A print hammer in an impact printer comprises a hammer body (13) having an end portion (15) containing a cavity (17) passing therethrough, an annular, separable compressible member (19), and a separable hammer tip (23) having a flat first face (31) for impact printing and having an elongated member (25) which passes through the compressible member (19) and the cavity (17). A removable fastener (29) secures the elongated member (25) to the end portion (15) to hold the compressible member (19) between the end portion (15) and second face of the hammertip (23) opposite said first face 31. When the hammer tip (23) strikes against a printing surface, the subsequent compression of the compressible member (19) provides a combination of optimum force and contact time for the best inktransferfrom a medium such as a ribbon to a print paper. Whenever the print quality deteriorates, the fastener (29) can be temporarily removed to replace either or both of the hammer tip (23) and compressible member (19).