I am not an expert,
Quote:a more refined type of frailing is known as drop thumb frailing melodic frailing, strumless frailing or clawhammer.IN FRAILING the melody generally alternates with chords i.e strums.
pull off hammer ons and slides are used in both.
whereas in clawhammer the emphasis is on linear melody with few chord strums.
they are both down picking.
in clawhammer the fifth string is often used as a melody note.
of course there must be styles where the two are almost indistinguishable.