I've been using this hammer for about 2 months now. The pointed end has a large radius, but this can be quite normal. The face came with a pattern of concentric circles and sharp edges around the face. It leaves unsightly marks on your work. Now that I've worn the hammer a lot, those marks are mostly gone. Apart from signs of use, there is hardly any damage. I'm not very experienced but the face seems hard enough to pound. Considering the price I am very happy with my hammer! I would suggest sanding, sanding or filing the surface to remove the concentric circle and bevel the edges of the surface.