This section is from the book "Woodworking For Beginners: A Manual for Amateurs", by Charles G. Wheeler. Also available from Amazon: Woodworking For Beginners.
The hammer is made in many forms, but the common kind used by carpenters will usually answer your purpose, and is too familiar to require description. For general use select one of medium size and weight. Remember that the face of the hammer-head, although harder than the nails it is meant to drive, is not intended to pound every piece of hardened steel you may run across, nor to break up boulders when you are after minerals. For the use of the hammer see Nailing.
 
Continue to: