I own an Estwing dead blow and have used it for at least 10 years with no problems . Its outside casing is grey plastic and maybe more flexable believe when I say I have beat on it .
had this happen to my older snap-on hammers and screwdrivers snap-on rep said when the oil used to stablize the plastic dryes it splits and falls apart they stod by it and replaced yhem
This is called plastic "out gassing", which happens when certain plastics disintegrate / deteriorate over time. The plastics slowly emit a "gas" as properties such as color and flexibility slowly fade away.. Out gassing is what gives new cars there smell. If you have a newer car with lots of plastic on the dash and interior, out gassing will show up on the windshield as a light grey film, similar to a lightly fogged glass. You can easily clean it off with windex....
Thanks !!! Yup !!!! Um... as a side note, the original soft plastic, turned brittle. The hammer was a gub-ment free-bee and hasn't seen daylight since aquired. After reading all of the responses, the manufacturers are not consistant, so screw that, however, the chakliness, seems to apply in some. I won't replace it, i'll just use a rubber mallet, or a BFH . Just watch your friggin' eyes !
I think Snap-ons failed first attempt at dead blows is pretty well known. I had a red one that came apart in very short time much like the Stanley posted here. It was so long ago I can't remember what happened, but I didn't swap it for a new one.
Best Hammer to buy is called the "THOR" by Thor Hammer Co. in the U.K. ... Leather buttons held in place by a Iron head that clamps the rawhide. Tons of non-damaging hitting power. http://www.thorhammer.com/Hammers/Rawhide/ RAWHIDE FACED HAMMER Malleable Iron head fitted with cylindrical faces of compressed Rawhide. The Malleable Iron head provides the weight for the blow and the Rawhide faces absorb the shock whilst transferring the force to the item being struck without fear of damage. Ideal where a heavy blow is required combined with a relatively small striking area. Faces are designed to wear and can be replaced. Used as a general-purpose soft-faced hammer in engineering for assembly, repair and maintenance. key benefits picture
At work (high volume metal fabrication shop) we go through this all the time. With zero uv exposure plastic is still not meant to last forever.
I guess the lesson is: a) Buy the orange Harbor Freight hammers ('cause they're cheap and seem to work). b) Write or etch the in-service date on the hammer somewhere. c) Throw away after three years of use.
I still use my snapon, went south two years ago, the steel parts are made really well and the back part has a nice threaded section for bb storage, i use it often and i would never replace it, its earned its place
That white stuff on the 1st picture set looks like mildew or it reacted with something in the tool box, just a guess. I bought my Stanley DBH in 1988, all was great with it until I whacked the wrong thing and took a chunk out of it last year. From there it came apart, I still use the other face of it. So 23 years in a machine shop.. it held up great, it owes me nothing. Bob
The Sock Fucker motto is "We Do It Ourselves". In this case we're referring to making deadblow hammers. Our mutli-talented clubmate, Stealthcruiser made a bunch of these for us, the shaped ends come in handy...
[Sarcastic face] Come on, I thought you guys were do-it-yourself hot rod guys. I thought everybody knew to grab the duct tape and wrap that chalky hammer up. That way you progress isn't hindered because of a questionable hammer and when the hammer does come apart it should be contained. [Sarcastic face] Doc
I dealt with those plastic kayaks for a long time, and know there was huge experimentation with the polyethylene plastic formula in the past 20 years. Since this was relatively new chemistry, it was impossible to know how long some of the plastic recipes would last. The earlier cross-link polyethylene plastic lasted for years with high abuse levels. This stuff rarely tore and never shattered, but if was poked it was basically impossible to melt back to repair. Also not recyclable. The reason you'll see tons of outdated plastic kayaks around still. (80's early 90's) Than they made a linear polyethylene which was easier to work with, better with the fumes, was reparable and recyclable. and more importantly had a planned obsolescence! Some of those earlier LP boats lasted a really long time, even in the sun. (mid-90's to early 2000's) Than they started with a super-linear polyethylene SLP The first years were really experimental, (mid-2000) even though they were sold publicly. This plastic was really strong for the first year or so, and then basically deteriorated - shattered like the hammer. There was no way they could test for the durability of time in the lab! Finally they came up with the bulletproof SLP (2005 or so) they use now, which is some really strong stuff. So much for the planned obsolescence! I'm sure all plastic manufacturing went through these same stages, as the plastic wasn't made specifically for little boats! Millions of pounds of those bad formulas had to be used somehow! The problem is people are really cheap (including me!) and expect something to last forever, even when the cost /use/time is better than most other junk out there! TP
I've had several Stanley dead blows over the years and they all develop that white substance with time. Many of my Craftsman screwdrivers have done the same thing. I always thought it was some kind of heavy duty mildew.
I've been a Snap-on dealer for 6 years I've seen this on our hammers as well as every other brand. They say the new design will not do the same and hopefully they will not, but they have only been out around 6 years so time will tell. In the meantime I have no problem warantying them or any other hand tool. The snap-on dealers that wont take care of things like that are a-holes and give those of us who understand customer service a bad name. I know I have a few of them in routes near mine and I hear customers badmouth them on a daily basis. I wish they would retire and get it over with.
I have a large and a small Snap-on dead blow hammer that this happen too. Nice to hear that I might be able to get them replaced.
Electrical, carb ,brake cleaners will do that to plastic. I have used electrical cleaner on electrical parts and they fell apart in my hand. This mite be the problem.
I have a 14 pound Snap-on Dead blow that I bought 34 years ago. used mostly for straightening bumpers and moving things that don't want to move. best $100 (1978) dollar hammer a man could own
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