I've seen some people complain about the harshness of this hammer but let me tell you. You're doing it wrong! It will take forever to "beat" it softer, and it needs to be tempered before use. Here's how: Bring water to a boil, remove from heat, insert a hammer head, let steep 20-30 minutes, batter wet, then air dry. This will soften the skin and the glue. π