d the handle.
The head is made of steel, so hard that it will not be indented by
hitting against nails or the butt of nailsets, punches, etc., which
are comparatively soft. It can easily be injured tho, by being driven
against steel harder than itself. The handle is of hickory and of an
oval shape to prevent its twisting in the hand.

[Illustration: Fig. 157. Resharpening a Cabinet-Scraper: Flattening
the Edge.]

Hammers may be classified as follows: (1) hammers for striking blows
only; as, the blacksmith's hammer and the stone-mason's hammer, and
(2) compound hammers, which consist of two tools combined, the face
for striking, and the "peen" which may be a claw, pick, wedge, shovel,
chisel, awl or round head for other uses. There are altogether about
fifty styles of hammers varying in size from a jeweler's hammer to
a blacksmith's great straight-handled sledge-hammer, weighing twenty
pounds or more. They are named mostly according to their uses; as,
the riveting-hammer, Fig. 159, the upholsterer's hammer, Fig. 160,
the veneering-hammer, Fig. 162, etc. Magnetized hammers, Fig. 161, are
used in many trades for driving brads and tacks, where it is hard to
hold them in place with the fingers.

[Illustration: Fig. 158. Claw-Hammer.]

[Illustration: Fig. 159. Riveting-Hammer.]

[Illustration: Fig. 160. Upholster's Hammer.]

[Illustration: Fig. 161. Magnetized Hammer.]

[Illustration: Fig. 162. Veneering-Hammer.]

In the "bell-faced" hammer, the face is slightly convex, in order
that the last blow in driving nails may set the nail-head below
the surface. It is more difficult to strike a square blow with it than
with a plain-faced hammer. For ordinary woodwork the plain-faced, that
is, flat-faced claw-hammer, Fig. 158, is best. It is commonly used in
carpenter work.

It is essential that the face of the hammer be kept free from glue in
order to avoid its sticking on the nail-head and so bending the nail.
Hammers should be used to hit iron only; for hitting wood, mallets
are used. In striking with the hammer, the wrist, the elbow and the
shoulder are one or all brought into play, according to the hardness
of the blow. The essential precautions are that the handle be grasped
at the end, that the blow be square and quick, and that the wood be
not injured. At the last blow the hammer should not follow the nail,
but should be brought back with a quick rebound. To send the nail
below the surface, a nailset is used. (See