I was very happy to upgrade the quality of my hammer and did a lot of research to find a new hammer. In terms of wrist and hand issues, titanium was the best solution and the reviews for the cleats were really good. Unfortunately, the hammer head I received appeared to have been ground down by someone who didn't understand his concept of squareness. The nail puller is easily 1/8" in the inch it is made out of and don't worry, the entire hammer head is ground to the same level. No, I don't expect performance to be compromised, but when you're buying a hammer that costs five times the price of a good mid-range hammer, expect better, or at least an attempt to be honest and accurate. There are at least half a dozen waves at the collar alone. I've looked at all my hammers since I got this one to make sure I'm not being picky. This hammer is without a doubt the worst of them all. Incredibly unimpressed.