Stanley Tool's Hammer DNA
Stanley Tools first one peice hammer
Stanley Tools first one peice hammer
Stanley Tool's current DNA traces it roots back it's first one piece forge hammer designed by myself in 1997 while working in Stanley's first Industrial Design Department. Previous hammer designs by Stanley engineers were heavy two piece lumps that weighed almost two times the weight of the competitive one piece hammer. No one seemed to understand what made a good hammer versus a bad hammer.
When I led the investigation to redesign our two piece hammer, I had no idea that I would end up redefine the entire hammer line. While it seems that everyone has used a hammer at one time or another, I wasn't convinced that we knew enough to make the best one we could; we needed to seek out the people who make their living with this tool. Simply asking them wasn't enough, we needed them to think out of the box so we started by creating rough concepts out of metal, and (without the consent of the corporate lawyers) we handing out our hammer prototypes to selected construction sites.
When I led the investigation to redesign our two piece hammer, I had no idea that I would end up redefine the entire hammer line. While it seems that everyone has used a hammer at one time or another, I wasn't convinced that we knew enough to make the best one we could; we needed to seek out the people who make their living with this tool. Simply asking them wasn't enough, we needed them to think out of the box so we started by creating rough concepts out of metal, and (without the consent of the corporate lawyers) we handing out our hammer prototypes to selected construction sites.
After understanding that balance and speed are what gives a hammer control and force, we learned it was only part of the equation. While it is obvious that some hammers have specific uses, it wasn't understood by all that they needed specific handles: Different hand holds, different techniques and different disciplines needed different handles.
Form after form was explored, tried, and refined until we had three grips: A directional handle, an ax handle (used in the framing hammer), and a bi-directional handle. These were then over molded onto steel bodies using a precise injection molded plastic piece that was slid onto the forging, allowing the TPE grip to cover the raw forging.
The results were a design language that communicates the brand and followed the function. It is the same design language you see today: the business end is steel, a yellow stripe and a ergonomic, diamond textured black handled.
Form after form was explored, tried, and refined until we had three grips: A directional handle, an ax handle (used in the framing hammer), and a bi-directional handle. These were then over molded onto steel bodies using a precise injection molded plastic piece that was slid onto the forging, allowing the TPE grip to cover the raw forging.
The results were a design language that communicates the brand and followed the function. It is the same design language you see today: the business end is steel, a yellow stripe and a ergonomic, diamond textured black handled.
