While hammers and mallets perform similar functions, the major difference between the two is that a hammer has a metal head while a mallet has a wooden or synthetic head. There are a range of styles specific to most trades. Within each is a multitude of variations. For example, claw and framing hammers, used for driving and extracting nails and spikes, can have milled or smooth faces with or with­out an integrated magnetic nail holder; short or long claws with or without a built-in nail puller; and wood, steel, titanium or fibre­glass handles that can be straight, curved or hatchet styled. Buying the right hammer depends on the type of work you’ll do with it, how you’ll use the hammer and how often you’ll use it. Warrington hammers are for start­ing finish nails with the cross peen head and then using the round head to drive the nails home without marring the wood surface. Choose a tack hammer for driving small nails and tacks. Japanese hammers have one flat and one slightly convex striking face and are widely used for light chisel work and adjusting hand plane blades. For working on your shop machinery and for any kind of metal work, choose a ball-peen. Veneer hammers aren’t used for pounding at all – after glue is applied to veneer, they’re used like a squeegee to press out excess glue and air. The sledge is a heavy-duty hammer used for demolition work and driving large spikes.