How to use a claw hammer without bending the nails
Updated: 23 October 2026
A rushed first swing bends the nail, bruises the wood or catches a finger. How to use a claw hammer is a sequence: set the nail, clear your hand, then swing, and pull with a scrap under the head. If the head is 8 oz and the nail is a joist nail, change the hammer. The cards are on the [hammer comparison](/hub/hand-tools/hammer). Peter F. updated this on 22 October 2026 from public UK guidance. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
A rushed first swing bends the nail, bruises the wood or catches a finger. How to use a claw hammer is a sequence: set the nail, clear your hand, then swing, and pull with a scrap under the head.
A rushed first swing bends the nail, bruises the wood or catches a finger. How to use a claw hammer is a sequence: set the nail, clear your hand, then swing, and pull with a scrap under the head. If the head is 8 oz and the nail is a joist nail, change the hammer. The cards are on the hammer comparison. Peter F. updated this on 22 October 2026 from public UK guidance. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Face | Nail starter | Head weight | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Estwing Estwing E16C 16 oz leather grip | Not stated as milled | n/a | 16 oz / 450 g | 9.4 | about £37.00 | View offer |
| Best value |  Rolson Rolson 10339 16 oz tubular claw hammer | Not stated as milled | n/a | 16 oz | 9.2 | about £7.99 | View offer |
 Stanley Stanley FatMax FMHT1-51275 16 oz | Smooth, on the maker sheet | Claimed; one review says missing | 16 oz / 453 g head | 9.2 | about £27.95 | View offer |
On this page
Set the nail before you swing
Hold the handle near the end for the swing. A short grip is only for the first taps. BuildWiz UK describes light taps to stand the nail up, then a fuller swing once your free hand is off the nail. A bent nail is usually a glance, not a reason to buy a heavier hammer. Stanley's FMHT1-51275 sheet states a smooth face on the FatMax. None of the technical rows claim a milled face. The Roughneck, the FatMax and the Bargain Hound claim a magnetic slot. The Estwing file does not. Head weight sits on the claw hammer buying guide.
Pull with a scrap under the head
Hook the claw under the head and roll the hammer so the head bears on a scrap of plywood, not on the finished face. BuildWiz describes that scrap as the fulcrum. A curved claw gives more leverage on that roll. Shape is on curved claw vs straight claw. If the nail will not start, stop. Wonkee Donkee says a claw is often too thick for tongue-and-groove gaps and can snap as a long lever. Use a moulding bar, and tap only the heel of the bar.
Stop when the tool or the task is wrong
Retire the hammer when the head is loose, the claw is cracked, or the face is mushroomed. When the hammer is work equipment, HSE's overview of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 expects it to be suitable and maintained. Do not strike a cold chisel, a bolster or another hammer face. Those faces are hardened. A snapped claw on an ordinary nail is a quality question with the seller under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. A maker warranty does not replace the retailer. Which listing fits which job is on best claw hammer UK.
Ladder, magnet and eyes
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply where a fall could injure someone, including work controlled by an employer. HSE's ladder guidance asks for three points of contact, allows a brief hold on the nail while you start it, and says not to work off the top three rungs. A magnetic starter, claimed on the FatMax, the Roughneck and the Bargain Hound, does not cancel that. A Roughneck lanyard hole tethers the hammer. It is not a harness. HSE's PPE page names safety spectacles, goggles and face shields for projectiles. Ordinary prescription glasses are not impact protection. If you cannot see where cables run, stop and get a competent person.
Common questions
How do I start a nail without hitting my fingers?
Stand the nail with two or three light taps while your fingers pinch it low at the sides, then take the hand away before any full swing. If the nail leans, correct it while the blows are still light. A magnetic slot, claimed on the Roughneck, the FatMax and the Bargain Hound, holds the nail for that first tap so the other hand can stay on the work. The magnet does not protect a finger that stays in the swing.
How do I pull a nail without denting the wood?
Hook the claw and roll the hammer onto a scrap of timber or plywood, not onto the finished face. For a long nail, pull part way, add a thicker block, and pull again. One yank dents the wood and loads the claw. A curved claw adds leverage. It still needs the scrap. If the nail will not move, stop rather than lever harder.
Can I lift a floorboard with the claw?
Use a moulding bar or a wrecking bar for tongue-and-groove boards. Wonkee Donkee notes that a claw is often too thick for the gap and can snap when it is used as that lever. You can tap the heel of a bar with the hammer. You should not rock the board up on the claw. The same stop applies to a straight claw and a curved claw.
What eye protection do I need?
Impact eye protection: safety spectacles, goggles or a face shield, which is the range HSE names for projectile hazards. Ordinary glasses, including prescription glasses, are not a substitute. Wear them when you strike and when you pull, because a nail head or a chip can leave the work on either action. This page does not quote an injury rate.
When do I stop using a hammer with a loose head?
Stop as soon as the head moves, the claw cracks, or the face mushrooms. Do not finish the nail. At work, a loose head fails the maintenance duty in PUWER 1998. At home it is still a loose steel head. Replace the hammer. A one-piece head has no wedge, and a crack in that head is still the end of the tool.
What if the claw snaps on the first pull?
Stop. Do not keep pulling with the remaining tooth. If you were lifting boards or levering a heavy fixing, the hammer was the wrong bar. If you were pulling an ordinary nail and the claw failed at once, the seller has a quality question under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, including the 30-day short-term right to reject faulty goods. Keep the hammer and the packaging and speak to the retailer. A one-year maker warranty is extra, not a replacement for that conversation.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources listed below. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures used in this comparison, not a fresh check on 22 October 2026.
- BuildWiz UK, claw hammer (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- BSI, BS 876:1995 Specification for hand hammers (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- HSE, PUWER overview (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- HSE, types of ladder (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- HSE, using the right type of PPE (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 9 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- Stanley FatMax FMHT1-51275 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- Roughneck V-Series claw hammers (retrieved 22 October 2026)