Hammer Special Effect Review
The strongest pin carry in the Effect family — reads the midlane with authority and devastates on fresh conditions at $149.95. Video reviews inside.
[Music] CEO Ronald hickland from creating the difference today we're going to talk about the brand new Hammer special effect this ball features the hk22 C solid reactive cover stock it has the Huntsman core shape in it that's asymmetrical it's got an RG of 2.47 a differential of 0.050 and a mass bias of 0.017 we checked the hardness of this Bing ball it was right at 73 we scanned it um it scanned at 4500 which is
interesting that's a little bit lower than typical bowling balls from them because the surface is 500 1,000 1500 Sayer and then finish with crown Factory compound what else is interesting is the absorption rate so we check the absorption rate I'm just going to kind of show you that real quick put a little oil on the ball and typically the hk22 C balls are lightning fast uh this pulling ball in particular seems to be slow which is interesting so we'll have to see uh what that means
and what that does to the performance of this bowling ball uh anyway the layout is our standard 60x 4 and 1/2x 30 we're bowling on our standard house shot and we're going to see what the special effect is about right now all right now it's got that orange smell so that's definitely hk22 c um and uh the colors are unique right we got black we got purple and we got red we got some sparkl iner too so it's a pretty looking bowling ball but what everybody wants to know is how does it
roll Chris what I say about that first shot it don't count that ball look pretty good though for the first shot right I like how it threw the pins around was they scrambling and scraping no they was just scrambling just scrambling let me show you that uh 050 diff 050 is high differential for a bowling ball um not as high as you can go can go as high as 60 but 50 is definitely uh no slouch same shot oh why' you say oh Chris well it
went a little longer than I thought it was going to go but then it did kind of make it almost all the way back and it threw a little Lumber it did throw a little Lumber we got back to back Lumber shots back to back so just want to get all the oil off the ball but so that's kind of interesting right so people will say well why do you say first shot doesn't count that's really why right the first shot the ball doesn't have any oil on it it needs to get some oil on it to begin to give you whatever the true reaction is bowling balls that um are reactive and are uh I don't want to say
good bowling balls but bowling balls that tend to absorb oil relatively quickly tend to have consistent performance shot after shot especially when it's the first couple shots uh balls like urethane uh the first shot hooks a whole lot and the next ball hooks a whole lot less and third HS even less than that and that's kind of one of the reasons why we say say first shot doesn't count but that ball is back toback shots they were right on top of each other with the lines and they were pretty close like pretty close a little bit lighter a little bit longer but pretty close in reaction that's in two boards and it hooked like it was two
boards [Music] in left it it kind of came back right like was trying to come back what do you think about that one Chris man I think that it looks the same every time which is a good thing it it it seems to make a strong move back to the pocket even though it seems like it's a continuous shape
so I feel more continuous than angular right yeah it's definitely continuous but it's actually pretty long for how strong it appears to be yeah I kind of feel that too I feel like with effect it definitely was this way and then that way definitely angular this ball has a more of a feel like um just a little bit earlier and more continuous which maybe that's why it's the solid version of the bow and ball I think it's it it's kind of like in between the first two yeah I can see that too between the
effect tour and the real the normal effect yeah yeah it's continuous shape's definitely continuous strong um I feel like this is a a ball that maybe isn't the first ball out of your bag but maybe if the lanes are a little bit well that's weird though because you would say if the L were a little bit heavier
oil You' use it but I don't see that either though because it it is I mean it's a polished bow I mean I think let's throw it a three or four more times and let's see what it does to the lane or if it you know looks any different looks good H depends real hard I like that I feel like it sounds different when it hits dep pins is you think so yeah it hits him real hard well you know
what they say Chris say nothing hits harder than a hammer yeah that is what they say do you think that's true maybe they say it so it's got to be true right that's money right there and I six pin so it's definitely it's just a stronger continuous type piece I feel like maybe we're getting a little bit more continuation out of it you throw it
yeah cuz that was laced yeah look good and now I got to move what's your move off of a six pin or you a four pin for how straight you plant them one one it is so I got that one a little further left and it it made the move so definitely more hook mid lane and continuous I like it looks good it's a
good compliment to the other two I think right I think this one is the earlier more continuous the normal effect original effect was super long and angular and the tour was kind of smoother right smoother little bit less hooking this one might be the best one yeah let's C the lights on [Music]
six pin again so I mean it's I feel like it's getting a little bit stronger right I feel like because it's not afraid to make the move it's going to force you to chase it like you're going to have to stay in front of it I tell you what I like I like that it's consistent like it is consistent every shot has been the same it's done the same thing from first shot to now no surprises strong
continuous yeah I think it does that really well let's throw one straight I might have to put one of these in my bag right okay that's fine that's fair left in the friction but it was going left just got to be a little straighter with that that's all no problem I do like like you can tell like you can
tell off your hand if it's going to be good or not like that's good so you you can tell you can tell it's consistent it's doing a lot of the same thing repetitively I'm curious to see what happens take that surface off the ball right get the polish off the ball and let's see how much more or less aggressive it gets let me move back in and throw a shot and get that kind of lined in and then we'll take the
off all right so we know at those pins let's put a little service on it see what it does I'm telling you man that ball hit hard all right from 4500 to 2,000 grit let's see what it does now first shot don't count we got to move in a little bit anyway yo R seven
pin what do you think she looks good it's just more hook right yeah little earlier but same continuation yeah same kind of thing too right like it's definitely I think if you're a if you're a higher ball speed player def look at this if you are a lower referee player may look at this I mean I think this one of those
versatile shapes and balls that like you can drill for anybody good length stores a little energy it's continuous consistent I mean all right so now you got more about the brand new Hammer special effect if you want this ball go to our website ctd bowling.com pick you up one uh if you're not a member of our staff get on the
staff it's free to join we just got a brand new building brand new Pro Shop in Clarksville Tennessee and we'd love to have you come out there and learn some more about what we do learn some more about uh creating the difference on behalf of uh creating the difference I am Ronald hickin talk to you guys soon
Performance Analysis
Performance Analysis
Independent testing revealed the Hammer Special Effect delivers predictable, responsive motion on house patterns with strong backend reaction. On the 43-foot Crown Jewel pattern, the ball demonstrated excellent energy retention through the pins, with testers able to move the breakpoint across multiple board positions while maintaining consistent carry. The polished HK22 Cohesion solid coverstock—an unexpected choice for what many anticipated would be an aggressive, dull surface—allowed the ball to read the lane slightly longer than conventional solid coverstock designs. This delayed entry angle proved advantageous when playing deeper on the lane, as the asymmetric Huntsman core delivered reliable angular motion without requiring extreme revolutions or speed to create backend motion. The ball showed particular strength when testers worked the inside-out line, with multiple shots from the 25-30 board range producing solid pin action.
Testing also revealed the Special Effect’s tolerance for release variation and minor mistakes. When testers experimented with different swing paths and adjusted their board position across a 15-board range (20-35 boards), the ball consistently tracked back to the pocket, though entry angles varied. The polished finish meant that softer, more spinny releases didn’t result in flat 10-pin carries—the ball retained sufficient energy to generate pin action even when released with more axis rotation. One notable observation: shot consistency was high enough that identical releases from the same board produced nearly identical results, making it a predictable tool for in-league adjustments.
Who Is This Ball For?
The Hammer Special Effect is built for house shot bowlers who want a medium-heavy solid that doesn’t demand perfect technique to perform. The polished coverstock makes it forgiving for bowlers with varying release styles, while the asymmetric core generates enough angular motion to recover from slightly deep or early releases. This ball suits league bowlers moving from lighter oil conditions to fresh or medium-heavy oil patterns, or anyone looking for a reliable workhorse that handles the 25-35 board zone consistently without excessive surface prep.
This ball is also ideal for bowlers who prefer solid coverstock reaction over pearl or hybrid options but were hesitant about the aggressive hook associated with dull solids. The factory compound finish bridges that gap, allowing players to use the Special Effect throughout an entire lane transition without immediate resurfacing. At $149.95, it offers strong value for recreational and competitive league bowlers seeking a dependable second or primary strike ball.
The Pros
- • HK22 Cohesion Solid with factory compound gives it earlier midlane traction than the pearl Effect
- • Huntsman core's .050 differential and .017 mass bias generate heavy flare and powerful angular backend
- • Exceptional pin action at 9.5 — the strongest carry in the Effect line
- • Outstanding value at $149.95 for a high-performance solid asymmetric
The Cons
- • Solid coverstock reads too early on lighter oil — requires medium-heavy volume to perform
- • Less length than the pearl Effect makes it less effective on broken-down conditions
- • Requires periodic surface maintenance to keep the solid coverstock at peak performance
Who Is This Ball For?
The strongest pin carry in the Effect family — reads the midlane with authority and devastates on fresh conditions at $149.95. Video reviews inside.
Technical Specifications
How It Compares
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Luke RosdahlVerified Bowler Reviews (53 reviews, 4.8/5 avg)
Bowlers Say
Bowlers praise the Special Effect for its smooth, continuous motion down lane with strong backend hook. The HK22-Cohesion solid coverstock provides excellent mid-lane traction while maintaining predictable arc into the pocket. Many see it as a great complement to the original Effect, working well on both house and sport patterns when other solids burn up.
AI summary of 53 verified purchase reviews
Bowlers frequently mention:
This ball is very smooth down the lane and continuous. I just got it drilled yesterday and bowled a 224 with it. I'm not putting any surface on it. It rolls down the lane the way I want it.
Georgia , United States
Haven't used it yet will be using tonight I'm very impressed with the colors
Ny, United States
I love this ball. It has good backend motion and will go great with my other balls
United States
Absolutely love this ball. Beautiful reaction on the lanes and has been dramatically increasing my league average.
United States
Last Tuesday, Hammer announced the 3rd release in the Effect line of bowling balls...the Special Effect. The Special Effect features the same asymmetric Huntsman core wrapped by a 4 color (purple/red/grape/black) cohesion solid cover with the known HK-22 base. I drilled one with a 60 x 4 3/4 x 30 layout and I went over the ball with a 4000 Siaair pad. (Box surface is 1500 Siaair/Factory Compound) I tried the Special Effect on fresh and leftover THS. Being honest, I never really used the original Effect a great deal. Between the Black Widow 3.0 and the original Theorem, I had an excellent range of motions in asymmetric core equipment. (Also there was one of my favorites as well, the Envy Tour for a much slower response on higher volumes for fresh. I also like the new Effect Tour for similar purposes) Additionally, I had a little trouble getting the original Effect to match up with my game. I did use a little weaker MB and pin placement to see if I could get a better look. (The original Effect had a 40 x 4 1/4 x 25 layout) I can already tell I am going to like the new Special Effect more. They are similar and from what I can see in terms of watching them from shot to shot, they are pretty similar. That being said, I used it in league and what I noticed is that the Special Effect got around the corner better in the last game when I had to use a very steep angle through the front. I don't know if it's cover or layout but I do like the motion of the Special Effect better. I do see the new Special Effect being in my bag and I'll be looking forward to drilling a second one shortly. The Hammer Special Effect releases officially today, March 20, 2025. See your local pro shop for more information!
Showing 1–5 of 21 verified reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
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