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Guide · Hatchets and hammers · Roofing hatchets, claw, rip and framing hammers

What is the difference between a roofing hammer and a regular hammer? Roofing hatchets and the shingle gauge, magnetic cap-nail hammers, 16 vs 20 vs 22 oz, smooth vs milled faces, framing, claw and drywall hammers, and the Estwing warranty

A roofing hammer (roofing hatchet, shingler’s hatchet) has a square, usually milled face for driving roofing nails, a hatchet blade on the back for cutting shingles and splitting shakes, a notch or slot in the blade for pulling nails, and on most models an adjustable gauge pin that sets the shingle exposure (5 inches on standard three-tab) so courses are laid without a tape. A regular claw hammer drives and pulls nails and does nothing else. Weight: 16 oz is the general-purpose head, 20 oz the framer’s and roofer’s choice for longer nails, 22 to 28 oz for framing with a milled face that grips the nail head. Estwing states on its warranty page that its warranty is not a lifetime warranty but that it fully warrants its all-steel hammers against failure in normal use; it makes them in Rockford, Illinois.

Bayshore Safety. Industrial safety, roofing tools and jobsite supplies since 2017. · Current as of November 2026 · the Estwing and C&R hammer product data on this site (E3-S roofing hatchet, E3-CA shingler’s hammer with milled head, E3-11 drywall hatchet, E16S and E20S straight-claw hammers with leather grip, E3-16S and E3-20S with vinyl grip; C&R 14 oz all-metal shingler’s hatchet, IVH-10 roofing hatchet with USA-made hickory handle, 16 and 20 oz all-metal hammers, 16 oz rip hammer, 16 oz fiberglass hammer, 22 oz milled-face framing hammer, 16 oz magnetic hammers and the magnetic cap-nail hatchet); the Estwing warranty page (estwing.com/resources/warranty, fetched Nov 10 2026): "not a lifetime warranty", all-steel hammers warranted against failure in normal use, ANSI/HTI B173.1 for nail hammers, the discard rules; Estwing Mfg. Co., Rockford, Illinois
Hammers and hatchets we stockAll roofing tools
Estwing E3-S Roofing Hatchet, Vinyl GripEstwing E3-S Roofing Hatchet, Vinyl GripThe product data lists the E3-S as the Estwing roofing hatchet with a vinyl grip
$264.59See the product

What a hammer is for. Estwing’s warranty page puts it in one line: nail hammers are made to drive and withdraw common unhardened nails only, and it lists what wrecks one (striking other tools or hardened nails, pulling screws and nail sets, using the side of the head) and when to throw one away (a chipped or mushroomed face, a cracked claw, a dented handle). Everything else people ask — 16 or 20 ounce, milled or smooth, what a roofing hammer looks like, whether Estwing hammers are guaranteed for life, who makes a good one, what a drywall hatchet or a hammer tacker is for — is answered below with that rule in the background. The hammer tacker questions are covered in the staple-gun guide linked below.

Hammers and hatchets, question by question

Weights and features are from the product data on this site; the warranty statements are quoted from estwing.com.

What is the difference between a roofing hammer and a regular hammer, and what does a roofing hammer look like?A roofing hatchet looks like a small axe with a hammer face: a square head with a milled or smooth striking face, a flat hatchet blade behind it with a nail-pulling notch in the edge, a knurled gauge pin that screws into holes along the blade, and a straight handle. The face drives roofing nails and cap nails; the blade splits cedar shakes, trims shingles and cuts through felt; the notch pulls a misdriven nail; the gauge pin, set at the exposure (5 inches for standard shingles, 5-5/8 for metric, 10 inches for shakes), hooks the butt of the course below so the next course is aligned without measuring. A regular curved-claw or straight-claw hammer has none of that; a rip (straight-claw) hammer is what most shingle crews actually carry with nail guns, because the straight claw pries up shingles and decking.
Is a 16 oz or 20 oz hammer better, and what is a 22 oz hammer used for?Neither is better; they are for different nails. 16 oz is the general-purpose head: trim, roofing nails, drywall, repairs, a full day without fatigue. 20 oz drives 16d framing nails and long roofing nails faster and is the common roofer’s and carpenter’s weight; our Estwing E20S and C&R 20Z-MH are that hammer. 22 oz (our Hammer-22, milled face) and 24 to 28 oz are framing hammers: they sink a 16d nail in two blows and are swung with a long handle, and they wear out a wrist on anything smaller. Finishing nails take a 13 to 16 oz smooth-face hammer. The weight on the label is the head only; an all-steel 16 oz Estwing weighs about 2 pounds in the hand.
What are the different types of hammer faces?Smooth: a flat or slightly crowned polished face for finish work and anywhere a missed blow would mark the surface; it slips off a nail head when the swing is off. Milled (waffle, checkered): a face cut with a grid of teeth that grips the nail head and does not skate, for framing and roofing; it leaves a waffle mark on wood and is what Estwing’s warranty page lists as a wear item ("milled face worn down"). Magnetic: a slot with a magnet in the face holds a roofing or cap nail so it can be started one-handed, which is the point of a magnetic roofing hammer (our FH16MAG and the magnetic cap-nail hatchet). Crowned (bell) faces drive a nail flush without marking; dead-blow and soft faces are for assembly, not nails.
What are the different types of hammers, and what are the three or six types?The three most lists name: claw hammer (curved claw, general purpose), framing hammer (straight claw, heavier, often milled) and ball-peen (for metalwork). Six: add the sledge (two-handed, 6 to 20 lb), the club or drilling hammer (a 2 to 4 lb short sledge for stakes, chisels and star drills) and the mallet (rubber, wood or rawhide for assembly). The trade adds the roofing hatchet, the drywall hatchet (a lighter hatchet with a smooth face for drywall nails and a blade for scoring and trimming board; our Estwing E3-11), the tack hammer, the brick hammer (a chisel end for scoring brick), the shingler’s hammer (a milled-face hatchet; our E3-CA) and the magnetic hammer. A hammer is a striking tool; the handle is called the handle, haft or helve; the head has a face, a neck, a cheek, an eye (where the handle passes through) and a claw or peen.
What is a framing hammer, what hammer do carpenters use, and what is a rip hammer?A framing hammer is a 20 to 28 oz straight-claw hammer, usually milled, on a 16 to 18 inch handle, for driving 16d nails in framing lumber; the straight (rip) claw drives between boards to pry them apart, which a curved claw cannot. Carpenters doing framing use it; finish carpenters use a 16 oz smooth-face curved claw. A rip hammer is any straight-claw hammer (our C&R 3030 is a 16 oz rip hammer with a wood handle). The heaviest framing hammers sold are 28 to 32 oz steel heads; titanium framing hammers put a 14 to 16 oz head on a long handle and swing like a 24 oz steel one, at several times the price, which is where the "most expensive framing hammer" questions come from.
Are Estwing hammers guaranteed for life, and are they made in the USA?Estwing’s own warranty page (fetched November 2026) says: "Estwing’s warranty is not a lifetime warranty. However, Estwing fully warrants its all-steel hammers against failure in normal use, but does not warrant its tools against misuse, abuse, or wearing out." It lists the reasons it rejects claims: a milled face worn down, a leather grip that has disintegrated from age or weather, nicks in the claws that were filled, engraving or welding, rust, over-striking dents in the handle neck, striking hardened objects, pulling hardened nails or screws, and using the side of the head. Its titanium and farrier hammers carry one-year limited warranties. The company is Estwing Mfg. Co. of Rockford, Illinois, and the all-steel hammers are forged there in one piece. We carry Estwing as an authorized dealer and sell nationwide; the band below has the models and prices.
How much does a 22 oz Estwing hammer weigh, and why do some hammers cost more?The oz figure on an Estwing is the head weight; the one-piece steel hammer in hand weighs more (a 22 oz framing hammer about 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 lb with its grip). Price follows construction: a one-piece forged steel hammer with a bonded leather or vinyl grip costs more than a cast head on a wood or fiberglass handle, and a titanium head more still. A wood-handle hammer (our 3030) is the lightest in hand and the handle is replaceable; a fiberglass handle (3043) absorbs shock and does not loosen; an all-steel hammer never breaks at the eye and transmits more shock, which is what the grip and Estwing’s shock-reduction grip are for.
Who makes a quality hammer, and which hammer should I use for finishing nails?We do not rank other manufacturers’ hammers; the data on this site covers Estwing and the C&R line. What the warranties and the ANSI/HTI B173.1 standard Estwing cites describe is the same in any good hammer: a forged head, a face that does not chip, a claw that does not crack, and a handle that stays tight. For finishing nails, a 13 to 16 oz smooth-face hammer, a nail set to drive the head below the surface, and never a milled face, which marks the trim.
What hammer do roofers use, and what is a magnetic hammer for?Hand-nailing crews use a roofing hatchet with a gauge; nail-gun crews carry a 16 to 20 oz straight-claw hammer for the nails the gun will not reach, for flashing and for prying, and a magnetic hammer or hatchet for cap nails. The magnetic hatchet holds a cap nail (the plastic-capped nail that fastens synthetic underlayment) in the face so it is set with one hand while the other holds the roll; Estwing’s and C&R’s versions differ in grip and handle and the product data lists each.
How to reload a hammer stapler, and what are the staples called that you hammer in?A hammer tacker (hammer stapler) is the roofer’s tool for felt and synthetic underlayment: it drives a staple on every swing. Reload: pull the magazine follower back and out, drop a strip of staples in crown-up (most tackers take A-11 or T50-style 3/8 inch staples; ours takes A-11, 5,000 to a box), slide the follower back in until it latches. The staples hammered in by hand are called fence staples or U-staples; the roofer’s staples go in with the tacker. The staple-gun guide linked below covers sizes and jams.
Why did a home center stop selling a hammer brand, and where do you buy Estwing?We do not know any retailer’s stocking decisions and do not report on them. Estwing sells through authorized dealers, and its warranty page tells owners to contact their Estwing retailer first. We stock the Estwing roofing hatchet, shingler’s hammer, drywall hatchet, straight-claw hammers and pry bars by the case and ship nationwide.

Hammers in plain words

  • Roofing hatchet: milled face, hatchet blade with a nail notch, gauge pin set at the shingle exposure (5 inches on standard shingles).
  • 16 oz for general work and roofing nails; 20 oz for framing nails and long roofing nails; 22 to 28 oz for framing only.
  • Milled face grips the nail and marks wood; smooth face for finish work; magnetic face starts cap nails one-handed.
  • Straight claw (rip) pries; curved claw pulls. Roofers carry a rip hammer with the nail gun.
  • Estwing: not a lifetime warranty, but all-steel hammers are warranted against failure in normal use; abuse and wear are not covered.
  • Nail hammers drive and pull common unhardened nails only; never strike another tool or a hardened nail.
  • Discard a hammer with a chipped or mushroomed face, a cracked claw or a dented handle.
  • Wear eye protection when striking; Estwing’s page says bystanders too.

Questions people ask

Is a 16 oz or 20 oz hammer better?

16 oz for general work, trim and roofing nails all day; 20 oz for framing nails and long roofing nails. They are for different nails, not better or worse.

Are Estwing hammers lifetime?

Estwing states its warranty is not a lifetime warranty, but that it fully warrants its all-steel hammers against failure in normal use, excluding misuse, abuse and wear.

What is the most expensive framing hammer?

Titanium-head framing hammers cost several times a forged steel one; we do not rank other manufacturers’ prices.

What is the difference between a roofing hammer and a regular hammer?

A roofing hammer adds a hatchet blade with a nail notch and a gauge pin for shingle exposure; a regular hammer drives and pulls nails only.

What does a roofing hammer look like?

A small axe with a square milled hammer face, a flat blade with a notch, and a knurled gauge pin along the blade.

What are the different types of hammer faces?

Smooth, milled (waffle), magnetic, crowned, and soft or dead-blow faces for assembly.

What are the different types of hammer tools?

Claw, framing (rip), ball-peen, sledge, club or drilling hammer, mallet, roofing hatchet, drywall hatchet, brick hammer, tack hammer, magnetic hammer.

Are Estwing axes any good?

We carry Estwing hammers and pry bars, not its axes, and do not rate products we do not carry.

How to reload a hammer stapler?

Pull the follower out, drop in a strip of staples crown up, slide the follower back until it latches.

What does a framing hammer do?

Drives 16d framing nails with a heavy milled head and pries boards apart with a straight claw.

What hammer do carpenters use?

A 20 to 28 oz straight-claw framing hammer for framing; a 16 oz smooth-face claw hammer for finish work.

What hammer should I use for finishing nails?

A 13 to 16 oz smooth-face hammer with a nail set.

What is a 22 oz hammer used for?

Framing: sinking 16d nails in two blows with a milled face.

Are Estwing hammers guaranteed for life?

No; Estwing says so on its warranty page, while warranting its all-steel hammers against failure in normal use.

What is a hammer?

A striking tool: a head with a face and a claw or peen on a handle, made to drive and withdraw common unhardened nails.

What is a hammer handle called?

The handle, haft or helve; the hole it passes through is the eye.

What are the staples called that you hammer in?

Fence or U-staples; the roofer’s underlayment staples go in with a hammer tacker.

What are the three types of hammers?

Claw, framing and ball-peen are the usual three; sledge, club and mallet make six.

What hammer is most commonly used in carpentry?

The 16 oz claw hammer, with a 20 oz straight claw on framing crews.

How much does a 22 oz Estwing hammer weigh?

The 22 oz is the head; the whole one-piece hammer is about 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 lb.

What is a drywall hatchet used for?

Driving drywall nails with a smooth crowned face and scoring, trimming and prying board with the blade.

Where can I buy Estwing hammers?

From authorized Estwing dealers; we stock the roofing hatchet, shingler’s hammer, drywall hatchet and straight-claw hammers and ship nationwide.

Related guides

Staple guns and hammer tackersStaple sizes, loading and unjammingPry bars, wrecking bars and nail pullersWhich bar for which jobRoof tear-off toolsShingle shovels, spud bars and how long it takesOSHA safety glasses requirementsWhat 1910.133 saysTool tethering and dropped objectsWhat ANSI/ISEA 121 covers

The ratings, test results and standards shown here are the manufacturers' published values, reproduced as published. Nothing on this page is a recommendation by Bayshore Safety that any product is suitable for a particular task, hazard or workplace. Selecting safety products and protective equipment is the responsibility of the end user and the employer, based on their own hazard assessment and the regulations that apply to their work. Confirm every value on the manufacturer's own documentation before use.

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