I'm a dealership mechanic and do a lot of suspension work and I really needed a brass hammer to knock out components without the risk of damaging threads or something with to split with a steel hammer. Ordered 6 months ago and use it almost every day. The face of mine is definitely cracked, but not chipped or deformed, just a little fungus has appeared on the edges, which is to be expected when hitting steel with brass, but this doesn't affect function in any way. The handle and grip are still firm, it feels comfortable in the hand, the balance is good. I have several Tekton tools and so far none have disappointed me. For the money this is an excellent hammer that has withstood over 6 months of daily heavy use and is still working. At this price point and with the Tekton guarantee, I would highly recommend it to both the professional and average user.