PSA: Old timer told me my hammer handles were too short

A guy who's been forging since the 70s watched me work for maybe 2 minutes before he called me over. Said my hammer handles were about 3 inches too short for my height. I'm 6 foot 2 and I was using a 12 inch handle like an idiot. Swapped to a 15 inch handle last week and my elbow pain dropped by half. Anyone else get told they're using the wrong length tool for their body?

2 comments

2 Comments

craig.tessa1mo ago

Had a buddy who was around 6 foot 4, used a 14 inch handle on his rounding hammer for years. Complained about his shoulder locking up after long sessions. Finally watched some videos online and realized he was choking up on the handle weird because it was too short. Swapped to a 17 inch handle and the shoulder thing basically went away. He said it felt awkward for the first week but after that he couldn't believe he waited so long.

xena_kim1mo agoMost Upvoted

That 17 inch handle jump is a bigger difference than most people realize. Did your buddy notice any change in his swing mechanics or just the shoulder pain going away? Curious if he had to adjust his stance or grip at all to make the longer handle work right.