Hammers come in four basic types--machinist's (ball peen), plastic (soft faced), sledge, and dead blow. The basic hammer for a mechanic is the ball peen. If you already have a good claw hammer, keep it with your carpentry tools, it won't do for automotive use.
If you are going to buy a hammer, get one with an 8- or 12-ounce head that is drop forged and heat-treated. The handle of a quality hammer will be hickory, ash or fiberglass.
A soft faced mallet is useful in situations where less force is required, rubber mallets are good for installing snap-on hubcaps, and other jobs where you don't want to mar the surface.
| Fig. 1: A variety of hammers are useful for different
applications--Ball peen, soft faced, sledges, and dead blow.
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