KAKURI Japanese Carpenter Hammer GENNO for Woodworking 13 oz (375g), Carpentry Hammer with Wood Handle for Chisel, Plane, Nail, Made in JAPAN

Compared to the utilitarian design of western hammers, Japanese tools are beautifully shaped art-forms. This hammer has an oval-shaped head which was not evident in the ambiguous pictures. I was expecting a round hammer head. But was surprised to see oval. Slightly disappointing. The profile of the head is an eye pleasing hour glass. The build quality is great. The finish is excellent. There are no flaws in it. The wood used in the handles, I think it's a type of Oak, has a lot of grain to them. You can feel it all. I haven't owned a handle like this before. It should provide an excellent non-slip grip. I will say that the handle is very long. Longer than any of the Western or other Japanese hammers. Given the oval shaped head and the long handle, you have to be careful when hammering small nails. It's definitely better suited for adjusting Japanese planes or chisel work.

I saw reviews saying the handle was long etc but it’s actually about the same as a western style claw hammer, their faces are about the same but visually appears off balance to some of us because there’s not as much steel and has a thin handle. Feels great in the hand, I’ll definitely be using this a lot more than my 12 or 16 oz hammers. I would only recommend oiling the handle and flattening the one face as needed.

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Buen martillo, compacto y fuerte

I do another of finish carpentry. I own several Japanese hammers. I really like the way this hammer feels in my hand. You can tell the difference. For tapping or chiseling this hammer does it all.

This hammer has a convex side and a flat side, ideal for setting up your bench chisels. The weight and balance are comfortable. Using the convex side to round the wood at the end of your chisels avoids tearing the fibers and increases the life of your chisels. Also, unlike a general multi-use hammer that has knicks and dings in it, I chose to set this one aside to ensure a clear head for years to come.

Works as it should feels well built.

This build quality of this hammer is what you expect from a good hammer.While the weight balance was a little awkward with the thinner handle for me comparing to my round rubber mallet, it is good choice for all around hammer.Very appropriate weight for "finger-tapping" the chisels, but note it can be kind of loud if the butt of the chisel is wooden. I would pick rubber mallet if you mind that, to me, this is more suitable for Japanese chisel with metal butt.Overall, this is a good addition to your toolset if you are into chiseling, especially Japanese chisel, or just want a decent hammer.