I’m going through the tool belt and bags game. Wore the old one out, don’t like the new one, so I’m about to buy another (actually, I love the belt and harness, Bucket Boss Builder’s Air Lift, my pants stay up now, but I hate the bags that came with it). So, my deeply philosophical question of the day: do you prefer leather loops or steel to hold your hammer?
For extra credit, why?
Replies
steel
edit: Because they're easier to hit, and they don't lose shape when they get wet and what not, also like a seperate hammer loop, don't like to use the ones that are attached to the bags themselves. I always hit myself in the knees with my handle when I use the ones attached to the bags.
Edited 9/6/2005 11:00 pm ET by Stilts
I perfer steel, as I can easily drop my hammer in without looking down/fumbling, something I dont think I could manage with a leather loop.
I don't use a hammer enough to really worry about it too much.
I have noticed that a lot of the local carpenters seem to prefer the steel ones and a lot of those it is the steel ones with the one-way gates on the side that allow the hammer to be slapped in sideways.
In my tool box I have a hammer loop I made out of a length of 2" PVC conduit. Been a long time since I saw it and I would have to dig for it. Like I said I don't often use one. But I do like my PVC unit. It remains open for easy one-handed insertion and it doesn't rattle and clank like the steel ones.
i have always wrapped my steel ones in either leather or nylon cord -- can't stand that rattle!
Oh man--I was reading along and thinking gotta tell him to wrap the steel(Hate the racket myself) and boom--Ya got it--Well at least someone told him--I wrapped mine with 550 cord (GI stuff) and melted the end on itself to keep it from unwinding.4 years later and still hanging in there.So the posted probely figured out I vote for steel--I had a leather and got tired of looking for the open spot .P.S. for what it is worth I am not a big fan of the small of the back spot for the hammer. Had a friend of mine stummble backwords and sure enough the hammer stood up in his back--He got away lucky with a bruised kidney but it makes me cring to see them hanging right below someones spine.Mike" I reject your reality and substitute my own"
Adam Savage---Mythbusters
Steel
Easier to hit when putting the hammer back in the loop.
"A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel." Robert Frost
I agree with steel. I used a tool belt I borrowed once that had a leather loop and hated fumbling to put the hammer in it. Finally wrapped the leather in duct tape to keep it open. Don't know what the guy thought when I returned it!
I have seen a couple of carpenters with rings cut from PVC conduit or pipe sewn, glued or riveted into the leather loop to keep it open. Seemed to be effective. Perhaps a touch lighter than the steel loops. Especially considering that many bags come with a loop anyway.
My belt/bag has leather loops and annoys me daily, closes shut or opens so stuff falls out. I've been going thru a reorganization for a few weeks, trying to find the best setup and even tried adding a metal one in front. Problem is it pushes the right bag back too far. Never heard of the pvc trick, I'm going to try that one.
Don
I always like leather. Never had any trouble with the loop collapsing or anything.
Now I dump the hammer head first into one of the pouches. Try as I might I couldnt get used to the hammer tapping the side of my leg or hitting the back of my knees.
Whatever it was.................I didnt do it.
I've been doing allot of ladder work this summer and I can't tell you the number of times the steel hammer loop has snagged in the rungs .. I have another belt and bag for electrical .. different bags for different jobs ..
Leather. I bought this one online, from some geologist supply place. It stays open well, and no worries about "hitting the hole". I can't stand the rattle of steel. Not to mention the marks it leaves in tight spaces.
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I like both! Steel in the back--easy to hit with hammer handle, and leather on the front of left bag for ladder work or anytime it's too awkward to reach around back. The front loop is sized to hold a slammer (stappler). If I had to give one up I'd have to keep the rear ring for most things, although a simple leather loop would be OK for trim and electrical bags.
i like steel because down here in the salt air our estwing hammers rust daily.sliding it into the steel keeps it polished.
but i do have some McGuire Nocholas Tuffwear monster bags with a nylon hanger that has four little pouches around it for nail punches.it's long and covers more of the hammer so it doesn't swing at all.
RTC