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Right or left handed slater's hammer: the blade, not the glove

Updated: 24 October 2026

You have seen right on a Stubai title, or German pattern on an Estwing, and you are trying to match the hammer to the hand you write with. A right or left handed slater's hammer names the cutting edge, not a glove. This page says which listing actually has a hand, and what to check before the return window closes. The [slate hammer comparison](/hub/hand-tools/slate-hammer) holds the prices and the weight conflicts. Peter F. took the split from Stubai's table and the amazon.co.uk listing, not a workshop test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You have seen right on a Stubai title, or German pattern on an Estwing, and you are trying to match the hammer to the hand you write with. A right or left handed slater's hammer names the cutting edge, not a glove.

Our top picks

Estwing Estwing E239MS roofer's pick

Best overall

Estwing Estwing E239MS roofer's pick
8.5/10about £62.02
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Roughneck Roughneck ROU61800 slater's hammer

Best value

Roughneck Roughneck ROU61800 slater's hammer
8.7/10about £16.99
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Stubai Stubai 275501 right-hand slater's hammer

Alternative

Stubai Stubai 275501 right-hand slater's hammer
8.6/10about £76.97
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What right is naming
  2. 2.275501 and 275502
  3. 3.A roofer's pick is not a hand
  4. 4.Check it before the return window

What right is naming

Right is the side the cutting edge sits on, so the bevel faces the way you dress the slate. You order a hand only when you are buying the blade. A site hammer, with a pick, a central claw, and a rectangular face, has no hand. AB Tools, the Roughneck ROU61800, and the Roughneck Gorilla are that pattern. If you only punch holes, the Stubai's £76.97 is a different purchase, which the slate hammer buying guide separates first. A rectangular face will not trim an edge. Stubai says to wear goggles and not to use a damaged tool. A US shop page for a Freund slate hammer shows a handed pair in dollars. That is not a UK price.

275501 and 275502

Stubai's 2755 table lists 275501 as right and 275502 as left. Both are C45, 700 g, and 350 mm, with a leather handle. Only 275501 is in this comparison. The blade is on one side. The Amazon title says right and 350 mm. The dimension line says 27 cm. The item weight is 743 g. Do not average those with the maker's 700 g and 350 mm. The bullets do not describe the blade. The included-components field prints Roofers, which is not a hand. A trade page for 275502 lists £45.78 and both hickory and leather. Amazon says leather, at £76.97 in the saved file, or about £73.93 on 22 October 2026. Whether the fault reviews mean a site hammer instead is the best slater's hammer page.
Estwing Estwing E239MS roofer's pick

Testsieger

Estwing Estwing E239MS roofer's pick
8.5/10about £62.02
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A roofer's pick is not a hand

People mix the Estwing E239MS with the Stubai because the bullets say German pattern. On that listing, German pattern is not right and it is not left. There is no pair. It is a one-piece forging with a magnetised face and a leather grip. It does not say slate. One UK review recommends it for slate. Another says the claw is too fat for some clouts. The item weight is 1.02 kg. The top-pick badge is the one-piece criterion, not a bevel for your writing hand. The Roughneck claw sits in the centre. There is no left-hand ROU61800. If the job is holes, keep the strike on the bench, on the how to hole a slate page.

Check it before the return window

Look at the cutting edge before you look at the stars. Right means the edge is on the right-hand side of that pattern. Look for a Stubai stamp. A left-hand delivery in the reviews had no stamp, so a missing mark is a reason to stop. A bent blade or a folded point is the damaged tool the maker says not to use. Check the handle is tight. Return a wrong-hand hammer inside the window rather than grinding a new bevel. The roof is not where you discover the hand was wrong.

Common questions

What does right-handed mean on a slate hammer?
It means the cutting edge is on the right-hand side of a bladed slater's hammer. It does not mean the grip is moulded for a right hand. Stubai's 275501 is the right-hand model. The 275502 twin is left-hand, and it is not in this comparison.
I am right-handed. Do I need 275501?
Only if you dress slate with the right-hand bevel. If you cut left-handed, order 275502 as its own listing. This ASIN does not flip. If you only punch nail holes, you need neither hand.
Does the Roughneck come in a left-hand version?
No. The ROU61800 and the Gorilla are site hammers with a pick and a claw, not a bevel you choose by hand. There is no left-hand part number in the Amazon bullets.
Is the Estwing a German-pattern slater's hammer like the Stubai?
The bullets say German pattern. They do not say left, right, or slate. The Stubai is sold as a hand, with a right and a left model on the maker's table. The Estwing is a one-piece roofer's pick at 1.02 kg.
The title says 350 mm and the dimensions say 27 cm. Which is it?
Both are printed, and they disagree. The title matches Stubai's 350 mm. The Amazon dimension line says 27 cm, and the item weight is 743 g against the maker's 700 g. A shop price of £45.78 does not replace the Amazon price.
What do I check on the day it arrives?
Check the cutting side against the word right, look for a Stubai stamp, sight the edge for a bend, and check the handle is tight. One UK review received a left-hand hammer with no stamp. If the edge is wrong, use the return window.

Related pages

Replace a slate DIY

Slate hammer

Best slater's hammer: who each of these five is for

Slate hammer buying guide: three heads, then weight

How to hole a slate: bed, support, and when to stop

Sources

Prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk saved listings for B0CBVW35XX, B004VRPXUU, B097BJ7444, B0002JT0BE, and B0001JZYL0, scored on 22 October 2026. Public sources cover work at height, PUWER, BS 5534, BS 8000-6, and holing practice. None of these listings is certified to those standards. This is not a lab strike test.

  1. HSE: Work at height FAQs (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. HSE: PUWER and work equipment (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. NFRC: standards and regulations (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. LABC: fixing of roof tiles (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. CUPA: fixing guide for natural slate (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. SSQ: nail fixing guide (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. Kellaway: Roughneck slater's hammer (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  9. Metal Roofing Tools: Stubai slater's hammer 275501 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  10. Wow Tools: Estwing E239MS roofer's pick (retrieved 22 October 2026)