Uploaded May 2020 | Updated September 2026, 8 hours ago

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More Quick Tips from Your New House:
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When you need to start a nail in a place that's just slightly out of your reach, try this carpenter's trick: Insert the nail between the two edges that form the hammer claw. Be sure the nailhead is resting against the base of the hammerhead and that the nail shaft is wedged into the claw.

To start the nail, hold the hammer backward—with the striking face toward you—and firmly swing the hammer to drive the nail point into the work.
Turn the hammer around and drive the nail all the way in. Note that this technique only works with curved-claw hammers, not straight-claw framing hammers.

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