1. Roughen the hammer's striking face with sandpaper—it'll help prevent glancing blows that bend nails and often find your thumb.
2. Chisel-shaped nail points tend to split the wood. To avoid the problem, blunt the sharp tip with your hammer. This way, the nail crushes the wood fibers and pushes them ahead rather than splitting them apart.
3. You can set a common nail's head below the surface without smashing the surrounding wood with your hammer—just use another nail. Don't use it like a nailset, though. Instead, hold it by the tip, place its head on the driven nail, and strike the edge of the head.
4. Several nails driven straight and parallel have reasonable holding power, but if you want maximum grip, drive them at different angles. This is also a great way to use nails that are just a bit too long for the job.
5. Nailing a wooden strip or molding that holds a pane of glass in a frame is enough to make anyone nervous. Here's how to do it: Instead of trying to keep it away from the glass, let your hammer rest on the pane and slide it back and forth to drive the nail.
Effective nailing is a mechanical action involving linkages that extend through your wrist, arm and body. For best results, follow this simple rule: No matter where you're hammering, always keep the end of the handle pointing toward your hips. Aim it anywhere else and your asking for bent, missed and poorly driven nails. —Tom Klenck
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