Boss Hammer 16 oz. Construction Grade Titanium Hammer with Tough Tennessee Hickory Handle - Framing Square, Rip Claw Design, Milled Face - Made in the USA - BH16TIHI18M

Hammer arrived in the middle of a project so it got used right away. Why such a pricey hammer you ask? Titanium is around 30% lighter than steel, but is also about 35% less prone to vibration energy losses than steel. The energy a hammer can transmit is a function of the head velocity x the hammer’s mass; therefore generally a more massive head will hit harder. Pretty straight forward. The kicker though is that some percentage of that energy is lost in heat and vibration. Steel loses north of 30% of its energy in this way. Titanium loses around 2% of its energy this way. So a titanium hammer transfers a far higher percentage of the swing energy than a steel hammer. This means that a relatively light(ER) hammer will drive like a far heavier steel hammer. So this 16oz hammer hits like a 21.5oz steel hammer and when you’re swinging it all day. The 6oz difference is noticeable. I’ve included pictures of my older Estwing 19oz framer. It’s dwarfed in size by the 16oz Boss. The Boss feels super light and well balanced. The fit and finish are great. The face milling is really pronounced. The face is HUGE, which is good and bad. Lots of surface area to hit nails. But also a bit tough in tighter spaces. The marking on the handle check pretty closely to my speed square, and I could see then being useful when you’re on a ladder.The head has a magnetic starter (pretty common now) , worth noting the entire head is titanium (I don’t know the grade) and the face is not replaceable. I know generally titanium is a bit softer than steel or at least hardened steel. So we shall see how the face wears, I’ve never worn out a hammer but I’ve also never used a titanium hammer before.All in all pretty pleased so far.

Muy bueno

It's a nice enough hammer, I guess. Wasn't thrilled.

It was light and otherwise as described but the head was loose. I was disappointed because it was a Christmas gift for my husband whose hands hurt all the time due to his job as a contractor. Sent it back for a refund.

I love this hammer, which I use for framing (I have the one with the 16 oz head and hickory handle). It hits with way more energy than you would think, given how light it is. It can also drive cut nails into concrete slabs better than a much heavier hammer; it feels like all the energy is going into the nail, and it doesn't bounce back the way a steel hammer does. If you're driving a lot of nails, it's way easier on your elbow than a 23 oz steel framing hammer.I love how it feels in the hand, and its balance. It's also a darned good looking hammer.It's also 100% made in the USA.Mine also had a loose handle, but a quick call to customer service resolved that. They sent me a replacement handle. Excellent customer service.FYI, a loose hammer head can be easily fixed by soaking the end of the hammer in antifreeze overnight.

So I gotta say the speed square feature is a little gimmicky, definitely not something I would replace my speed square with, but in a pinch when you don't have one handy it does work. The handle being rounded makes it hard to draw a consistent line down the length of the handle. The only other thing that I don't like is the claw, I do prefer a straight claw but this isn't so curve that it's not usable in a tight situation. All in all the hammer is well-balanced and has a very big head which is great for framing, especially with the offset corners witch makes it great for toe nailing. I've been using a stiletto for over 20 years, As far as a aggressive framing hammer this has a stiletto beat, however for a universal framing- finishing hammer stiletto is still better.

the handle loosened the first week on the job and when i contacted Customer support, i got ghosted but it is a sweet design. the corners of the face allow awesome toe nail driving action

You're framing a massive log cabin. It's hot, the router has been blasting yellow pine into your face while you're doing overhead work. That pasty sawdust sweat is running down your neck and back. It's been a hard day, the sun is beating down on you, and the layer of sunscreen is periodically running into your eyes, the burning sweat is unbearable and blinding.But you have this hammer, you smash in some spikes, like a conquering barbarian crushing their enemies. Your father's words echo through your head "Conan what is best!?" You think, and the answer rages through your mind as you shout "to drive your spikes before you, to hear the lamentations of the home owners as you invoice their jobs before you!"You finish off this course of logs, realizing your tendinitis isn't that bad, because the hickory handle prevents reverb, and the light titanium head obeys the laws of physics where E=MC^2.......Your walls are done, but because you're a real craftsman, you bust out the handle and use it to calculate your rafter cuts. That's right! You dumped your speed square, just extra weight, with this sick handle, you don't need it. You move sleak, light weight, like a ninja! This hammer has turned you into a framing monster.So go ahead and treat your self, because this hammer will change your life, and make you so fast you'll be a millionaire in a day.