CraigHyatt Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 I wanted to get a lighter replacement for a 22 oz masonry hammer. I ordered a 13 oz rock pick. Apparently, a rock *pick* isn't made for actually hammering rocks. Fair enough. Buyer beware. But the size and weight of the 13 oz pick are virtually identical to my 22 oz hammer. That is a bit strange. I will keep the new tool as a backup, but since I actually need to *hammer* rocks, I'll continue carrying my masonry hammer. It works as a hammer, chisel, and low force pry bar. Info: Craig Hyatt, retired software/electrical engineer Experience: Beginner, fossil hunting less than a year Location: Eagle Pass, TX USA on the border with Mexico, hot dry desert Formation: Escondido, Marine, Upper Cretaceous Materials: Sandstone, Mudstone, Shale, Chert, Chalk Typical: Thalassinoides, Sphenodiscus, Exogyra, Inoceramus Reference: http://txfossils.com/Txfossils.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigHyatt Posted July 21, 2016 Author Share Posted July 21, 2016 And, BTW, the wiki article seems to support the common sense interpretation that a rock pick is for hammering and chipping fossils. Which is pretty much what I thought, since that's how you use a full size pick. You swing it to break rocks and hard ground. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologist%27s_hammer Info: Craig Hyatt, retired software/electrical engineer Experience: Beginner, fossil hunting less than a year Location: Eagle Pass, TX USA on the border with Mexico, hot dry desert Formation: Escondido, Marine, Upper Cretaceous Materials: Sandstone, Mudstone, Shale, Chert, Chalk Typical: Thalassinoides, Sphenodiscus, Exogyra, Inoceramus Reference: http://txfossils.com/Txfossils.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 I use mine to hit rocks all the time. I do wear safety glasses. I have see some with chips out of them, but that is extremely rare. I think they are just covering their behinds when they put that warning on there. BTW - what does it say on the bottom of your handles? Just wondering if they mislabeled it somehow. Keep in mind, the 13 or 22 oz. "weight" they are referencing is the weight of the hammer head, alone. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigHyatt Posted July 21, 2016 Author Share Posted July 21, 2016 (edited) I use mine to hit rocks all the time. I do wear safety glasses. I have see some with chips out of them, but that is extremely rare. I think they are just covering their behinds when they put that warning on there. BTW - what does it say on the bottom of your handles? Just wondering if they mislabeled it somehow. Keep in mind, the 13 or 22 oz. "weight" they are referencing is the weight of the hammer head, alone. Regards, Just has a patent number. Still possible it was mislabeled. I wrote the vendor about it. If the weight is the same, I prefer my sturdy masonry hammer. It's tried and true. Edit: Also, the masonry hammer isn't so pointy. I have enough problems dodging cactus spines. ;-) Edited July 21, 2016 by CraigHyatt Info: Craig Hyatt, retired software/electrical engineer Experience: Beginner, fossil hunting less than a year Location: Eagle Pass, TX USA on the border with Mexico, hot dry desert Formation: Escondido, Marine, Upper Cretaceous Materials: Sandstone, Mudstone, Shale, Chert, Chalk Typical: Thalassinoides, Sphenodiscus, Exogyra, Inoceramus Reference: http://txfossils.com/Txfossils.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 Come on Craig, you're a man. Since when do we ever pay attention to directions? I think the warnings attached to the new hammer are legal obligations to prevent the company from getting sued by some idiot consumer that may claim no one told them that striking two different materials together may have some consequences. Same point as no one told me the "hot" coffee might burn me when I spill it on myself, because there wasn't a warning label telling me to be cautious. Some of us humans do not practice common sense! You will find most products will have similar warning labels. I'm surprised the label didn't say not to strike the hammer on your fingers because it may cause injury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigHyatt Posted July 21, 2016 Author Share Posted July 21, 2016 (edited) A man *and* an engineer. So I definitely skip the directions. :-) My first thought when I see a hammer is "I could have designed it better." ;-) Edited July 21, 2016 by CraigHyatt Info: Craig Hyatt, retired software/electrical engineer Experience: Beginner, fossil hunting less than a year Location: Eagle Pass, TX USA on the border with Mexico, hot dry desert Formation: Escondido, Marine, Upper Cretaceous Materials: Sandstone, Mudstone, Shale, Chert, Chalk Typical: Thalassinoides, Sphenodiscus, Exogyra, Inoceramus Reference: http://txfossils.com/Txfossils.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Ammonite Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 (edited) Craig, why are you looking for a lighter hammer? Is the whole think too heavy to carry? (Try putting it in a plastic holster.) Do you need a lighter hammer head for delicate hammering and use with very small chisels? I use a very small ball peen hammer to hit a small chisel against small rocks to trim them. Here are some uses for your old and new hammers. I use the pick end of my 24oz Estwing: 1) to dig out the small rocks and soil around large rocks and fossils that I want to extract. I never use the pick end to hit hard rocks; that's what hand held chisels are for. 2) to dig a hole when I need to use the "facilities". 3) to help pull myself up those steep slopes while stalking rocks and fossils. 4) to dig in really soft rocks such as weathered Eagle Ford shale. 5) to pry rocks out of outcrops and in the ground. The hammer end breaks hard to medium soft rocks sometimes while using a hand held rock chisel. I have also had to break the 1 inch + thick ice (a mineral) on cattle troughs (twice)during cold snaps in the San Francisco Bay area so the cattle and deer could get a drink. I had a couple of thirsty calves drinking on the far side of an 8 ft. trough while I broke the ice on the other end. A geologist's hammer is a multifunctional tool. Edited July 21, 2016 by DPS Ammonite 2 My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned. See my Arizona Paleontology Guide link The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigHyatt Posted July 21, 2016 Author Share Posted July 21, 2016 (edited) I do a lot of hiking and scrambling on hills in hot temperatures. I stay out for 4 to 6 hours a day. Nice to be retired. ;-) So I've been trying to lighten the load as much as possible. So 9 oz would have been a very significant savings, but it turns out that's the head weight, not the tool weight. In that case, my original hammer is just fine. And, yes, I do use it for climbing and flipping rocks over to check for scorpions. ;-) Basically, lighter gear => more water and less fatigue => longer collecting time. Edit: Confession time. I love exploring the desert. Finding a fossil now and then is just a bonus. Just look how beautiful it is. Close to heaven on earth for me. :-) Edited July 21, 2016 by CraigHyatt Info: Craig Hyatt, retired software/electrical engineer Experience: Beginner, fossil hunting less than a year Location: Eagle Pass, TX USA on the border with Mexico, hot dry desert Formation: Escondido, Marine, Upper Cretaceous Materials: Sandstone, Mudstone, Shale, Chert, Chalk Typical: Thalassinoides, Sphenodiscus, Exogyra, Inoceramus Reference: http://txfossils.com/Txfossils.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcusFossils Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 (edited) I do a lot of hiking and scrambling on hills in hot temperatures. I stay out for 4 to 6 hours a day. Nice to be retired. ;-) So I've been trying to lighten the load as much as possible. So 9 oz would have been a very significant savings, but it turns out that's the head weight, not the tool weight. In that case, my original hammer is just fine. And, yes, I do use it for climbing and flipping rocks over to check for scorpions. ;-) Basically, lighter gear => more water and less fatigue => longer collecting time. Edit: Confession time. I love exploring the desert. Finding a fossil now and then is just a bonus. Just look how beautiful it is. :-) It is beautiful...makes me miss the Alberta Badlands People always say that the lush green of Quebec's forests are amazing, and it is...but your desert has a ruggedness to it that somehow speaks to me more. (The Forest around the house) (The backyard) (Where I find my Trilobites) Edited July 21, 2016 by MarcusFossils 1 Website: https://www.instagram.com/paleo_archives/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- “It is by no means an irrational fancy that, in a future existence, we shall look upon what we think our present existence, as a dream.” ― Edgar Allan Poe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigHyatt Posted July 21, 2016 Author Share Posted July 21, 2016 It is beautiful...makes me miss the Alberta Badlands People always say that the lush green of Quebec's forests are amazing, and it is...but your desert has a ruggedness to it that's somehow speaks to me more. IMG_1117.jpg (The Forest around the house) SAM_2353.JPG (The backyard) SAM_2829.JPG (Where I find my Trilobites) Oh my gosh! I feel cooler just looking at those beautiful pictures. :-) Info: Craig Hyatt, retired software/electrical engineer Experience: Beginner, fossil hunting less than a year Location: Eagle Pass, TX USA on the border with Mexico, hot dry desert Formation: Escondido, Marine, Upper Cretaceous Materials: Sandstone, Mudstone, Shale, Chert, Chalk Typical: Thalassinoides, Sphenodiscus, Exogyra, Inoceramus Reference: http://txfossils.com/Txfossils.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 IMHO a masonry hammer is hard to beat. Since I lost mine I have missed it. Got to get a new one. The rock hammer with the pointy end is a close second in usefulness (had one of them but lost it too), but I guess it depends on the type of rock you need it for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigHyatt Posted July 22, 2016 Author Share Posted July 22, 2016 (edited) IMHO a masonry hammer is hard to beat. Since I lost mine I have missed it. Got to get a new one. The rock hammer with the pointy end is a close second in usefulness (had one of them but lost it too), but I guess it depends on the type of rock you need it for.I totally agree. The masonry hammer is built like a tank. I can use it for a smasher, chisel, and prybar without feeling like I'm going to break it. If that new pointy feller had been as light as I thought it was going to be, I'd have considered carrying it.That point is needle sharp, and I don't like that aspect. You almost have to use a case to keep from stabbing yourself. I carry my masonry hammer stuck through a loop with no case. I can use it and put it away in an instant. BTW, this is my minimalist system made from an old camera bag. I added a clip on waist strap to keep it from flopping around when I climb. My hammer is stuck through a loop in the strap. When I need the bag, I rotate it to the front. All I carry is 2 water bottles, hammer, and phone. I plan to cut off the lid's snap buckle and get mama to sew on some Velcro so I can open and close it one-handed. For walking around, bag rotated to back, hammer at my side. To get water or store fossils, bag rotates to front. Snap buckle to be replaced with Velcro eventually. Only carry two 500ml water bottles and hammer. Edited July 22, 2016 by CraigHyatt Info: Craig Hyatt, retired software/electrical engineer Experience: Beginner, fossil hunting less than a year Location: Eagle Pass, TX USA on the border with Mexico, hot dry desert Formation: Escondido, Marine, Upper Cretaceous Materials: Sandstone, Mudstone, Shale, Chert, Chalk Typical: Thalassinoides, Sphenodiscus, Exogyra, Inoceramus Reference: http://txfossils.com/Txfossils.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcusFossils Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 I took your advice on the masonry hammer, bought myself a beautiful 24oz hickory handled one today. I then carved into the hickory handle and myself a very comfortable grip, sanded the whole shaft and oiled it with light mineral oil. It's gorgeous! Website: https://www.instagram.com/paleo_archives/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- “It is by no means an irrational fancy that, in a future existence, we shall look upon what we think our present existence, as a dream.” ― Edgar Allan Poe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 That looks like a handy system.. I've been using my baby carriage to carry my equipment and fossils to and from the car, but the boxes get full of fossils and the hammer and other large tools /water bottle tend to get squeezed out by fossils on the way back. I might think about something like this to solve that problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Oops, Marcus got in there before me.. my reply was to Craig above that. (Nice hammer, Marcus) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcusFossils Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Oops, Marcus got in there before me.. my reply was to Craig above that. (Nice hammer, Marcus) Haha sorry about that Website: https://www.instagram.com/paleo_archives/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- “It is by no means an irrational fancy that, in a future existence, we shall look upon what we think our present existence, as a dream.” ― Edgar Allan Poe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigHyatt Posted July 22, 2016 Author Share Posted July 22, 2016 I took your advice on the masonry hammer, bought myself a beautiful 24oz hickory handled one today. I then carved into the hickory handle and myself a very comfortable grip, sanded the whole shaft and oiled it with light mineral oil. It's gorgeous! image.jpeg That's a freakin' work of art. It will last for years. 1 Info: Craig Hyatt, retired software/electrical engineer Experience: Beginner, fossil hunting less than a year Location: Eagle Pass, TX USA on the border with Mexico, hot dry desert Formation: Escondido, Marine, Upper Cretaceous Materials: Sandstone, Mudstone, Shale, Chert, Chalk Typical: Thalassinoides, Sphenodiscus, Exogyra, Inoceramus Reference: http://txfossils.com/Txfossils.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigHyatt Posted July 22, 2016 Author Share Posted July 22, 2016 That looks like a handy system.. I've been using my baby carriage to carry my equipment and fossils to and from the car, but the boxes get full of fossils and the hammer and other large tools /water bottle tend to get squeezed out by fossils on the way back. I might think about something like this to solve that problem. I started out with a camelback and carrying a bunch of tools I didn't need. Long story short, this is the evolved version that lets me work as efficiently as possible. Will probably keep evolving, knowing me.... ;-) Info: Craig Hyatt, retired software/electrical engineer Experience: Beginner, fossil hunting less than a year Location: Eagle Pass, TX USA on the border with Mexico, hot dry desert Formation: Escondido, Marine, Upper Cretaceous Materials: Sandstone, Mudstone, Shale, Chert, Chalk Typical: Thalassinoides, Sphenodiscus, Exogyra, Inoceramus Reference: http://txfossils.com/Txfossils.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Ammonite Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 (edited) I totally agree. The masonry hammer is built like a tank. I can use it for a smasher, chisel, and prybar without feeling like I'm going to break it. If that new pointy feller had been as light as I thought it was going to be, I'd have considered carrying it. That point is needle sharp, and I don't like that aspect. You almost have to use a case to keep from stabbing yourself. I carry my masonry hammer stuck through a loop with no case. I can use it and put it away in an instant. BTW, this is my minimalist system made from an old camera bag. I added a clip on waist strap to keep it from flopping around when I climb. My hammer is stuck through a loop in the strap. When I need the bag, I rotate it to the front. All I carry is 2 water bottles, hammer, and phone. I plan to cut off the lid's snap buckle and get mama to sew on some Velcro so I can open and close it one-handed. For walking around, bag rotated to back, hammer at my side. image.jpeg To get water or store fossils, bag rotates to front. Snap buckle to be replaced with Velcro eventually. image.jpeg Only carry two 500ml water bottles and hammer. image.jpeg Craig, where do you have room to bring home large fossils like the Escondido trace fossils. I have a large knapsack to carry home 50lb beauties. You need something bigger to carry home the average 40lb Texas Eopachydiscus ammonites. EDIT: Maybe the old timers had it right. When prospecting, bring a burro to carry your stuff. Edited July 22, 2016 by DPS Ammonite My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned. See my Arizona Paleontology Guide link The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigHyatt Posted July 22, 2016 Author Share Posted July 22, 2016 My strategy is to post live and direct to the forum. You guys will proceed to shoot down most of the "nice rocks" so no need to fill up my bag with them. :-) Next, I use GPS enabled photos, and photograph every find. If I ever find something that can't be cut down to size, I return to the spot using GPS and bring a large backpack. So far, that has only happened once. I had to carry a 40 lb slab with a trace fossil back to my car. I that case, I was afraid to cut it down because the vibration would chip off the fragile trace. If I ever do find any 50 lb ammonites on a regular basis, I'll probably start bringing a large backpack. So far, that's not the case. Or maybe I'm looking right at giant fossils and don't know what I am seeing. ;-) 1 Info: Craig Hyatt, retired software/electrical engineer Experience: Beginner, fossil hunting less than a year Location: Eagle Pass, TX USA on the border with Mexico, hot dry desert Formation: Escondido, Marine, Upper Cretaceous Materials: Sandstone, Mudstone, Shale, Chert, Chalk Typical: Thalassinoides, Sphenodiscus, Exogyra, Inoceramus Reference: http://txfossils.com/Txfossils.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Ammonite Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 We enjoy your live photos of your collecting trips. Now, if you could just stream videos of your collecting trips. Live fossil collecting with Craig could become a larger spectator sport that golf. 1 My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned. See my Arizona Paleontology Guide link The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigHyatt Posted July 22, 2016 Author Share Posted July 22, 2016 We enjoy your live photos of your collecting trips. Now, if you could just stream videos of your collecting trips. Live fossil collecting with Craig could become a larger spectator sport that golf. In that case, I will have a collection of hammers and a caddy to carry them. The gallery and announcer will follow me around to different sites. Announcer1 (whispers): Team Hyatt is doing very well this round. It looks like he's spotted a nice Exogyra grouping. Announcer 2: Yes, Frank, very well indeed considering the dry conditions out here. Looks like his caddy is going with the new 13P...... err....... no, he's taking out the big iron, the Estwing 24 oz. Those must be some very crusty bilvalves. Announcer 1: Hyatt is taking his time. A couple of deft taps. Announcer 2: This is where that technique and finesse is sooooo critical. Announcer 1: They're rocking. They're loosening. Annnnnnd, they're out of the ground!! Hyatt has just score two Exogyra and there's a hole in one!!!! Gallery: [golf clap] Info: Craig Hyatt, retired software/electrical engineer Experience: Beginner, fossil hunting less than a year Location: Eagle Pass, TX USA on the border with Mexico, hot dry desert Formation: Escondido, Marine, Upper Cretaceous Materials: Sandstone, Mudstone, Shale, Chert, Chalk Typical: Thalassinoides, Sphenodiscus, Exogyra, Inoceramus Reference: http://txfossils.com/Txfossils.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 I wanted to get a lighter replacement for a 22 oz masonry hammer. I ordered a 13 oz rock pick. Apparently, a rock *pick* isn't made for actually hammering rocks. Fair enough. Buyer beware. But the size and weight of the 13 oz pick are virtually identical to my 22 oz hammer. That is a bit strange. I will keep the new tool as a backup, but since I actually need to *hammer* rocks, I'll continue carrying my masonry hammer. It works as a hammer, chisel, and low force pry bar. I use both types depending on the collecting application. For splitting rocks or hammering really hard stuff, I use the chisel type. For digging and chipping softer matrices, the pick type is better. When I need a chisel and one of the kids has it, I've been known to strike the two hammer heads together (don't tell on me...) 1 Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigHyatt Posted July 22, 2016 Author Share Posted July 22, 2016 Come on Craig, you're a man. Since when do we ever pay attention to directions?I think the warnings attached to the new hammer are legal obligations to prevent the company from getting sued by some idiot consumer that may claim no one told them that striking two different materials together may have some consequences. Same point as no one told me the "hot" coffee might burn me when I spill it on myself, because there wasn't a warning label telling me to be cautious. Some of us humans do not practice common sense! You will find most products will have similar warning labels.I'm surprised the label didn't say not to strike the hammer on your fingers because it may cause injury. Since this is a family forum, I won't post it here, but search Bill Engvall preparation H letter for a nice bit on over-the-top consumer warnings. ;-) Info: Craig Hyatt, retired software/electrical engineer Experience: Beginner, fossil hunting less than a year Location: Eagle Pass, TX USA on the border with Mexico, hot dry desert Formation: Escondido, Marine, Upper Cretaceous Materials: Sandstone, Mudstone, Shale, Chert, Chalk Typical: Thalassinoides, Sphenodiscus, Exogyra, Inoceramus Reference: http://txfossils.com/Txfossils.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Ammonite Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Since this is a family forum, I won't post it here, but search Bill Engvall preparation H letter for a nice bit on over-the-top consumer warnings. ;-) Did you get a package of Chiclets with you new hammer, the type Engvall talks about? 1 My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned. See my Arizona Paleontology Guide link The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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