BallReviews
Equipment Boards => Hammer => Topic started by: Plowboy300 on September 17, 2015, 11:33:14 AM
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Heya gang... Just got the info on the new Hammer Black Urethane.
This looks like a ball to have in the bag for the shorter patterns & will be a true urethane cover.
http://www.hammerbowling.com/products/balls/mid-performance/hammer-black-urethane (http://www.hammerbowling.com/products/balls/mid-performance/hammer-black-urethane)
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Help me out here. This ball is listed as being weaker than the blue Hammer, but is in a higher performance category. Any comments?
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I'm liking this. We've had the Blue, Burgundy, and now the Black. When is the Pink coming out?!!
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Help me out here. This ball is listed as being weaker than the blue Hammer, but is in a higher performance category. Any comments?
It is listed as a "Specialty" ball with new technology (new core / cover), so it will at the same price point as the Viral, etc... This ball will definitely be smoother down the lane & will be perfect for the lighter / shorter patterns.
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Look interesting!
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For those that are urethane Heads....Think of this... You roll the burgundy to open the lane, the Black to control the lane and the Blue to finish it off. CAN BE DONE!
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Soooo, would an axis weighted layout work the same on these new pieces like they did on the original urethane Hammers? That was the only way I could throw those old Hammers successfully.
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If its anything like the remake of the blue.Its another turd.Why they are making urethane with such low diff is beyond me.On todays synthetic lanes with urethane your gonna need flare not less.Plastic with asymmetric cores with 50 diffs are stronger.Like the Track spare plus.Just my take.I wont fall into this trap again.
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this is not a remake or "react-a-thane" shell
its the old school shell formula with an updated core
no hook-stop at 20' for me with this piece
it rolls very well when they get fried or lighter volume
I'm thinking 38 or 39' and under is where I would consider this piece (depending on volume)
its super predictable
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If its anything like the remake of the blue.Its another turd.Why they are making urethane with such low diff is beyond me.On todays synthetic lanes with urethane your gonna need flare not less.Plastic with asymmetric cores with 50 diffs are stronger.Like the Track spare plus.Just my take.I wont fall into this trap again.
Too much flare is not a good thing. Look at the AMF Hype. .051 diff, and the thing was just too strong. I had 2, and the thing was just too much in the dry and too littlrnin the oil. The one I drilled strong hooked stopped on EVERYTHING. So the lower diff on the newer urethane is a great idea. Booyah is .026 with a high RG, Pitch Black is the same, so is the Blue Hammer. Urethane with too much flare equals puke.
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I agree that too much flare in these balls create an even more over/under. I think the sweetspot is around .030. Shorter PIN to PAPs don't flare too much and longer PIN to PAPs still flare some.
However, there's a drastic difference between the diff on the 15 and 16lbs (.015 vs .030). That's a big difference and would make me get 16lbs just for the increased diff.
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Remember these are old school thick shells, meaning that the only way to change the weight is with the one core, so the 16 lb is denser and has more influence. No way around it. It is another throwback to when the 16 lber was still the choice for most bowlers.
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$127 for a urethane? Ouch!
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$127 for a urethane? Ouch!
Depending on what you use it on, might be the best ball in your bag!
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$127 for a urethane? Ouch!
Depending on what you use it on, might be the best ball in your bag!
Not doubting that but there are definitely cheaper options.
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That's what I was trying g to say bowlingman. It's listed as weaker on hammers website, but significantly more expensive.
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Yeah I here us,
That's what I was trying g to say bowlingman. It's listed as weaker on hammers website, but significantly more expensive.
Yeah I hear ya, that's upper mid pricing there. Lol.
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Well more flare for me is the ticket.I have a supernatural at 4 inch pin to pap that flares at least 5 inches or more.The cover on the blue hammer was just to dang weak.Supernatural is great on these stupid kegal recreation patterns that expose ten boards of friction.By the way I wouldn't pay 127$ for an original black hammer geez what are they thinking.I notice most of the new high end stuff which I never get to throw around here has went up 159 to 169.Cant believe people are paying those prices.
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Wow I know this isn't lane1 section.But wow 304$ for the new Difference Hybrid.What a joke says money back in 14 days if its not the hardest hitting ball made.Shame on them stealing Hammers thunder.Gotta be a sucker born everyday.
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Well more flare for me is the ticket.I have a supernatural at 4 inch pin to pap that flares at least 5 inches or more.The cover on the blue hammer was just to dang weak.Supernatural is great on these stupid kegal recreation patterns that expose ten boards of friction.By the way I wouldn't pay 127$ for an original black hammer geez what are they thinking.I notice most of the new high end stuff which I never get to throw around here has went up 159 to 169.Cant believe people are paying those prices.
If I remember correctly, I paid $129 for the original Blue Hammer back in 1988, and another $129 for the Blue Pearl Hammer 3 months afterward.
Keep in mind those were prices back then, and not adjusted for inflation/today's value.
BL.
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Not to start any trouble but you can get a supernatural for $80 now and that ball is proven. Point me to the bargain basement!
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Bowling.com has the Supernatural for 70.99$ this weekend.http://www.bowling.com/sales/weekend-sale.aspx?trk_msg=MPUPE86RIV04PF6DFFRV722LRS&trk_contact=M4K281V7AME2I2ONN87OTFEIHS&utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=salebanner&utm_campaign=9-18-15+100+Price+Drops+Through+Mon.+Night!
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Bowling.com has the Supernatural for 70.99$ this weekend.http://www.bowling.com/sales/weekend-sale.aspx?trk_msg=MPUPE86RIV04PF6DFFRV722LRS&trk_contact=M4K281V7AME2I2ONN87OTFEIHS&utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=salebanner&utm_campaign=9-18-15+100+Price+Drops+Through+Mon.+Night!
Yep that's where I seen it. How can you go wrong with that!
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If this is indeed all urethane and no filler, there's your cost difference.
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Is the Supernatural that good?
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I have heard mixed opinions about the SN, like any piece I guess.
its 70 bucks because its 2 years old and nobody is buying them
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Is the Supernatural that good?
I can usually make any ball I buy work with surface adjustments, but the SN for me was a failed experiment. No matter what surface I put on it, the ball was allergic to oil and inconsistent in the dry.
Good luck if you go for it…..
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I guess I'm in the minority here.... I purchases the SN on sale and put a very strong layout on it, and it's alot stronger than ever I would imagined. Uses last night on a 43' synthetic house on medium/hvy house (lefty) and it had a slightly stronger late mid-lane read, with a nice slightly stronger arch with decent continuation.
I guess a few of us catch lightening in a bottle every now and then. 😏
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I also left the cover oob (1500 polished) which surprised me even more with the mid read.
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Here's something Bill Davis who designed the original Faball Blue Hammer and Faball Burgundy Hammer shared with me in a Facebook exchange: The RG and differential on those two pieces were 2.52/.020 and 2.51/.020, respectively. This was for 16 pounds, of course, because that was the weight of choice back then. Nonetheless, those original Faball pieces were way ahead of their time, which in part made them some of the best pieces ever made.
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Here is the Hammer video of the Black Hammer Urethane throw by Bill O'Neill.
I have personally thrown mine drilled with a 65 x 4 1/4 x 35 layout and I really like the motion that I see with this ball. It is about 3-4 boards stronger than my original Faball Black Hammer. This is a great piece to have in your arsenal for the shorter / drier lane patterns.
https://youtu.be/aHsc2kNTkpw
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i miss my original black hammer :'(
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Has anyone trIed to polish theirs? Mine is way too early box and I wondered if they are as difficult as the old hammers. The Blue was ridiculously hard to polish.
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Has anyone trIed to polish theirs? Mine is way too early box and I wondered if they are as difficult as the old hammers. The Blue was ridiculously hard to polish.
I was wondering the same thing. I'm on the fence on this ball. Waiting and hoping they re-release the pink next!
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Why is the differential so much higher on the 16lb ball than the 15 or the 14?
The 16 is going to be quite a bit more dynamic than the other weights, don't y'all think?
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just a little more flare, yes, but really should not matter that much. The ball is still smooth in the backends. This ball is really growing on me the more that I throw it...
I have tried shinning mine up a little bit and it does shine up, but not glossy, which is good compared to the old days of urethane... the only way that I got my old urethane shiny was leaving it in the old Lustre King for 1/2 hour... don't see too many of those around anymore.
I think you guys will be pleasantly surprised on how good this ball actually rolls on the shorter / drier lane patterns.
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Where does this fit with the newer blue hammer?
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Remember these are old school thick shells, meaning that the only way to change the weight is with the core, so the 16 lb is denser and has more influence. No way around it. It is another throwback to when the 16 lber was still the choice for most bowlers.
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Why is the differential so much higher on the 16lb ball than the 15 or the 14?
The 16 is going to be quite a bit more dynamic than the other weights, don't y'all think?
14lb can be just as dynamic or maybe more than a 16lb with the right surface on it.
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I pre-ordered mine and paid the extra $5.00 for it too be 3000 grit no polish, only 2 more weeks too go till I'm getting even with houses that short oil THS.
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Where does this fit with the newer blue hammer?
for me: the newer blue was a hook-stop at about 25'
this new black one is longer and smooth downlane IMO
I am on a high volume 35' short pattern 1.3-1 ratio
its not an easy short pattern what so ever
after league, i moved much farther out and used the Blk Hammer with some promising results, I have to be a bit smoother and slower than I was with something stronger, but if I get around it a little and stay way out and up the lane, the BH is very predictable
the new BH is not like any of the other recent Urethane "like"remakes IMO
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Rather than polish, just take the surface up to 2000, 3000, or even 4000. I think 500 box is too aggressive in todays environment. If you are trying to control the back ends but still need that much surface, you would be better off with something like an Arson Low Flare solid than urethane. The advantage of urethane is being able to keep the ball in front of you without covering boards. At 500 grit you blow up the heads quickly and get forced in to adjustments that don't match up with urethane very well.
Maybe you high rev, high speed guys can find more uses for such an aggressive shell than this admittedly low rev low speed stroker.
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Just an update. It does polish but it takes a little bit of work. I had to sand it up to 4000 and then applied some Factory Finish. It's not a marble, but it gets it to push much better than box which is way too strong.
I've been using it on a USBC Blue and it's been great. It's still a little early so I wish I hadn't gone with such a strong layout. Definitely the old school "urethane" early hook with roll but it's perfect for how I want to attack this pattern when the friction gets high. I can get in with resin, but carry is really suspect and urethane allows me to stay much farther right.
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I threw mind for the first time today. It was late this afternoon after all the activity with the senior leagues in the morning and the youth leagues in the early afternoon. I wouldn't call the condition dry, but it was certainly a chopped up and pushed down THS. It's exactly what I was looking for as a first test of the ball.
It was fun to throw. The 500 grit finish OOB definitely wasn't too much. I squared up over the 5 board, and had a nice controlled shot to the pocket. If I threw too hard, it was definitely a 5 pin, or on two occasions over the three games, a 5-7 and an 8-10. But after two games of adjusting speed and rotation to the ball, I threw a clean 235.
It's definitely old school Urethane with a modern core. I can see this ball as a go to in those situations where the lanes get too squarely for resin. We're bowling on Kegel 'Eiffel Tower' in my sport league, which breaks down quickly. I'm hoping this new Black Hammer will be the answer when the mids go and I can't keep anything else right of the head pin.