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I just found out I've been using a hammer wrong for fifteen years

I was helping my cousin frame a shed in his backyard in Tacoma last weekend, and he stopped me mid swing. He said, 'Dude, you're holding it like a baseball bat.' I had no idea what he meant until he showed me. My whole life, I've been gripping the very end of the handle, thinking it gave me more power. Turns out, that makes you lose control and miss the nail way more often. He told me to choke up about two inches from the end, and it was like magic. My hits were straight and solid, and my wrist didn't hurt after an hour. I felt like a total goof. How many bent nails and bruised thumbs could I have avoided? Has anyone else had a basic tool lesson that came way too late?

3 comments

3 Comments

green.grant26d ago

Man, that's the story of my life with so many things. You just get used to doing it wrong and never question it.

zara_kelly2725d agoTop Commenter

Tell me about it, @green.grant, I used to microwave tea bags for years.

christopher7625d ago

Wait, you mean you're not supposed to hold it at the very end? I always thought that was the right way for more swing. My dad taught me that. So where exactly do you put your hand? Is it just a couple inches up from the bottom, or more in the middle of the handle? This might explain why I'm so bad at hitting nails straight.