Not to hijack Savell's thread, with his cinematic masterpiece, let's share our trapping hammers. And why you like them.

This year I am trying an Estwing big blue bricklayer hammer. I like a straightish blade for digging, and a longer handle (18 inches) with a lighter head (22 oz.). So far I am really happy with it.

I trap in gravelly dirt and glacial till. Not hard bedrock or too much clay.

Here it is next to an estwing framing hammer, which I used previously.

Here's a link to the new hammer: Big Blue Bricklayer Hammer

… you can hi jack my posts all you want Mr. ksnow…heck that’s about the only reason I post them anyway lol

Those wooden handle hammahs are older than Savell

I use a 28 ounce estwing straight claw framing hammer. Like it lots better than any of the 'trappers hammer" that I have tried. I trap in everything from water/mud/ to rock.

Round blade for round jawed traps.

I don't have a picture but Estwing 28oz strait claw milled face framing hammer , the claw is opened up to grab a 3/8 rebar stake

I had it , a couple minutes with the grinder to let it grab stakes and all good

You can tell a lot about the ground someone traps by looking at their hammer I don't think I have a picture of mine, it's from The Hammer. It's an Estwing 4 pound hammer with the longer handle so you can drive stakes with two hands. A hammer I can only get one paw on doesn't do me much good. He mills out some of the head so that the digger is welded flush with the head, not sitting on top. And the digger is flat, not at an angle, so it doesn't throw crap back on you. I have been abusing that hammer for 3 seasons now and haven't hurt it yet.

The 3 in 1 hammers are miserable driving stakes in hard ground. That hollow handle will send vibrations all the way to your toes.

Heck I didn't know it but Coon Creek carries The Hammer's stuff on their site: https://www.cooncreektrappers.com/product-p/estwing.htm

Yep nice soft black dirt for me. No rocks or anything,,,, until it freezes and it's like concrete..... Then I switch to a fence post driver and snares on killpoles. lol

Depends on if land or water which hammer. Here the three I use mostly

I used a Rocket Brand Hammer, that was probably made in the 1930's, that belonged to my paternal, maternal great grandfather, Gramps, who was a master carpenter, professional football player, still guard and great person.

I think Diane lost that hammer. It's by far my favorite hammer. My dad gave it to me when I hit my teens.

Keith

I use just the hammer on the left now. 6 lb sledge that I cut the handle down. Welded a cut off piece of pry bar for the digging claw. Even though its real heavy, it drives stakes really fast and does not wear me out at all. Actually less pounding and exertion in my opinion. The sharp pry bar claw is hardened and slices roots and sod easily, and cuts into this red clay really well. Its my favorite iteration so far.

This is the hammer I use. Made from my good buddy at Hammer trapline products.

Foxer, that is my kinda hammer! Why didn't I think of that

X2

If it ain’t at least 4 pounds, it ain’t a hammer!

I don't have a picture, but I just made myself a new one yesterday. Cut a chunk off a broken leaf spring sharpened one edge and welded that to a four pounder. Hopefully the leaf spring will be hardened enough to not bend in frozen clay and rocks like every other one I've used. A Pulaski works great for digging trap beds in those conditions, but not so well for pounding.

Here's the hammer that I built at work one slow day.
1-3/4" diameter x 4" cold rolled head
A little bit of 2" hardened wear bar for the pick
Cut a section out of a piece bod schedule 80 for the shovel end
It's 28 inches long.
Works fantastic !
I need to put some cloth tape on the handle for a little more grip and because it's getting colder now