Customer Reviews

Stanley 51-401 FatMax 22-Ounce Framing Hammer

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am just a weekend do-it-yourselfer, but recently decided to add on to my storage shed. I was looking for a moderatly priced framing hammer......didn't need anything too elaborate. After looking at some of the pricey Vaughans and Death Sticks, I couldn't justify paying the price for something I wouldn't get the use out of. A young kid at Home Depot saw me looking through them and suggested the Fat Max........I guess Stanley has come a long way. He told me that he used one and that it was the best stick for the money. I brought one home and started the addition onto the storage shed. What a monster this thing is. The axe shaped hickory handle makes this thing a pleasure to swing. It also sports a feature that all of the more expensive models had.......a magnetic nail starter built into the head. This is a great feature for those high starts........pop in a nail and with one swing your nail is started........only one hand. As for ripping nails out.......it never faultered, it's head is still firmly in tact. I thought the price on line seemed a bit high.........(...)The only thing that might be an issue to some, is that there are no choices in regards to head weights. Most manufacturers offer 2 or 3 different weights to choose from......Stanley, from what I can tell, only offers this in a 22 oz. Like I'm going to know the difference..........so it may take me an extra swing. Try this hammer, you can't go wrong.

Good quality hammer with magnetic slot on top to start driving the nail. Not too much to say, would definitely purchase again.

I'm a trim carpenter by trade, so when I took a job that required framing, I knew my 16 oz. Stanley wasn't going to cut it anymore. Sticking with what I know I picked this up and have loved it ever since. Nice big head cuts down on smashed fingers and tough claws pull a 16d out like butter. The hickory handle absorbs most of the impact, leaving your arm feeling better at the end of the day.

The downsides:

You need grip tape with this handle. I don't know who at Stanley had the bright idea to put a slick finish on there. If you don't hit just right with a nail in the nail set, it'll spin right out. Not good to have 16d's flinging through the air...