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I went with a rock hammer over a chisel for my last field trip and people thought I was nuts
I had to pick one tool for a weekend mapping project in the Mojave, and everyone in my group said a masonry chisel was better for splitting samples. I brought my Estwing rock hammer instead because I find the pick end way more useful for prying and starting fractures. It worked out great when we found a vein of quartz that needed careful work to get a clean piece. Has anyone else stuck with a hammer when everyone told you to use something else?
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jakeh756mo ago
That part about the pick end being better for prying is so true. I got the same weird looks on a trip up north. Everyone had chisels for shale, but my hammer's pick was perfect for lifting up those thin sheets without shattering them. A chisel just wants to go straight down. Sometimes you need that sideways force to pop something loose cleanly. They stopped laughing when I had the best samples.
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wesleyburns6mo ago
My buddy had the same thing happen with slate last fall.
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alice_harris355mo ago
Wait, you were using a pick on shale? I would have been terrified of snapping the tip off. Those layers can be so stubborn.
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