I love a hammer. I make and repair wooden boxes and pallets and have tried many different hammers. I am left handed and broke my left wrist about two years ago. This hammer absorbs most of the impact and doesn't force me to wear a bracelet around my wrist at the end of the day. I don't know why other reviews complain about scratches. It's awesome, it has to happen! No problems with chips or dents on the head. Overall I think this is a more comfortable hammer than any other hammer I've tried, including the Estwing.