A powered hammer includes a housing coupled to a tool holder having a front end, and including a motor, a cylinder, and a piston is slideably received within the cylinder. A drive mechanism converts rotary output of the motor into a reciprocating motion of the piston within the cylinder. A ram, slideably mounted within the cylinder forward of the piston, is reciprocatingly driven by the piston. A beat piece support structure supports a beat piece. The beat piece is repetitively struck by the reciprocating ram, which repetitively strikes an end of the tool to transfer momentum of the ram to the tool. The beat piece support structure allows the beat piece to slide between a first forward position and a second rearward position. When the powered hammer is not in operation, a first end of a rod having indicia located a predetermined distance from the first end can be inserted into the tool holder to slide the beat piece to the second rearward position so that a distance between the front end of the tool holder and the indicia indicates an amount of wear on the beat piece.