Curved or Straight: Which Hammer Claw Is Better?

Updated: Mar. 05, 2021

When it comes to hammer claws there are basically two choices: straight, or curved. But which one should you choose?

Two different styles of hammer heads | Construction Pro Tips

Which hammer claws are best?

Straight Claws

There are two types of straight clawed hammers: short and long. Long claws are sharper and work great for stabbing into a hunk of wood if you want to grab hold of it. But long, straight claws are thinner and can break off in a severe demo situation. Short claws are more rugged but don’t pierce wood as well.

A curved hammer head | Construction Pro Tips

Which hammer claws are best?

Curved

Curved claws can pull most nails out of wood without the aid of a spacer, but provide less leverage than straight claws. Curved claws also don’t protrude as far out, which makes a curved-clawed hammer less likely to get hung up on obstacles or jab you in the leg when crawling around tight spaces.

For our complete guide to all things hammers, click here.

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