Thor 208 Copper/Rawhide Hammer Size a

Let me start by saying that I have probably fifty hammers, used for different metalworking and woodworking tasks. I'm not an expert, but have forty years of hammering behind me so I have some experience if nothing else.The Thor 208 copper/rawhide is a nice little hammer, and it is very handy for using on lightweight delicate work or in confined spaces. The rawhide face really is nice for not marking the work, I generally use this the most, using the copper more as a 'mass' to provide more oomph, than as a striking face.My only gripes are, the finishing on the iron head which holds the copper and rawhide is really pretty poor. At the factory, there is obviously a grinding operation taking place after the handle is fitted, to remove excess material. The thing is the grinding is pretty poorly executed and not only looks bad, but there were a few sharp edges.Also, where the soft faces seat is a rim of maybe 2mm these had bad burrs on from the machining. Sharp, and disappointing.All in all, a good hammer, but be prepared to spend ten or fifteen minutes with a file if you want a really good hammer that will be nice to use.I'd pay more for a better finished hammer, c'mon Thor, get QC into gear!

I wanted a small rawhide hammer with some heft behind it, so the combination of a cast iron head with replaceable inserts was attractive and a bonus for me is that there is also a solid copper insert. I do small-scale metalwork so the hide/copper arrangement is perfect. I've had a bad experience with a poorly made rawhide mallet but the build and finish of this product are excellent. Thor turns out to be a British manufacturer with a huge range of specialised 'soft' hammers and mallets; I emailed their technical department for advice on how to condition the rawhide and I received a detailed and helpful reply. The short answer though was just use it: if you sand it, soak it or bash it on a kerbstone (popular advice on YouTube) you will damage the carefully prepared hide material. My only small complaint is that the copper face isn't as smooth and polished as Thor's photos suggest but in use the soft copper gets dinged anyway. Finally, this hammer comes in many sizes and replacement inserts are easy to buy online.

Very well made, it's a hammer so works as expected. Check size as others have said as it is quite small, but was exactly what I wanted. The leather end is very firm.

This hammer does an adequate job for me but I failed to check the size of it before purchase: it is tiny! It is still usable but I imagined it being a tad bigger than it really is.

This is a great little low cost copper hammer with the added bonus of the rawhide.The rawhide end hasn't held up in the garage for too long, but that's not to say it's fallen apart. It still has its uses, hence 4 stars.The copper end is a little gem. I had looked at the costs of one full sized, and I could buy a house cheaper. That said, I only really need one this size for motorbikes for engine bolts or axle bolts etc.Either way, this is a fantastic random little purchase.