The 7 Best Ball Peen Hammers
This wiki has been updated 17 times since it was first published in August of 2019. A ball-peen hammer is often used by machinists and blacksmiths, but is also excellent for any striking needs. The weight and shape can be helpful when chiseling, riveting, metal shaping, surface hardening, and even for relieving the internal stresses of metals. Our selections were made considering details such as materials, comfort of use, and general build quality. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Craftsman 9-38466
2. Estwing E3-16BP
3. Vaughan TC848
Editor's Notes
August 08, 2019:
Ball peen hammers are now very rarely used for their intended purpose: peening. However, its shape and weight have guaranteed that it has remained a common choice for specialized and general purpose hammering. They are comfortable to use as a normal striking hammer and the hemispherical side of the head can be used for all manner of tasks in shaping metal.
The Craftsman 9-38466 is an excellent tool that is perfectly simple and perfectly built. It has everything you want your ball peen hammer to have: it has a nice hickory handle, it is attached using dual metal wedges, the head is drop-forged, the faces are nicely ground, the bevels are softly curved so you won't gouge your material, it is very affordable, and it looks like your grandfather would have used it. As far as reliability, nothing will outlast the Estwing E3-16BP because it eliminates the failure point where the head is mated to the handle that is present in other styles of hammers.
Using ball peen hammers can be dangerous. Safety precautions should be observed to avoid personal injury or damage to equipment.
4. Estwing MRW16BP
5. Proto J1316AVP
6. Vaughan 151-30 TC504
7. Real Steel 0506
Rafael Perez is a doctoral candidate in philosophy at the University of Rochester. His primary focus is the metaphysics of time and the philosophy of mind, with a particular interest in artificial intelligence and antirepresentational models of the mind. He has extensive experience as a mechanic, a construction worker, and a general repairman. This has allowed him to gather a wealth of knowledge on automobile repair, auto parts, carpentry, masonry, welding, and the tools used in those trades. In his spare time, he enjoys playing guitar, woodworking, and fishing.