Striking Tools are the tools used to apply force to the concrete to cause it to expand and contract. In some cases, a simple striking tool may be all that is needed. But in other forceful entry situations, the striking tools used are often used in combination with another more precise tool to affect proper entrance. Just as common as they are, improper striking tools can be dangerous when improperly used, mishandled, or maintained.

The most common and effective hand tools for driving in concrete include: the claw hammer, the sledge, and the cement sander. The Claw Hammer is one of the oldest and best hand tools for driving in concrete. This tool has a hard, spiked surface that when struck on concrete will cause it to expand and contract. It can also be used to smooth out an irregular surface and is perfect for smaller jobs.

The sledge, also known as a paving stone or a brick hammer, is another common tool for driving in concrete. This tool is similar to the claw hammer, but with a flat surface that is slightly concave. These hammers can even be used on stonework, but because they are concave in nature, they will cause very small chips in the concrete if struck hard enough. Cement siders and paving hammers are two great examples of this. The cement sider, on the other hand, is a metal wedge that when hammered into place will form a more firm, solid block.

Other common hand and power tools that are frequently used for driving in concrete include the chisel and the peen hammer. A chisel is a specialized type of hand tool that has a cutting edge that is either curved or straight. These cutting edges can be made by filing, grinding, or honing, and they can be made in many different shapes. The chisel can also be made into a sawing motion, which makes it more efficient when compared to the hammers and stones.

Peen hammers are another variety of hand tools that are often used for driving in concrete. This tool looks similar to a pry bar, but it does not end up piercing through like the pry bar does. Instead, the peen hammers blade will scrape along the surface of the concrete until it comes into contact with a particular area that needs to be driven in. Once contact is made, the blade will then scrape the area until it comes to rest against the next piece of concrete that the hammer heads will meet. These types of hand tools can take a while to get used to, and their efficiency in driving in concrete can't always be counted on.

Fitting work is a term that is commonly used, but it can be anything from fitting metal parts to attaching furniture to walls. These tools are designed to bond pieces of metal together, and sometimes this requires some shaping of the materials. Shapers are the most common tools used for fitting work, and these include: crescent hammers, curved hammers, and hammer knees. The curved hammer is probably the most widely-used one, and it looks something like a crescent shape that is slightly rounded on the top. These tools can be curved in all directions, making them very versatile.

Other types of hand tools used for fitting are cement hammers and pressure hammers. Cement hammers, as the name implies, are used to blast holes in hard-to-fit materials, while pressure hammers are used to apply pressure in order to compact materials. No matter what type of fitting that you need done, these tools can help.

Last but not least are the center punch. This tool may not immediately appear as a traditional hammer, but the concept is quite the same. The center punch is designed to pry small holes or curves through different types of material. The center punch is made up of a flexible tube that is long enough to be effective at piercing holes. The design makes them ideal for prying and bending, and their use depends on the exact situation that requires their use.