Tightening a loose hammer head

[Electron2002]

Hello All,

I have an old (1939) Paschall (Plomb) 1301 1oz ball peen hammer. It is in overall good condition for its 75+ years of age but the head is ever so slightly loose on the handle. It will rotate about 10 degrees and there is maybe 1/16" of up and down play on the shaft.

Normally I would just seat the wedge further in and maybe smooth down any wood that then projected from the top of the head, but with this hammer I am not willing to do that. The handle on such a small hammer is so slim (5/16" through the head), that I fear it would split and ruin the handle.

My thinking is that the majority of the looseness is due to the 75+ year old wood drying and shrinking. And, the idea that I had for fixing it would be to use something to re-swell the wood. I've heard of people soaking the end water, but that would just evaporate and not yield a long lasting fix and also lead to unwanted corrosion. Some type of oil seems like a better idea, but what kind?

Your ideas are appreciated.

 

[spike99250]

You could drill some small hole on opposite corners of the handle at the top of the handle. Then pour some epoxy in there and any other spots you can get any in. I have done this with success on a few hammers I didn't want to rehandle.

 

[jmarkwolf]

I remember some stuff my dad had that would swell wood. As I recall, he used it for fixing loose wood dowel joints on furniture.

Can't remember what it was now but a wood working tool shop might be able to tell you.

 

[AceofSpad3s]

I remember hearing people using anti freeze to swell handles since it does not evaporate, I have never done it so I can't verify if it would be a long term solution.

 

[ChrisFox]

If there is still a shoulder left on the handle before it slims down, you can just cut in off as high as you can and re fit the handle. If not I would just buy a new handle and fit that one. With a saw or chisel I wouldn't worry too much about it but with a tool you swing, hammer or axe, I would never use it with a loose handle. With my luck it would come off right on my foot or up side the head

 

[ffast65]

Linseed oil is known to swell wood.

 

[jjjrmx5]

If the handle still has a shoulder below the bottom of the head, you gently need to take a dovetail or dowel saw (Japanese flexi dowel saw) to it and then move the hammer head down.
Then drive the metal wege down further and redres the wood on top.

Water will dry.
Oils may work but in the end will leave you with a loose handle.

Ssrews or nails, BTDT x 100.

I;m so hopeless I;ve tried to rehandle Plumb taper screw handles with a new handle and the old screw just to see if I could.
Uh-No.

If the handle has markings, I try my best. Non-descript handle. replace and move on.

And I;ve got 6 hammer heads on deck to do yet this winter.

Finding correct handles is the biggest challenge.
In the end, the best way is to move the head farther down the handle and to then tighten the wedge.

 

[SD396]

x2 for epoxy. I did the head on my ball peen hammer 22 years ago and although it doesn't see heavy use it is still tight.

 

[azhatchback]

Read the writing in blue by the pic of hammers in the bucket:
http://www.performancemetalshaping.net/page/page/5458321.htm

Hard wood handles that come from the east shrink when they come to the west. This is what works on my body hammers. I like dagger body hammers but with in a couple of months the wood shrinks and the heads are loose. This fixes them up.

 

[azhatchback]

I remember hearing people using anti freeze to swell handles since it does not evaporate, I have never done it so I can't verify if it would be a long term solution.

This is correct. Mixed with water.

 

[catsteve]

i have used this stuff with good effect.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-WONDER-...885?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43ce21f595

 

[Grigg]

In this situation I remove the steel wedge and drive the handle out of the head.
Dig out the wood wedge before or after as you can.
Adjust the fit of handle to head as necessary.
Make a new usually larger wood wedge.
Reassemble with the old steel wedge if in good shape or a new one if needed.

The trick is getting the steel wedge out. With a TIG welder use something to make your ground connection to the wedge if it is not already contacting the hammer head. Then weld a little on top of the wedge. The heat will char the wood a little and help to remove the wedge and the little bit you welded on it can be grabbed with vice grips.

Sometimes this is a real quick process, sometimes you might be better off with a new handle.

 

[Electron2002]

Yep Copilot, I do not desire to replace the handle.

I think the linseed oil idea is more along the lines of what I am wanting to do. Adding a natural oil to treat the wood seems a better way to go in my mind.

Here is my 1301.

 

[Jure]

soak it in Linseed oil overnight

 

[rlitman]

I remember some stuff my dad had that would swell wood. As I recall, he used it for fixing loose wood dowel joints on furniture.

Can't remember what it was now but a wood working tool shop might be able to tell you.

Chair-Loc

 

[91bronc300]

See if you can find a stout jar large enough to fit the entire hammer in and then make a quick and dirty vacuum chamber with it. Put about 1.5" of some sort of epoxy in the jar and then put the hammer in the jar upside down so the head is in the epoxy. I would sand the end grain that pokes out of the eye of the hammer to help it take up the epoxy better. Then pull a strong vacuum on it and leave it for a bit.

Here's a decent video of a guy doing something similar.

An inexpensive mityvac would probably do a good enough job. I've pulled 26" with a handheld mityvac in my vacuum chamber.

 

[geojag]

As others have said, soak it in linseed oil. May take a couple days but it will tighten it right up and serve as a preservative for the wood.