Review on 🔨 Optimized Thor 712R Hammer Handle by Kenneth Murphy

When I first saw Paul Sellers recommending this hammer, it immediately caught my attention. I have multiple hammers - wood, brass, scratchproof, whatever - and I don't really need another hammer in my workshop. But what impressed me about this hammer was the number of interchangeable faces, as well as the number of sizes and configurations. I chose the wooden handle version, with a hard white finish on one side and a soft, scratch-resistant gray finish on the other. I bought a few other interchangeable faces (yellow and red face) in addition to the grey/white that comes with the hammer. Please note that all surfaces are made of nylon/plastic and are very durable. Here is the data for each interchangeable surface type/color I found on thorhammers.com: - White - Hard Nylon - Hardness 57-61 Shore D - Best all round surface for both heavy and light assembly work. - Brown - Hard polyurethane - Shore D 58-62 - Durable and abrasion resistant. Ideal for hitting sharp surfaces including cutting shapes, punch tool assembly with steel ruler. - Gray - Soft PVC - Hardness 63-731 Shore A - Does not damage machined surfaces. Ideal for flat furniture assembly, woodworking. - Red - Medium-hard plastic - Shore D 45-55 - More suitable for light impact work and the assembly of precision parts. - Yellow - Extra hard - Rockwell hardness R103 - Extra hard surfaces for special applications. B. Installation of copper fittings. The yellow face is surprisingly tough/durable and virtually indestructible. It can hit metal surfaces without damaging them, and it's even stronger than the already-rugged white dial. If the gray finish is too soft, a red finish with a "medium" hardness is also available. In order from the hardest to the softest facet: yellow, brown, white, red, grey. You can get both nylon/plastic handles and wooden handles. Face diameters range from 1″ to 2 3/4″, with sizes increasing in 1/4″ increments. I chose a 1 1/2" hammer because one of my intended uses was hammering chisels. and it's a good size for that. The 1 1/2" hammer is also good for building/ General purpose knocking which is another reason to go this size Weight but I like the responsiveness of the wooden handle It might be something like "old habits don't die" :-) NOTE :: After seeing the After writing my review I noticed that this hammer is advertised at 650g which is 23 ounces One thing I noticed while researching Thor hammers is that the weight of a hammer of the same size varies by row can vary by factors including the material of the handle. My hammer is 20.5oz and I bought it here from Revain at Big Red Toolbox in the UK - my hammer looks exactly like the one pictured in this advert. I have one too identical bought by Vaughan (who also sells Thor hammers with the Vaughan label) and it weighed 24 ounces. I have returned a Vaughn model due to some damage to the metal head but be aware your weight may vary and try finding the model number on the Thor website. For my needs, the weight was important. The hammer I bought has "Thorex 712 - 38mm 1 1/2 - Made in England" written on the metal head. The accompanying barcode label also states "Thorex Retail Hammer 1 1/2 lb" and the model number "31-712R". However, my hammer does NOT weigh 1 1/2 pounds, which is 24 ounces - my total weight is 20.5 ounces! Again - cross reference, check the Thorex website if you can get one. A source contradicted the title of this ad - the Thorex website says the hammer costs £1 1/4, not 1 1/2 - so the title here may not be correct for the specific hammer you're getting. I've seen these similarly sized 1 1/2 inch hammers that weigh over 26 ounces and some under 20 ounces. END NOTE:::Note. Daruma with a round face. I have both Japanese and Western chisels and have always hammered my Japanese chisels with metal mallets and my Western chisels with either wood or composite. Thor is the only hammer/hammer that can control ALL my chisels. because of the scratch-resistant surfaces - with the advantage that the yellow or white surfaces are also hard enough for my Japanese bit! Normally soft face hammers have too much dampening for Japanese bits, but the white and yellow Thor hammer transfers most of the power to the Point chisel with very little power lost in front of the hammer. Bottom line, Thor's hammer gives me a choice if I don't want to hammer my Japanese chisels with steel faces - there are times when a steel hammer isn't desirable, especially for long sessions. For western chisels it's quite similar - the white-faced Thor's hammer is perfect for western chisels, also without damaging/breaking the chisel's unripened wooden handle. Aside from the reversible (yellow-red) Estwing hammer I own, the Thor hammer is the only hammer I can use to hit ALL types of my bits well. I prefer the Thor Estwing for its balance and feel - it just feels better in the hand. But the versatility of the Thor hammer is not limited to driving chisels - I use it for many other purposes - body/frame assembly, butt/spikes/dovetail coaxing, stripping/demolition. With interchangeable blades, this hammer can be used for almost anything from hitting metal surfaces with the yellow finish to coaxing soft wood or plastic surfaces with the gray or red edges. Additionally, this 20-ounce hammer's weight is a good compromise - it offers enough weight and power when you need it for hard surfaces, while still being light enough for gentle hits on the chisel when more dexterity is required. You can see from the lengthy review above that I really like Thor's hammer and how it works in the store. It literally stays as a permanent fixture on my bench and I rarely clean it. Easily interchangeable edges make it useful in MANY situations. I still use my Japanese steel hammers and still use my big soft face hammers when needed, as well as my deathblows, but this Thor hammer has the most minutes of use in my shop! Highly recommend if you like the idea of having a versatile, replaceable stick hammer that is well made and will last for many years! Thank you for reading!