Estwing EALBK Al-Pro Hammer, Smooth Face, Shock Reduction Grip

Product Information

Kenny’s life around power tools started early. His grandfather was an airplane mechanic in WW2 and took up woodworking as a hobby after retiring from the power industry. Building everything from bookshelves to lazy Susans, he became extremely accomplished while his young grandson observed, fascinated at the way raw wood could turn into something both beautiful and functional. In fact, Kenny still uses several pieces that his grandfather made more than 30 years ago. It’s not the best nail puller on the market but that’s what a claw is better suited to be bashed with. The Estwing AL-Pro Shot Hammer obviously takes its cues from its dead-blow counterparts. But with a strikingly different application, does the concept still work?

I’ll probably buy a martinez eventually to add to the collection but I’m very happy with the al-pro for now. Because this Estwing hammer has a full metal build and not a wooden handle, you get a vinyl grip. That’s a must have on any metal handle thanks to the vibration that will still come through. The grip reduces what vibration makes it to my hand and offers a pretty comfortable yet secure grip. The grip is a nice step up from my other premium hammers. The handle also has just enough curve to fit well in hand. It’s the perfect trade off between a timber handle which is lighter but fragile and a titanium which is very pricey. If this is the first expensive hammer you have considered, do not try to justify it, a paslode is far superior, this hammer is for those who appreciate the finer joys of building. It’s the equivalent of a businessman having a premium pen to sign off with.

In an ideal world, we’d be able to forge an entire hammer around whatever core we wanted. However, that’s not the case. Estwing has a few possibilities here: design a removable face to insert the shot to the core, go in through the top, or go in through the claw. The Estwing AL-Pro Framing Hammer uses a rear insert method, given away by the fastener location.

That doesn’t make it the sleekest-looking framing hammer the world has ever seen. But as we have experienced before, don’t judge a book by its cover. As far as missing features go, some Pros prefer a side nail puller but the AL-Pro doesn’t have one. That’s far from being a deal-breaker. A Shot in the Dark?Well balanced, highly durable and expertly crafted. Estwing are renowned for the quality of their hammers and the EALBK is a testament to that. It is made from forged aircraft aluminium which makes it extremely lightweight yet also very durable. This combined with its superb balance adds up to a highly durable hammer that is also easy to wield. Stiletto’s titanium still has an overall better feel, especially as the day gets longer. It’s not just the lighter weight, but the additional length in the handle also serves to improve the power delivery. Estwing can benefit by offering an 18″ handle option next time around. Even with the extra length, it’s going to be awfully tough to beat out titanium in the premium hammer class. Thanks to the forging process and the alloy Estwing goes with, it’s claiming to be even lighter than titanium. That’s not a claim we can validate since titanium hammers go with a different material for the handle. Estwing’s aluminum, however, makes up both the handle and head. And, of course, every premium framing hammer should have a magnetic nail starter. You’ll get one on this model that works well in this class. It all comes down to striking the nail. You can toss the cheap hammers out after just a couple of nails with each. The Estwing AL-Pro is clearly superior. Things got a little muddier when I invited Stiletto and Powerstrike to the party, though. Striking power is similar between the two aluminum hammers and I give Estwing the edge thanks to a more comfortable and secure grip.