Pick Hammers & Spike Drivers
Pick hammers and spike drivers concentrate high-frequency blows on one spot — setting rail and tie spikes on track, chipping and scaling in renovation work, and breaking concrete, asphalt, and brickwork on vertical and overhead faces. The pneumatic CP 1260 and CP 1290 carry the alloy-steel forgings, four-bolt back head, and integral oiler of the CP breakers they are built from, with the front head reworked for spikes, and the 60 lb TX60SD is the U.S.-built alternative. Hydraulics cover the rest: the Atlas Copco LH 280 E drives spikes, trenches, and tie-tamps, while the LH11 and CP BRK 25 work overhead and in cramped spaces. Shop Atlas Copco pick hammers and Texas Pneumatic spike drivers. Free UPS Ground shipping on every tool here.
Showing the single result
Showing the single result
Pick Hammer or Spike Driver?
Same percussive platform, different front end. A spike driver’s head is shaped to sit on a rail or tie spike and drive it without walking off. A pick hammer takes a pointed or chisel steel and is used for chipping, scaling, trenching, and light breaking. Chicago Pneumatic builds its spike drivers on the same body as its breakers, so parts, service, and feel carry across the line — see CP hydraulic pick hammers.
Air or Hydraulic
Pneumatic tools need a hose and a compressor, and they are the simplest thing on a track gang: few parts, easy field service, decades of life with basic oiling. Hydraulic tools hit harder for their weight — Atlas Copco rates a 70 lb hydraulic breaker at the same hitting power as a 90 lb pneumatic — and run quieter with less vibration. They take a hydraulic power pack in place of an air compressor.
Railroad and Track Work
Spike driving is production work, and Chicago Pneumatic and Texas Pneumatic both name railroad, construction, and plant maintenance as the home ground for these tools. The LH 280 E adds tie tamping and trenching to the same machine, so a gang can carry one tool instead of three. For dedicated tie tamping see rail tampers, and for spike steel that fits a breaker chuck see paving breaker driving tools.
The Line-Up
Ten tools, split between air and hydraulic and between pick hammers and spike drivers. Weight class is shown only where the manufacturer states one, so check the product page before committing to a chuck, a hose size, or a compressor.
| Model | Brand | Power | Type | Stated class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas Copco TEX 09 | Atlas Copco | Pneumatic | Pick hammer | — |
| Atlas Copco TEX 10 | Atlas Copco | Pneumatic | Pick hammer | — |
| Atlas Copco TEX 12 | Atlas Copco | Pneumatic | Pick hammer | — |
| Atlas Copco LH11 | Atlas Copco | Hydraulic | Pick hammer | — |
| Chicago Pneumatic BRK 25 | Chicago Pneumatic | Hydraulic | Pick hammer | — |
| Atlas Copco LH 280 E SD | Atlas Copco | Hydraulic | Spike driver | — |
| Chicago Pneumatic CP 1260 | Chicago Pneumatic | Pneumatic | Spike driver | — |
| Chicago Pneumatic CP 1290 | Chicago Pneumatic | Pneumatic | Spike driver | — |
| Texas Pneumatic TX60SD | Texas Pneumatic | Pneumatic | Spike driver | 60 lb |
| Texas Pneumatic TX90 | Texas Pneumatic | Pneumatic | Spike driver | — |
All ten tools are on the grid above. Blow rate, air consumption, hydraulic flow, and chuck options vary by build and by year, so confirm them on the product page before you order steel or size a compressor, or call the counter with your spike size and hose setup and we will match a tool to it.
Steel, Chucks, and Silica
Chuck sizes vary by model — Texas Pneumatic lists multiple chuck options on its tools — so confirm yours before ordering working steel from tool steel. Texas Pneumatic also flags OSHA 1926.1153, the respirable crystalline silica standard, which applies whenever chipping hammers, rivet busters, and breakers work concrete, brick, block, stone, or mortar.
Common Questions
What is a spike driver? A percussive hammer whose front head is built to drive rail and tie spikes rather than hold a chisel. Crews use them on track, in plant maintenance, and on construction spiking; the pneumatic versions run off a compressor, the hydraulic ones off a pack.
Is there a hydraulic spike driver? Yes. The Atlas Copco LH 280 E is the hydraulic spike driver listed here, and it is quiet, low-vibration, and rated for trenching and tie tamping as well. Compare the rest of the line at Atlas Copco hydraulic pick hammers.
What is the difference between a pick hammer and a chipping hammer? Overlapping tools. A pick hammer is the heavier, longer-stroke machine for vertical demolition and trenching; a chipping hammer is lighter and made for finish and detail work. For thick slab, step up to paving breakers and jackhammers.
Can these drive pins or ground rods? Not with a spike head. Pin drivers, ground rod drivers, and pipe drivers are breaker-shank drive tools that fit a paving breaker chuck, not a spike driver front end.