Claw Hammer: Drop-Forged Head, Turned Wooden Handle

A claw hammer's head is high-carbon steel, hot forged between dies and then hardened only where it takes the blows: the face, the poll and the claws. The handle is straight-grained ash or hickory, woods with good strength, durability and enough give to absorb the shock of repeated blows. It is turned on a lathe that copies a cam, pushed up through the head's eye and wedged: one thin wooden wedge driven diagonally into a slot, then two steel wedges driven through it crossways.