Like
all good slate roofing tools, slate hammers are hard to
find if you don’t
know where to look. Estwing’s European roofing hammers,
which they call Latthammers, are patterned after the German
style roofing hammers and are sold primarily to the European
market. These hammers would do well in the United States
within slate roof restoration circles if they were more readily
available on the American market.
Estwing tools have been known in the United States since 1923
for quality and craftsmanship. Their hammers are unique
in that they are made of solid steel rather than tubular
steel and are offered in two styles — extremely durable
leather handle grip as well as shock reduction nylon/vinyl
grip. Another unique feature of these hammers is the weight — a
whopping 34+ ounces per hammer with a 21 ounce (600 gm)
head. Overall length is a standard 13” (330mm). The
weight of these well-balanced hammers makes them ideally
suited for beating a slate
ripper into submission. The
hammer does the work of removing the slate nails and saves
your arms, wrists, and joints from yanking on the ripper.
These hammers not only feel good in the hand, but also
include a slate punch end and a nail pulling claw. Many
slaters have been know to carry two hammers on the job,
a lighter weight slate hammer and a heavier regular hammer
for beating on the ripper. The Estwing hammer eliminates
the need for two hammers, plus it can be used for framing
and nailing.
