to my belt. Change at any stage is smart if it helps our aging bodies. Thanks again for all you bring to our industry!
Wise words Rob. Titanium hammers are not that common in Oz due to the price. You guys make them. After shipping and exchange rate. These are seriously expensive hammers. But for a few years I have had a Stiletto framer. I like it yes. But there are two problems for me. It is not a general purpose hammer. A 20 Oz steel hammer, like what I have used for most of my 42 years as a carpenter. I can carry that one hammer and go from framing, to demo, to panel pins. And comfortably, for me, do all. The head on the framer is too big for fine work. And the length too long also. And to have another titanium finish hammer at several hundred dollars is prohibitive. Secondly. Too little too late. I have had the hand operations. The knee operations. Damaged tendons. Cut nerves. Crush injuries. Slipped discs. Industrial deafness. If there is an injury that can happen in our trade, I have had it. Often multiples. Now in my sixties It has taken its toll. When I first started a titanium framer would have been a God send. We hand nailed every nail of every house. 3 inch, 4 inch nails pounding all day. For young blokes starting out. Don't think it can't happen to you. Because it can and will. Unless you take precautions early. I am one of the blokes that dosed up on pain killers to numb the pain and keep working. The game is hard enough. Work smart.
Today's young carpenters MOSTLY will use nailers but theres still enough nailing to justify a lighter, less vibe hammer. Good luck to you sir, and its never too late!
Kids now a day have the luxury of battery operated nailer’s and framing nailer’s to make their lives easier and safer. Even over pneumatic for the hearing safety away from compressors.
I feel your pain...literally. On a stiletto mini-14 at the moment, length is good, as a general use hammer it's a good choice. At $400 aus, it's a pricey choice though, especially for youngsters starting out...but the lesson to be learnt is that you start thinking about the long term early, the grind on your joints only shows up later, and if you wait till then it's too late.
Best tool review team ever !!!
Thank you
4:00 -- Rob I had a similar situation in my thumb, index, and middle fingers of both hands stemming from vibration injuries in a factory. Was denied workman's comp. I believe I damaged the nerve going through my carpal tunnel.
Here's how I relieved the tingles and pain by 80% or more: I religiously wore powerful wrist-straps every night (both wrists) along with 3 full strength doses of ibuprofin every day for two years. No surgery, never even visited a doctor, but this routine helped TREMENDOUSLY.
I used the 3M Futuro deluxe wrist stabilizers from CVS Pharmacy. When worn they go from mid palm to one-third of the way up your forearm. They are light grey or biege colored. About $30 each and totally worth it. The straps last about 4 months of nightly use before needing replacement due to velcro becoming too loose. Relief from morning pain is immediate but actual healing took 1.5 years. Nerves fix themselves slowly; the nerve pain is aggravated by the fact that we all curl our wrists when we sleep, especially if we like to sleep cold (adding extra blankets helps too). I was 28-31 years old during this time.
Major downsides of this strap treatment: 1) the straps fit around your thumbs and can chafe your skin area there. Apply a nice skin lotion before applying the straps before bed and after you wake up. If the skin chaffing gets really bad (like mine did) you can buy those thin, velvet-like three-finger gloves for shooting billards, put them on first, then put your straps on over the billards gloves. The thinner the glove the better. Got my pair on Amazon for cheap and they were very thin with no velcro to interfere with the actual wrist strap. 2) The wrist straps are not sexy at all so if you've got a wife or girlfriend prepare to catch some sass. The wrist strap velcro is also loud to remove and could annoy your partner in the early morning. 3) You will go through many straps as they only last 4 months but it's worth it. Wear the straps as tight as you can without cutting off circulation.
I'm not a medical professional so consult with a doctor first. I hope my experience helps.
Jake - thanks for taking the time to comment. I have one iof those braces and have worn them at night but not that long. Thats a lot of motrin over a long period of time. - did you have any stomach issues?
@@ConcordCarpenter- No stomach issues for me. I'm always careful to take any pills with food if allowed and plenty of water. Always take pills long before going to bed so they are digested properly. And it wasn't Motrin, it was just Walgreens or CVS no-name ibuprofen. 200mg hard pills.
And frankly I don't think the pills were the major repairer of my wrists anyway, it was the religious wearing of the straps. So if you want to cut out the pills go ahead.
Get the same brand straps I mentioned. If the straps chafe your skin around your thumb's base, those thin, three finger billards gloves that go over just your thumb, index, and middle digits help as I mentioned. The tingling pain is caused by your wrists curling inward every night when you are deepest into your sleep-cycle, which in turn tightens bones and ligaments around your wrist nerves for hours, which in turn leads to weakness and pain when you wake. The straps keep your wrists straight through the night and prevent the nerves being crushed. It's exactly like the numbness and pain you feel in your legs when you sit on the toilet too long but now imagine it going on for hours in your sleep.
I looked ridiculous every night wearing this but the method really helped. I assumed I would be wearing the straps forever or until I got surgery but the tingling pain spontaneously went away after about 18 months (I had also stopped exposing myself to the severe vibration at work and took care to avoid elsewhere).
I'm 36 now and my tingling wrist pain is 90% relieved. I no longer take ibuprofen for the tingling and no longer wear the straps except for the occasional bad days. Pain also comes back mildly for a few mins if I lay on my side on someone's crappy couch and prop my head up with my hand. Best of luck to you!
Forgot to mention: doing half- and full-body-weight pushups also helped. I believe these exercises loosen the wrists and strengthen the forearm muscles on the top of your forearm. The top forearm muscles being stronger counteract the amount of subconscious wrist curling you do at night. Also giving up caffeine helps a lot.
If I do too much rough framing, I get the same carpel tunnel in my wrists with one or both hands being numb. The wrist braces definitely help but not completely.
Jake, the wrist splint is working. Been wearing it for 2 weeks
@@ConcordCarpenter-- Glad to hear it! That brand splint is the best one I've ever used but the velcro and its related strap weaken quickly like I mentioned. Be prepared to buy multiple splints, they're worth it.
Hopefully you are not getting bad skin chafing around the base of your thumb? See my above note about it.
Other things that helped me recover:
1) Avoid the vibrations and/or source of injury if you can. I was able to quit my job for a less physical office job. This will be tough for a working carpenter obviously unless you go full "boss mode" and only use the muscles on your pointing finger.
2) Reduce caffeine intake dramatically. Caffeine greatly restricts your blood vessels' inner diameter, thus increasing blood pressure, thus increasing constrictions in and around your affected nerves.
3) Stay warm at night. Go to bed uncomfortably warm even.
Best of luck to you!
Just got a stiletto a year ago. Worth the money. Amazing thing.
Nice nail belt you’ve got there too
Diamondback 701 vest
You bring up a good point about injury- this is why the advice to get steel framed hammers kind of sucks! "But they don't break!" If you break your hammer (unless you've put a massive amount of mileage on it), you're doing it wrong, get the 2, 3, 4lb hand sledge and pry bar. Hickory or titanium handled hammers are the way to go.
I use their 10 ounce hammer as a finish carpenter. I only use it to beat stuff into place when I need something more than just my Vaughan soft face hammer. I’ve never used my Stiletto to drive a single nail or even pull a nail. Sometimes, I use it as a pry bar. 240ish dollars is a lot for a club and a pry bar. I’m sure it’s a great tool though
Started framing in 94.
My boss was adamant that a lighter hammer, swinging faster did the same amount of work.
Keeping your arm directly under your shoulder,and hand all 3 in plane whenever possible.
Thank you Mart Eash for saving (somewhat my shoulder.
I only cut hardwood shims with a hammer.
Vaughan 20 oz,fiberglass handle can still do some damage.
Been rocking a Stiletto for years, don't need the nail starter, wish there was an option without it. I used the top 1/4 of the head in tight places with my old Estwing, only thing I miss about it.
Wow! No idea hammers could cost so much.
Been swinging a hammer since 1985. Never used a titanium hammer. I do not have any Injuries from my years of construction, carrying rock and block and lumber, leading big jobs, and swinging away. I feel lucky, because my grandpa, cousin, and friends, all show contractor body break down. I'm 61and still swinging, get 6 hours of sleep, still pain free. Might try titanium. I love a good hammer.
I'm jealous
@@ConcordCarpenter Yep my customers used to warn me, go home don't work so hard so late. Your body will break down. I only went home when I met my goal. I am just a fuss about things being just right. My buddy would go home on schedule every day. Then I'd go back and straighten anything that looked crooked, being real careful no one would notice me correcting their crappy work. My jobs never got comebacks, or sued. Real lucky Another guy I knew got sued a lot. One day though I got on a job and a fellow (partner'snephew) had installed six toilets. I inspected them and tore them all out. Boy was my partner mad. They were flipping out all over me. But he calmed down I showed him the problem.. Dumb guy used pennies to level the toilets instead of doing it right! There were pennies all in the wax!
Thanks Rob 😎⚒️😎⚒️😎
Hi Ted
Thanks for the explanation!
Spinal injuries from a car rollover here...the titanium hammers give me the ability to work above shoulder level which is impossible with a heavier steel hammer. Using a Stiletto mini-14 currently, and the only flaw I see in it is the rubber handle grip. It catches on belt hammer loops (corrected by a few rounds of duct tape), and I have seen some hacked up pretty badly over years of use. Apart from that I have no complaints. Still worth the cost in my case.
Everything you said is true, these should be PSA, s get one you'll wonderr why you weighted so long, the elbow thing isnt pleasant
Agreed- we're stubborn and stuck in our ways
Driving nails is the last thing I use my hammer for nowadays unless I'm doing some concrete wall forming. In that case, I prefer a hammer that I can hit with the side (so I can drive nails in tight spaces). I think I would ratter carry a hammer made for demo than one made to drive nails. I've been using a 15 oz short handle Estwing for a few years and it's fine for my use.
2 hammer in 1 😍😍😍
That is one sexy hammer. What do you think of Estwing hammers in comparison?
estwing was my first hammer then a Vaughan - good hammers
How would you rate the titanium hammer for a carpet/flooring installer? I have an 18oz steel hammer which I use to hammer tack strips to wood floors but a 20oz steel to hammer tack strips to concrete.
My question is: would a lighter titanium hammer be better for hammering into concrete floors over my heavier steel due to the lower vibration? Or do I really need the added weight of the heavy steel hammer?
hmmm hot sure on that one
Will the cap fit on the 10oz. Hickory handled.
The nail groove was invented by Stiletto, or did they just add a magnet? I ask because I have my grandfather's finish claw hammer that he used in the 1930s. It has a nail groove. It doesn't have a magnet to secure the nail. Instead, it uses two spring-loaded ball bearings.
Cool would love to see a pic
My dad also has a hammer thats over 30 years old which has a nail groove at the top
Fuking awesome
Tell me the total weight of the hammer
Another great review 👍 How would you comment on using this as every day hammer, I current use a Stiletto T bone 14, don't do much framing but want a smaller lighter hammer.?
I have both and switch between them with diff. applications
You guys don’t like Martinez hammers?
Great hammer😊
Thinking about picking up a titanium hammer. Im just unsure whether to go with Stiletto or Martinez. If anyone has used both, would appreciate your input!
There both awesome!
That’s a tough one. Hammers are personal preference. But as a Martinez user you can’t go wrong with the m1 super low effort hard hitting hammer. And it has replacement parts so I’ll stick with m1.
Stiletto swings much better. Martinez didn’t make stiletto. Mark martinez helped design them. Go with stiletto
Yeah, but if you put it down, and leave it for a minute, someone will steal it,, imho,, so,, you must have a hammer loop on your belt,, 🤣🤣
Douglas Hammers
What about them
@@pablopataconthe finest built hammers still made by family tradition and quality who start the flat head design.
@@Dirtyharry70585 learn something new every day. I’ll check them out. Have you used stiletto and still like yours better?
@@Dirtyharry70585 Ill check them out
@@pablopataconpretty much use pneumatic or now battery. End of day I’m not sore just hot and sweaty. Never really whailed using a hammer that’s a failure of measure/cut😅 But the advise at the end good for the newbie.
If your three fingers go numb or hurt, you most likely have carpal tunnel. Go get surgery don't you don't have to live with the pain.
It is Carpal Tunnel
Stiletto by far is the best hammer. I do have to throw in that a heavy hammer is s still great for scaffolding. You need that knock down power for putting nails though walkboards.