Spent $80 on a rock hammer that broke on the first quartz vein

I was out near Sedona trying to get some decent samples. Bought this 'pro' hammer online for about eighty bucks, thinking it would handle anything. Third swing into a milky quartz vein and the head just flew off, nearly took out my buddy's water bottle. The metal was cheap, the handle felt like painted plastic. Total waste. What's a good brand that won't shatter on contact?

3 comments

3 Comments

grace5081mo ago

Feels like everything's made to break now so you buy another. Happened with my coffee grinder last month, plastic gear sheared off on the third bag of beans. Same with a garden hose connector that cracked in the sun after two weeks. They sell you the dream of a tool but deliver a single-use toy. For hammers, I've had my Estwing for over a decade and it's survived some truly stupid decisions.

robin_roberts841mo agoMost Upvoted

Used to think all hammers were basically the same until my cheap one snapped on a piece of chert. That flying head is a real wake-up call, isn't it? Now I just save up for one solid Estwing and trust nothing else.

caleb_thomas8529d ago

Cheap tools have their place though, like for a quick job you don't do often. My old beater hammer is still fine for hanging pictures, just not for rock.