Cheney 16 oz. nail-holding claw hammer

Description

Cheney made hammers with a patented nail-starting device that uses a channel with two spring-loaded ball bearings to hold the nail in place for starting.  This one has both ball bearings in place; the springs are still strong and function well.  It has been rehandled at some point with a “Dependable” brand hickory handle which is completely intact.  The wedges could use a tap or two with a pin punch.  The hammer has a couple of small pits on the striking face that look more like casting defects than chips put there by the user.  The claws have a chip on each side right at the end of the claw on the nail-grabbing side.