A pile hammer includes a cylinder, a piston displaceably guided in the cylinder, a striker displaceably guided in the cylinder and disposed underneath the piston in the operating position of the pile hammer, a combustion chamber delimited axially by a face surface of the striker that lies in the interior of the cylinder and by a face surface of the piston, as well as a disengagement apparatus by way of which the piston can be moved in the cylinder, into an upper position, wherein the disengagement apparatus includes a carriage, which is connected with at least one cable, by way of which the carriage is guided to be displaceable on the outside, along the cylinder, wherein a stop that projects outward is disposed on the cylinder and a buffer part is disposed on the carriage, with which part the carriage lies against the stop in an upper end position.