Estwing made the first of these hammers in 1926. The handle is unique. It is made with stacked leather washers. The end plate rivets holding the grip together are actually not rivets. They are part of the original forging and have been spun over into rivet heads to fasten the grip. (check out Estwing on How it's Made). The result is a firm grip with excellent control and just enough cushion to dampen the impact of the steel shaft. It feels like a high quality wooden handle and yet is absolutely unbreakable. I have a 12oz, a 16oz and a 20oz. The 16oz was my grandfather's. He bought it in 1928. The other two are youngsters,'58 and '62. They're all three still going strong. The 20oz is perfect for house framing and flooring. It has great balance and feel, so it's easy to swing it hard with accuracy. It's not a pneumatic nail gun but it's a great backup. I framed a few houses with it back in the day.<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/25-Top-Tools-for-the-Apartment-Dweller/dp/1481808893/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">25 Top Tools for the Apartment Dweller</a>