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Item: Stubby Claw Hammer
Item number: 95929

Item: Stubby Ball Pein Hammer
Item number: 95930

Retail price: $4.99 (each)
Frequent sale price: $2.99 (each)
Target price: $1.99 (each)

What can you say about a stubby hammer? Well, it's short and packs a punch . Now that I gotten that out of the way (the bad pun) and before I beat it to death (oops, another bad pun slipped out , even worse than you can imagine, see insert box ), these hammers are a great value for that challenging job where you need to pack a punch in a small space.

Some might consider these the poor man's autohammer. Yes, the Craftsman™ autohammer does most of what these stubby hammers can do, does it faster, and with far less effort. But there are times when an old-fashioned, manual stubby hammer can come in handy and it won't ever let you down because of a dead battery. For many there's a certain satisfaction in accomplishing the same task with a $3 hammer that others need a $100 hammer to achieve (sounds like military spending).

A little dark humor (skip over this if you're British or easily offended: Did you know that hammers are often used as murder weapons in Great Britain? With guns being banned and knives too 'bloody awful,' the next weapon of choice seems to be the common hammer. When traveling in UK my wife and I have often noted a murder or two committed with this trusted household tool. And a number of years ago when we read about a murder in Thailand that was committed with a hammer, we both thought immediately, "ah, it must be a Brit. traveling with his or her trusty hammer for personal protection" And it was--a Brit. who killed the person in Thailand while on holiday. In the UK this mini-version might be considered a concealed weapon. Does it require a permit? I think not, but check with local authorities when traveling in the UK.

At 8oz. it can pack quite a wallop, and at only 6" long it can reach those tight spaces. This hammer can find a lot of uses around the home or on the road (for repairs only, please). It's compact size makes it not only suitable for tight spaces but as light addition to a travel toolbox. It's also good for use with small children--letting them hone their hammering skills, of course. Lastly, cyclists may find this useful on their urban rides. I've heard of one cyclist using it to give a gentle tap back on an automobile fender when they were first 'tapped' at a stoplight by a motorist squeezing them off the road. (Hum, anybody I know? ) Gently, please, but it does get the point across. (FYI: In most states cyclists have the same rights and rules for road use as motorists, and many municipalities ban cycling on sidewalks!)

Bottom line: Buy them just because they're cute and pack a punch. Buy them to carry around in unusual places. Hell, buy them for personal protection in you live in the UK. A great value for the right job.