Milwaukee Tool just added genuine American hickory claw hammers to its hand tool lineup at Home Depot. Two sizes are live now: the 22 oz. 48-22-2025 at $19.97, and the 25 oz. 48-22-2026 at $22.97. Both are for the user who still wants wood under the swing instead of steel or fiberglass.
Most Milwaukee hand hammers to date have been steel-handle (smooth or milled face) for general carpentry and demo work. These two new models fill a gap for framers who prefer hickory: a touch more shock absorption on the wrist, and the broken-in balance that veteran carpenters tend to swear by.
What you get
| Model | Size | Price (Home Depot) | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48-22-2025 | 22 oz. | $19.97 | Framing, general carpentry, light demo |
| 48-22-2026 | 25 oz. | $22.97 | Heavier framing, deck building, structural work |
Both hammers use a forged steel head and a genuine American hickory handle. Milwaukee positions them as a return to a traditional hickory framing feel, and they slot alongside the existing steel-handle lineup rather than replacing it. If you have been using a Vaughan or Estwing hickory hammer on a Milwaukee M18 jobsite, this gives you a brand-matched option.
Why this matters for Milwaukee buyers
Hickory has been a quiet hole in Milwaukee’s hand tool catalog. The M18 and M12 systems cover drilling, driving, cutting, and now PACKOUT storage and PACKOUT lighting. But on a real framer’s tool belt, the hammer is still king, and most Milwaukee-only carpenters have been carrying a competitor’s hickory hammer for years. Adding 22 and 25 oz. hickory options gives Milwaukee another reason for a single-brand job site.
Pricing is also notably aggressive. The 25 oz. model at $22.97 undercuts most premium hickory framing hammers in the same weight class. Whether that is a launch price or steady state is not clear from the product page yet, but it is competitive for the category.
Where they are sold
Both models are Home Depot exclusives, which fits Milwaukee’s U.S. retail pattern. Amazon does not list them, and there is no Milwaukee-direct offering at this point. If you are outside Home Depot’s delivery zone, in-store pickup is the safe option for now.
For framers building a Milwaukee-only kit, these pair naturally with the M18 FUEL drill drivers and the M18 FUEL circular saws. The 22 oz. is the everyday driver, and the 25 oz. earns its keep on deck work, rough framing, and anything that needs a heavier swing.
Sources
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Around $19.97 to $22.97 at Home Depot at the time of writing. Prices change.