Geologist's hammer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A geologist's hammer is a hammer used for geological purposes - by geologists to attain a fresh surface of a rock, to determine its composition, nature, minerals present and history, and by fossil hunters to break rocks and hopefully discover fossils.
The tool principally consists of a combination of two of: a flat head, a chisel end, and a pick end.
- A chisel head (illustrated) is useful for clearing covering vegetation from exposures and is sometimes (though inadvisably) used to pry open fissures.
- A pick end - which terminates in a sharp point to deliver maximum pressure - is often preferred by 'hard rock' geologists who find it useful for exposing minerals. A hammer bearing a pick end is often referred to as a 'rock pick' or 'geological pick' instead of hammer.
- The flat head is used to deliver a blow to a rock with the intention of splitting it, and is thus always present on larger tools - smaller hammers sometimes opting to principally use a chisel end to maximize the impact of a precisely made blow.
The effective power of a rock hammer is mainly considered to be a reflection of its head weight, which may range from 8oz (225g) or even less on a small hammer - such as would generally be used for casual use or by children - to 24oz (900g) and even more. 16oz (450g) is often quoted as sufficient for all rock types although metamorphic or igneous field geologists often prefer weightier tools.
The best geological hammers are forged from one piece of hardened steel, although due to their cost alternatives such as tubular shaft, solid shaft and wooden shafted hammers are more commonly used.
The form and weighting of the shaft defines the balance, which itself defines the ease, efficiency and comfort of use.
