Chicago Pneumatic Hydraulic Pick Hammers and Spike Drivers
The BRK 25 hydraulic pick hammer at 28 lb and 2,300 blows a minute on 5 GPM, plus the CP spike driver range for rail work. Asphalt, thin slab, tile beds and trench bottoms.
The short version
A pick hammer is a breaker’s smaller sibling. Same hydraulic principle, same couplings, same power pack — but 28 lb instead of 50, and 2,300 blows a minute instead of 1,400. That combination is aimed at material you want to lift rather than destroy: asphalt, thin slab, tile beds, screed, trench bottoms and anywhere a 50 lb BRK 40 is more tool than the job needs. It is also the lightest hydraulic tool CP build, which matters on overhead and ladder work.
The CP BRK 25 Pick Hammer
One model on HTMA class I, so it runs off the smallest power pack in the range. The factory designation is BRK 25 D, where the D is the detachable handle.
BRK 25 D · 28 lb · HTMA class I · 5 GPM
5 GPM · 1,160 to 1,450 psi · 2,300 BPM · 28 lb · 26 in. · 7/8 x 3-1/4 in. hex · HTMA class I · 145 psi max return
The lightest hydraulic percussive tool CP build: 28 lb, 26 in., and 2,300 blows a minute on 5 GPM. A pick hammer is a breaker’s smaller sibling, aimed at asphalt, thin slab, tile beds and trench bottoms where a 50 lb breaker is more tool than the job needs. The detachable D handle is what the factory D suffix refers to.
One inconsistency in the factory literature, flagged rather than hidden. The Chicago Pneumatic datasheet spec table gives the BRK 25 D an impact rate of 2,300 blows a minute at 5 GPM, while the marketing copy on the same sheet says 2,400 blows a minute at 18 ft-lb. We publish the spec table figure because that is the table. Call 1-888-883-5144 if the difference matters to a job specification and we will get a ruling from CP.
Pick Hammer, Breaker or Chipping Hammer?
The three sit on a continuum of weight and blow energy, and the right one is usually decided by what is underneath the material you are removing.
Pick hammer — lift without destroying
Asphalt patches, thin slab, tile beds, screed, floor coverings, trench bottoms and frost. 28 lb and 2,300 blows a minute gets under material and lifts it, and it is light enough to work overhead or off a ladder.
Paving breaker — fracture and remove
Structural concrete, thick slab, footings and rock. 50 to 85 lb and 1,150 to 2,100 blows a minute. Far more energy per blow, and far more tool to hold.
CP hydraulic paving breakersChipping hammer — surface work on air
Scaling, weld cleanup, gasket removal and light concrete on a compressed-air circuit rather than hydraulic. 7 to 20 lb, and a completely different power source.
CP chipping hammersSpike Drivers
Chicago Pneumatic build spike drivers for rail work, and the documented range is pneumatic rather than hydraulic. We list them here because this is the page people look for them on.
| Model | Part no. | Blows/min | Weight | Length | Air at 90 psi | Air inlet | Max head dia. | Sound pressure | Sound power | Vibration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CP 1260 S SPDR | 8900 0030 34 | 1,300 BPM | 65 lb | 25 in. | 73 CFM | 3/4 in. NPTF | 1-7/8 in. | 97 dB(A) | 110 dB(A) | 20.7 m/s2 |
| CP 1290 S SPDR | 8900 0030 43 | 1,100 BPM | 84 lb | 26 in. | 91 CFM | 3/4 in. NPTF | 1-7/8 in. | 98 dB(A) | 111 dB(A) | 18.4 m/s2 |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
These are pneumatic, not hydraulic, and they are not yet set up for online checkout. Both are documented in the Chicago Pneumatic spike driver datasheet with the part numbers shown, and both are real products we can get. Call 1-888-883-5144 and we will quote either the same day.
What a spike driver does. It drives track spikes into ties, which is a job with a very specific requirement: enough energy to seat the spike fully in a few blows, and a head that will not deform the spike or the tie plate. The CP 1260 S runs 1,300 blows a minute at 65 lb, and the heavier CP 1290 S drops to 1,100 blows a minute at 84 lb for hardwood and for spikes that have been in before. Both take a 1-7/8 in. maximum head diameter and a 3/4 in. NPTF air inlet, and both are delivered without claw couplings.
Working on track already? The Red Hawk Rail gas ballast tamper is the companion tool, and it needs no compressor at all.
Power Pack and Carrier Matching
The BRK 25 is HTMA class I, which is the light circuit, so it is the easiest hydraulic tool in the CP range to power.
HTMA class is the thing to get right. The Hydraulic Tool Manufacturers Association standardised circuit ratings so a tool from one maker runs off a pack from another. Class I is 5 GPM at 2,000 psi and class II is 8 GPM at 2,000 psi. Feed a class I tool from a class II circuit without a flow restrictor and you overspeed it; feed a class II tool from a class I circuit and it runs slow and hot. Every CP tool on this site states its class, and every CP pack states what it delivers.
| Tool | Flow needed | Class | PAC P9 (5 GPM) | PAC P13 (5 to 8 GPM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRK 25 pick hammer | 5 GPM | I | Yes | Yes |
| BRK 40 breaker | 5 GPM | I | Yes | Yes |
| BRK 55 breaker | 8 GPM, adjustable to 5 | II or I | At reduced output | Yes |
| BRK 70 breaker | 8 GPM, adjustable to 5 | II or I | At reduced output | Yes |
| BRK 95 breaker | 8 GPM, adjustable to 10 | II | No | Yes, at 8 GPM |
| PDR 30T post driver | 5 GPM | I | Yes | Yes |
| PDR 75RV post driver | 5 to 8 GPM | I or II | At reduced output | Yes |
| PDR 95R post driver | 8 to 10 GPM | II | No | Yes, at 8 GPM |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Shanks and Working Steel
The BRK 25 runs a 7/8 x 3-1/4 in. hex shank, which is a smaller shank than the BRK breakers use and the same one the CP clay diggers take.
We stock our own points, chisels, spades and cutters in that shank rather than reselling manufacturer ordering numbers — points and chisels from $30 and blade tools including asphalt cutters and digging chisels from $131. For lifting asphalt and thin slab an asphalt cutter or a wide blade tool is usually the right end, not a moil point.
Chicago Pneumatic Pick Hammer and Spike Driver FAQ
What is a pick hammer used for?
Removing material you want to lift rather than shatter: asphalt patches, thin slab, tile beds, screed, floor coverings, trench bottoms and frost. At 28 lb and 2,300 blows a minute the BRK 25 gets under the material and lifts it, and it is light enough to work overhead or off a ladder where a 50 lb breaker is not.
What is the difference between a pick hammer and a paving breaker?
Weight and energy per blow. The BRK 25 pick hammer is 28 lb at 2,300 blows a minute on 5 GPM. The BRK 40 breaker is 50 lb at 1,400 blows a minute on the same 5 GPM. The breaker puts far more energy into each strike, which is what structural concrete needs; the pick hammer trades that for control and for a tool you can hold up.
What power pack does the BRK 25 need?
It is HTMA class I, which means 5 GPM at up to 1,450 psi with a maximum return line pressure of 145 psi. The PAC P9 delivers exactly that, and the larger PAC P13 covers it too. Any carrier with a matching class I auxiliary circuit will also drive it.
What does the D in BRK 25 D mean?
Detachable D handle. The factory designation carries the D; our product listing drops it. It is the same tool.
Do you sell hydraulic spike drivers?
The documented Chicago Pneumatic spike driver range is pneumatic rather than hydraulic: the CP 1260 S SPDR at 1,300 blows a minute and 73 CFM, and the CP 1290 S SPDR at 1,100 blows a minute and 91 CFM. Both are real products we can get, and neither is set up for online checkout yet. Call 1-888-883-5144 and we will quote either the same day.
Which spike driver should I use?
The CP 1260 S at 65 lb and 1,300 blows a minute is the general one. The heavier CP 1290 S at 84 lb drops to 1,100 blows a minute and puts more energy into each strike, which is what hardwood ties and re-driven spikes need. Both take a 1-7/8 in. maximum head diameter and a 3/4 in. NPTF inlet, and both are delivered without claw couplings.
What steel fits the BRK 25?
A 7/8 x 3-1/4 in. hex shank, which is the same shank the CP clay diggers use. We stock our own points, chisels, asphalt cutters and blade tools in that size from $30. For lifting asphalt and thin slab, an asphalt cutter or a wide blade is usually a better end than a moil point.
Do you stock the BRK 25?
Yes, and it ships the same day on orders placed by 4 PM Eastern. Add it to the cart above, or call 1-888-883-5144 to have a power pack, hoses and steel quoted with it.
Pick hammers and spike drivers
Tell us the material and the power source and we will match the tool, the pack and the working end.