The present investigation examined hammering performance, physiological response, preceived exertion, and user preference with regard to hammering in vertical (wall) and horizontal (bench) orientations, and with regard to using two different hammers. Ten male subjects participated in the experiment. The results support previous findings that horizontally oriented hammering is faster than vertically oriented hammering. In addition, the results suggest that hammer differences can affect hammering performance and perceived exertion; although, the exact contributions of specific design characteristics could not be quantitatively determined. However, participants subjectively identified handle design, weight, and mass distribution as critical factors.