I know it's all opinion, so I'm not trying to tell anyone their opinion is 'wrong', but I have to admit, I've never found Hammett all that spectacular, either. He DOES play some good stuff, and I LIKE the fact that he 'over-used' his wah on the Black Album; however, he's still not in that upper echelon of players, as far as technique goes.
As far as INFLUENCE goes, he is, indeed, the man. Hundreds of thousands of people got into lead guitar playing because of that man.
Still, the thread was about technique.
Greg