[TheForge] uri hammer- wrist snap?

[Phlip]

I've noticed a couple of you, in describing the Uro Hofi hammer, talking 
about a wrist snap?

One of the first things I was taught, and had repeated often, was that 
the LAST thing you want to do is use your wrist in hammering, reason 
being that the muscles are much less strong than your biceps, and the 
joint itself is much more subject to damage on impact if it's misaligned 
when hammering.

That said, I'd be interested in trying the Uri hammer, but not for $100- 
110. First off, they're too heavy for my preference- 2 lbs is my ideal 
weight, I've discovered, and I was fortunate enough to be given my ideal 
hammer- a 2 lb turning hammer, old and battered, which has the wonderful 
characteristic of hitting _exactly_ where I aim it, even when I'm tired.

As far as long vs short handles, for _MY_ hammer, I have cut the handle 
to where it's ideal for me, just to get all that extra length out of my 
way. I leave my other hammers with longer handles, though, and teach my 
students to choke up on the handle. It seems to me, that I'd rather have 
to make two blows with good accuracy and moderate power, than one blow 
with indifferent accuracy and lots of power, never mind the other 47 
blows needed to correct the inaccuracy ;-)

Wooley said:

I bought a  Tom Clark hammer at Gichners a couple of years ago.  I 
played with it  from time to time for most of the day before I decided 
to buy it. I really didn't want to spend $100 for a hammer, but it just 
felt really good in my hand.  The weight (22oz) and shape and length of 
the handle did the trick.

Sounds like an interesting hammer- I was taught originally, using a 22 
oz turning hammer, and I really could use a lighter hammer for some 
projects. Any chance you could send me a picture? Or, are these hammers 
on line somewhere?

Saint Phlip