On my first playthrough I fell in love with sledgehammer's power and added effect... Disable really helps on those weak to it when fighting something stronger than you.

Some of the marks were even disabled.

Course when the sledgehammer user got confused...
Oricahalum Dirk(slow) + Sledgehammer(Disable) + trying to remember what the third status effect weapon I used was....

But yes, in general I found hammers to be stable enough, although random.. to equal swords, and used a hammer-wielder from the first time you can buy one onward until close to the end.

Axes I never really got into using.. so I can't comment.