Estwing Rock Picks - Handle Type?

[Nomad Z]

Hi all. New here, new to fossil collecting, and have a question about handles on Estwing rock picks...

 

After some reading, it looks like a suitable choice is a 22oz Eswing rock pick/hammer, but I'm not sure about handle type. The one with the stacked leather looks lovely and is very appealing, but what's it like for vibration compared to the vinyl version? I should mention that I'm unlikely to be breaking rocks all day - occasional weekend use for maybe a couple of hours or so. No idea what sort of material I might be breaking in terms of hard or soft, so probably best to assume some hard material at least some of the time, and I have my eye on some chrome vanadium splitting chisels. 

 

If the leather one is okay for vibration, what about longevity? I assume it will wear quicker than the vinyl one, but is it particularly short lived? (If it helps, a few years of occasional use would be fine by me in terms of cost over time.) 

 

Cheers.

[DPS Ammonite]

I think that the rubber is better for reducing vibration. I originally had a leather handled one. After many years one of the leather pieces split and fell off causing other leather pieces to shift position.

 

Get the heavier 24 oz head. The extra weight means that you can break bigger rocks. The larger head means that you will more likely hit the head of your chisel and not your hand.

[caterpillar]

For me, vinyl is better than leather. Leather tends to dry and shrink over time. Leather is good for the look, but vynil is more efficient

[Nomad Z]

Thanks both.

 

Looks like the synthetic handle is the way to go. What are the actual sizes of the striking faces of the 22oz and 24oz picks? Been looking online, and can't find anything. About all I can see is that they're square shaped with a noticeable chamfer around the edges.

[caldigger]

The vinyl is your best choice for holding up to vibration and for other reasons listed above. Not sure why they are even still making the leather grip other than to give buyers a nostalgic feel.

I have both types, but only use the blue vinyl one.

[facehugger]

I have the 14oz and the 22oz. I keep them both in my car. If the location I am visiting involves hiking for miles, or difficult terrain, I usually carry the lighter one...

[erose]

IMHO...Blue handle, Long handle so you can reach further, bend over less. Rock pick is for picking/splitting...buy a crack hammer for breaking rocks. 

[Bone Daddy]

I've used both and I am partial to the blue-handed version.

 

[Nomad Z]

Thanks all. I went with the 22oz one with normal-length blue handle, if only because it seems to be somewhat ubiquitous. (Gotta start somewhere...)

Edited October 14, 2019 by Nomad Z

[Mark Kmiecik]

12 hours ago, Nomad Z said:

Thanks all. I went with the 22oz one with normal-length blue handle, if only because it seems to be somewhat ubiquitous. (Gotta start somewhere...)

You will eventually acquire a style and may begin specializing in one type of fossil hunting, and at that point this hammer may become less functional than a different design. But until then this one will serve you well. Just remember to use eye protection. Most people don't appreciate the importance of this until they witness a person's eye oozing out of its socket. It's even worse if it's yours.

[connorp]

On 10/14/2019 at 4:20 PM, Mark Kmiecik said:

You will eventually acquire a style and may begin specializing in one type of fossil hunting, and at that point this hammer may become less functional than a different design. But until then this one will serve you well. Just remember to use eye protection. Most people don't appreciate the importance of this until they witness a person's eye oozing out of its socket. It's even worse if it's yours.

Very true. Wear gloves as well. I forgot mine on a hunt this past weekend, shrugged it off, and ended up with half a dozen or so painful cuts on my hands from hammer whacks.