Hammers Aren't Just for Nails: 101 Ways to Use a Rip Hammer

Overview: Hammers aren't just for nails anymore

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Rip Hammer

Rip hammers have a straight claw instead of a curved claw.

Most carpenters will tell you a hammer is for driving nails. But watch them work and you’ll see that they hardly ever whack nails. Air nailers—fast, lightweight, reliable and cheap—have changed all that. But that doesn’t mean carpenters don’t sling hammers around anymore. They’re still indispensable for an incredible number of tasks, including driving the occasional nail.

The vast majority of carpenters prefer hammers with a straight “rip” claw over “claw” hammers, which have curved claws. That’s because they use the ripping end nearly as much as the pounding end. At least I do. Here are just a few of my hammer feats over the years, most of them accomplished with the rip end of my trusty framing hammer.

Use 1: Lumber splitter

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Splitting a 2x4

The claw serves as a mini-axe to split wood blocks or chop off protruding board edges.

Need a 2x2 when all you have are 2x4s? Or need to clean out a crude dado? Or hack off a projecting piece of framing for the drywall to fit flat? Grab your rip hammer and whale away.

Use 2: Measuring stick

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Standard hammer length

Learn your hammer length to make quick, rough measurements

Most of my electrician buddies don't like tape measures, so I guess that's why they use their hammers to position outlet boxes. A hammer's length from the floor to the bottom of the box is about right. It's not so important how high the boxes are, just that they're all the same height.

Use 3: Weapon of mass destruction

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Wrecking tool

Ripping hammers are great for tearing down drywall, especially long-handled framing models.

Anytime there's demo work on my plate, I grab my flat bar, recip saw, sledgehammer and, of course, my rip hammer. I use the claw to pull off corner beads, drive through plywood, pry studs apart—just about anything that needs destruction. If I had to, I could demo a whole house with a ripping hammer. (Or at least I could in my 20s.)

Use 4: Caulking gun for airheads

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Emergency caulk plunger

The hammer handle makes a decent (well, adequate) caulking plunger when you really need a dab or two.

Can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten a caulking gun and needed a little dab or two to seal up a hole. That’s when I shove the handle down the tube and force out some caulk with my “hammer gun.”

Use 5: Lifesaver

Say you find yourself sliding down the sheathing of a new roof. On your way to the precipice, you have the presence of mind to pull out your hammer and slam the claw through the plywood to arrest your fall. Sound farfetched? Well, I have two friends who have pulled off this stunt. Of course, if they had any brains, they wouldn’t have been in that slippery situation in the first place.

Use 6: Blade straightener

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Saw blade saver

Bend those out-of-shape blades back to an almost-straight condition.

About every third time I use a recip saw, the blade gets jammed and bent. So I grab my hammer and straighten it out with the claw. You could also lay the blade flat on a 2x4 and beat it.

Use 7: Hole digger

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Chop through sod

Excavate shallow holes quickly and efficiently in the toughest soil.

Sometimes I think I’ve spent half my life on extension ladders. In spite of that, I’ve never taken a fall. That’s because I’ve always made sure the ladder feet were anchored in little pockets dug into the ground, especially in the winter. Didn’t matter if the ground was frozen or not; the rip claw on my hammer would dig through anything. It also works great for prying rocks out of the hole when you’re digging.

Use 8: Icebreaker

I live in Minnesnowta. And with our infamous winters come ice dams, sometimes monster ice dams. I’m an old hand at dealing with them, and I always use my rip claw for the job. I’ve broken up ice dams that were the size of bathtubs. It’s just the right tool to chunk up the bergs without wrecking the roof.

Use 9: Back scratcher

Don't try this with your nail gun!!

Claw hammer

So Who the Heck Uses a Claw Hammer?

Everything a claw hammer can do, a rip hammer can do better. And there are many things you couldn’t do with a claw hammer—like most of these tips! So what good are they? Claw fans argue that they excel at pulling nails. So what? I pull nails all the time with my ripper. If I need more leverage or working room, I slip a chunk of wood under the hammerhead. But usually that’s not even necessary.

I do actually own a claw hammer. Maybe I’ll sharpen the claw and use it for a fish gaff.