Call me old fashioned, but I thought all hammers have handles. Or, at least the ones I haven’t broken are supposed to. Given that I spend a lot of my spare time hunting, testing, abusing, caressing and otherwise ogling tools, it always surprises me a bit when I stumble across one I’ve never seen before. The Handi-Hammer from Nupla Tools falls into just that category. So, why in the world would you want a dead blow hammer that doesn’t actually have a handle?
Stu over at ToolGuyd says:
Lacking the handle of a traditional hammer, Nupla’s Handi-Hammer is exceptionally well suited for use in compact areas where one may not have much swinging room. Plus, its compact size means that it can be stowed nearly anywhere – a kitchen junk drawer, a small tool box, or a road kit.
The Handi-Hammer is also a dead-blow hammer, so there is little recoil with each strike. I have owned Nupla’s 10 ounce model for a few years now, and it has proven itself to be quite indispensable.
Sounds reasonable to me. Plus, you can carry one in your pocket. . . something that would normally be extremely awkward with a traditional hammer. Just brace yourself for the onslaught of “Is that a Nupla Handi-Hammer in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me” jokes.
Nupla Tools makes a 10oz and 14oz version of the dead blow Handi-Hammer, each with both a metal and soft striking faces. Has anyone else used these things? If so, we’re curious, chime in via the comments below.
You can pick up the Nupla Handi-Hammer Handleless Hammer for about $12 at Amazon.
If you’ve got a few extra bucks and a compressor laying around, we also recommend the Porter-Cable PN650 Palm Nailer Kit for hammering in tight spaces. $120 on Amazon. You can also read our review on the PN650 Palm Nailer.
If you’ve got a few extra bucks and no compressor, consider the Milwaukee M12 Cordless Palm Nailer Kit – With Battery & Charger, Model# 2458-21 for about $136 on Amazon.
Another good option for most uses is the Bostitch PN50 mini palm nailer. I picked it up for getting into some tight spots while doing some framing in a soon to be finished basement. Good deal. Although the PC is more burly (6-1/2″ nail capacity!!!) so if I had some serious work to do I’d go for one of those.
Thanks for the tip Ethan! I actually hadn’t seen the Bostitch before. . . looks like a good bargain.