Took my old rock hammer vs a new Estwing to a basalt outcrop near Bend

The Estwing's one piece steel handle didn't wobble after 20 solid hits, while my old one with the wooden handle started coming loose. Anyone have a favorite hammer for tough igneous stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

joseph_roberts2mo ago

Ever notice how the simple one piece design always wins out? My old camping axe had the same wood handle problem, but my grandpa's solid steel hatchet from the 50s still works perfect. Makes you wonder why we ever moved away from that kind of build for hard use tools?

charlesb892mo ago

Cost cutting, plain and simple?

skyler_adams1mo ago

Got to push back a little on the solid steel idea. A full steel handle transmits way more shock up your arm, which is rough on your joints over time. That old hatchet works, but it's not kind to the user. The move away from that was about making tools better to use, not just cheaper. A good wood or modern composite handle soaks up a lot of that vibration. The problem now is cheap wood that isn't dried right, not the idea of a separate handle itself.