The term ball peen hammer first saw print in 1874, when a mechanic's dictionary referred to it as a "metal worker's hammer with a spherical peen." The ball side isn't used to drive nails; instead, its ...

Hammers like the Klein Tools straight-claw, smooth head hammer, help to ensure that surfaces remain unmarked -- or at least undimpled -- avoiding unnecessary follow-on touch-ups or full-blown repairs.

The Stiletto Trimbone hammer, made almost entirely of titanium, is lighter, more convenient, ... because I feel like I’m betraying my trusty 20-ounce Estwing rip-claw hammer, ...