Seemed a shame there isn't a C&V hammer thread. So here it is! And your # 1 here needn't be vintage or solely bike related, it can just be C&V's favorite.

For me, it's gotta be the sledge. What can't it do? I like to swing it sharply on the end of a wrench to free stuck freewheels or gently tap down on things like old paint can lids with my fist around the cheek using just its weight and big steel face.

Honorable mention goes to ye ol' ball peen. First time I saw one was right after my mom got remarried. I was age six snooping through my step dad's toolbox. I was like, a ball? No claw? This guy is really weird.

Least favorite, Mike. Much prefer Marlowe, Columbo, or even Miss Marple.

And because every op should include at least one pic, here's a good looking collection from the web:


ps: I thought about starting a poll with just two options, sledgehammer and other. But, polls, schmoles.