SE Solid Single Piece Drop Forged Rock Pick Hammer with Tip, 22 OZ.

Ok, I've broken more axes, mauls, hammers, hatchets and other hand tools than most will ever own in their life. I've used them, abused them, and feel I can honestly say that I know a well-made tool when I see one; whether it is a true Ames shovel or an Estwing hatchet. This rock hammer falls into that Estwing catagory. Actually, when I ordered this hammer, I was replacing some other old tools that were quite wore out. I figured, hey, I don't want to chunk out $55 for an Estwing rock hammer right now, so I'll take a shot at this. If it can hold me for a few months, I'll do better then. This hammer arrived, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. The hammer and handle are one single forged piece. To the reviewer that said his 11-year old daughter broke it on the first day, got news for him, I'm 6'5", almost 300 pounds, can probably lift my weight plus some, and I am NOT going to break this hammer this year. Considering that I gem-hunt and gold prospect dry placers, that amounts to thousands of blows by a gorilla that knows how to break a tool. Either feed your daughter kryptonite and return her to normalcy, or check to see what hammer you should have reviewed instead. This hammer is a single forged piece of steel, and it is not going to be broken by a human hand. That said, and to address another person's comments that 'it is lacquered and will rust right away'; I have to warn them that most hammers are cold rolled steel, and I've yet to see an actual 'work hammer' that isn't patina'd with rust. I am suspicious of tools that don't flash rust into brown patina, especially striking tools that can seriously injure you. I haven't got a single cold chisel that isn't motley brown in color. FYI, it will take about 200-years at the bottom of the Atlantic for this hammer to rust away. I won't need it then, and it's fine for now. As for the commenter who said 'the pointy end dulls quickly', all I can say is yes, stone chisels dull quickly, too. That's why they make sharpening rocks and grinders. You DO have to maintain cutting and striking tools, if you are doing it all correctly. Again, if it was a wimp, I'll call it one immediately. This is just as good of a tool as any Estwing single-piece forged hatchet I have picked up. It feels fairly balanced, and has LOTS of weight in that head to crack most rocks on first-blow. Yes, you do have to re-form the single point rear pick when it dulls from heavy use. Yes, the handle is rubber (overcoating the single forged piece of steel underneath), and yes, it is a hammer. Yes, you could drive nails with it, though that is NOT what it is meant for. It is a ROCK hammer, for cracking and working rocks. It is a rather BIG rock hammer, the sticker on it said it was 20-ounces, and I didn't weigh it when I got it, but I'm guessing closer to 26-ounces, by the feel of it compared to my ripping hammer (again, I'm stuck on a 11-year old girl breaking this beast...it's like saying, 'and yes, my daughter just came out of diapers yesterday and she threw my 20-pound sledge out in the yard and broke it, right there, on the spot!). Ok, maybe his daughter DID break a hammer yesterday, but I really want to see video of her breaking this one! I'll pay for her to break this hammer, I absolutely cannot imagine it being done.

Very good quality

Perfect for amateur rockhounding for my kids. My 7 and 9 year olds said they felt good in their hands and worked well. They love how they look!

It's definitely a hardened hammer I don't know that it's cold hardened but good quality not the best but good for the price, satisfied with this hammer.

I bought this as a birthday gift for my 11-yr old son who has always held a fascination for "cool looking rocks", and more recently, 'mining' (thank you Minecraft for the positive influence that translates well to the real-life hobby of rockhounding -- at least in a 11-yr old's mind!). This product turned out to be the perfect choice. He can handle it just fine -- the rubberized grip is the perfect size for his hands to wrap around and maintain a secure hold, the handle length is great for a safe two-handed grip, and the weight -- enough to smash almost any rock that he has tried to smash, but not so heavy that it makes it impossible to wield. With that said, he definitely gets a great workout when using it! I've used it myself a couple of times now while teaching him how to cleave rock -- even though this is a rock 'pick' hammer and *not* a chisel edge rock hammer -- and find it does a pretty decent job (depending on the type of rock, of course). I can't yet comment on durability although this hammer feels and looks like it is well-built. I can imagine it will hold up for many years. All-in-all a great value!

I was really worried to order a "cheaper" product, but another review here talked me into it, so I took the chance. I was extremely happy when my order came and I pulled this item out of the box of everything else I ordered. It feels like it is built very solid, and felt good in my hand (important). This hammer was actually for my 10 year old, so I was worried about getting him something too cheap and ruining his experience. We took it up into the mountains this last weekend, and we both took turns with it. I'm a big guy, and it took the punishment like a man. While it's not the Cadillac of rock hammers, I couldn't be more happy with this item - especially regarding price. Pros: Great product for the money. Seems solid. Cons: Maybe a slightly better material for the grip would be nice. I will update this review if it ever breaks or has other issues. UPDATED ON 16-JAN-2014 ================= Well we've been beating the heck out of this hammer now since August, and I'm happy to report back that it's still as good as the day we bought it (minus the visual wear and tear). It's stood up to every rock and hard soil we've thrown at it. Still very happy with it and recommend it. It also makes quick work of snow/ice pack when digging out a snow cave -- yipppee!

Want a reliable rockhounding hammer without the pro price tag? This guy. Right here. I beat her up in Moat Mountains sites and shes ready for more!

I'm giving this five stars as I'm more than satisfied with how well it has worked for the tasks on which I've used it. I had a small staircase made of rocks cemented together that I needed to tear apart. This pick hammer in combination with a rock chisel let me break the staircase apart and then chip the cement off of the rocks so that they could be reused on another project. I was also able to chip the rocks themselves into shapes better suited to my needs. The hammer appears to be well made, sturdy, and balanced nicely. I realize my use of this rock pick hammer may be an edge case but I'm happy with how well it worked for me.