If you’ve ever opened a drawer full of body hammers and found yourself confused, you’re not alone. Each one has its own unique shape and features, tailored for a specific purpose. But knowing which one does what can overwhelm a novice.
We’re here to tell you it doesn’t have to be so daunting. In this article, we’ll break down five commonly used body hammers and explain what each face, point, and angle is for. There’s a whole universe of even more specialized hammers, but these five tools will likely get you through most projects.
Shrinking or Stretching Face?
Most body hammers will have a smooth, hardened, convex striking surface that will slightly expand sheet metal on impact. The opposite of that is the shrinking hammer, which is obvious by its waffle-grid appearance. This face actually compresses or shrinks the metal on impact, correcting metal that was stretched, often from collision damage. There are also flat-faced body hammers which are designed to minimize either shrinking or stretching the metal.
Short Reach Picking Hammer
This hammer is used for precision work, specifically for picking, or manipulating small, hard-to-reach areas of metal. The sharp end of the hammer is used to push small sections of metal outward using precision strikes. The short reach allows the technician to work in tight spots, making it ideal for fine-tuning areas like seams, dimples, or small dents that need detailed correction.
Long Reach Picking Hammer
Similar to the short reach picking hammer, but with a longer pick. This hammer is designed for accessing deeper areas or hard-to-reach places within the vehicle body. The longer pick end makes it useful for reaching into deeper spaces and around other structures.
Door Skinning Hammer
As its name implies, this hammer is specifically designed for installing or removing door skins, the outer sheet metal of a car door. The hammer’s narrow heads are designed to strike only the lapped edge without damaging the thin sheet metal of the door skin. It is often used for smoothing and shaping the skin during installation. This one features dual heads, one offset and tilted for more comfortable hammering in a different orientation than the other.
Straight Chisel-Back Hammer
This hammer features a straight, chisel-like edge on its head, making it ideal for working on flat surfaces or making more precise corrections. The chisel-back is often used for removing high spots and sharp edges in metalwork, especially in areas that require a more direct approach to straightening or smoothing. It’s also great for defining edges like body lines. (Note this on is equipped with a shrinking face.)
Curved Chisel-Back Hammer
The curved chisel-back hammer has a similar purpose to the straight chisel-back hammer but with a curved back. This curve is specifically designed to work within concave or reverse curves, enabling the user to shape and stretch metal in these areas effectively. This hammer is particularly useful on cowl panels, door skins, and other areas with reverse curves or concave shapes.