The intelligent, time-tested design of a hammer provides a long handle both to increase reach and to multiply the user's power through rotational force. The handle also helps to mitigate some of the impact shock.
If you remove all of those advantages, then you get the Hammer Fist. This tool was invented by a toy/product designer, and was apparently intended as an earnest effort.
Here's how you're meant to use it:
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I just don't know where to begin. It's not as if the compact design is useful in tight spaces; your arm is still required to hold the thing, and if you can reach your arm into a space, you can also reach a standard hammer into that space. The increased surface area of the striking face seems like a recipe for overstrikes and marring, should you hit the nail anything less than dead perpendicular. With no handle to serve as a force multiplier, it's just you and your muscles. It also seems the impact shocks would be transmitted more directly into your finger joints and wrist.
The description says the tool can pull nails, but again you've got decreased leverage from the absence of a handle.
That being said, I'm not a contractor and don't earn my living hammering nails. I was also shocked to see this tool is carried by Home Depot, which at least in my region services working contractors and is generally not in the business of offering items that don't sell. So it's entirely possible this tool has an advantage I'm ignorant of. I'm open to learning what that is, so if the benefits are obvious to you, please do share it in the comments.
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Comments
I love gimmicks, but this is just a bad idea designed to take money from unwitting do-it-yourseflers with money to burn. I know the risk that an errant hammer strike can mash a finger or thumb, but a miss with this device could result in stitches and tetanus. I'm sure we'll see the recall notices from the Consumer Products Safety Division before too long.
No Officer, this is a fist hammer, not brass knuckles.
As someone who has designed hand tools and power tools for the big players, I can't stop thinking of all the pain that's about to come. Knuckles, fingers, wrists and employment of a particular category buyer at THD.
This totally negates the advantages of the long moment arm of a real hammer. Lots of wrist injuries and impaled hands to come.
Does not look like it has a great deal of mass, too. Inertia is the one principle that makes a hammer hammer.
Included in the 21 U.S. states where brass knuckles are illegal or prohibited in some measure, are California, Michigan, Vermont and Illinois, which "prohibit the possession, use or sale of knuckles or anything that even looks like knuckle dusters."
Not a contractor, but I did a complete gut & remodel of my house. Framing in tight existing conditions and nailing joist hangers or Simpson earthquake shear clips was impossible with a hammer. If I could reach it the swing distance was minimal and ineffectual. The solution was a palm nailer
You forgot the added bonus that if you don't strike true, there's a chance you could slip left or right and impale a portion of your hand!
Funny thing to notice, when he actually grips it like a hammer (as much as one can), the nail is driven 2x as much as when he's using his fist.
LOL, Why not a helmet of steel so you can use your head instead?
Built-in bottle opener? Honestly if you bought one of these you have already had enough.
Two unrelated thoughts:
Total crap. Serioslly, the one creating this shit should look for another job.
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
Pretty poor substitute for a hammer. Might get better reception if it was pitched as a general bashing tool / rugged speed square type of thing.
First time you miss and remove all skin from your knuckles you'll yeet it in the trash and consider legal action.