Swapped my framing hammer for a lighter one and it fixed my elbow

I used to swear by my 22 oz Estwing for everything. After six months of soreness in my right elbow I finally tried a 16 oz stiletto that a guy on a job site let me borrow. The difference in swing fatigue was night and day between the two. My joints feel way better after a full day of nailing. Anyone else make a tool switch that helped your body hold up longer?

3 comments

3 Comments

seanjackson9d ago

Had a buddy who did framing for almost 20 years and he swore by his 28 oz Vaughan. His elbow got so bad he couldn't grip a coffee cup in the morning without wincing. Finally his doctor told him straight up he'd need surgery if he kept swinging that heavy hammer. He switched to a 14 oz titanium TiBone and within two months his elbow stopped hurting almost completely. Took a while to get used to the lighter swing but now he says he'd never go back. The guy can still swing a hammer all day and his joints don't scream at him anymore.

josepha329d ago

That's wild cause my buddy Lenny had almost the exact same thing happen. He was a framer for years and swore by his 27 oz Estwing and his elbow just got wrecked. @seanjackson your friend's story is dead on. Lenny switched to a 14 oz titanium too and it was like night and day. He said the first week his swing was all over the place but once he got the timing down he could go all day without his arm hurting. Now he won't even pick up a steel hammer anymore.

logan_ellis3d ago

26 oz steel or bust. Light hammers can't drive 16s in old growth.