Can you handle this?

[Cleave]

Can you handle this? (Old hammer restoration)

I, like a few of you, am becoming a sucker for old hammers.

I'm also a sucker for good deals, and doing things the hard way to save a few bucks and learn something in the process.

First, a 6 lb Easco sledge hammer and an unknown cross pein hammer (bought earlier). I had already ordered a Beaver Tooth handle for the cross pein. All in, $6 for both, including the two Vaughn framing hammer handles.

 

[930dreamer]

I like bringing a broken hammer back to life. Shape the handle for the best fit possible.

 

[leg17]

You will notice a variation in the 'eyes'.
Handles are originally intended for optimum fit on different classes of hammer.
Framing hammers are somewhat rectangular, ball pein an oval, and engineer's hammer a somewhat different oval.
Obviously, any handle can be reshaped smaller to suit.
A very satisfying project.

 

[Shiftless]

What products and techniques do you guys use to make the new handles look like they belong with those beautiful vintage hammer heads?

 

[rlitman]

What products and techniques do you guys use to make the new handles look like they belong with those beautiful vintage hammer heads?

Just use them for 50 years or so.

 

[Cleave]

Then at a thrift store, I found a Plumb mason's hammer for $1, with cracks in the handle!
16 oz, pointy pick.

AND, a crow bar with snapped off bent section for $2 (will blacksmith that into something useful one of these years).

 

[Rick B.]

Three of my rehandles.


View media item 95010

 

[Cleave]

The cross pein I had ordered a replacement handle from Beaver Tooth which had a perfect fit and works great.

The sledge, I chopped one of the framing hammer handles down to the swell in the middle (where the cross section was big enough to fit the head) and carved it to fit the head, put the head on, wood wedge, two metal wedges, a few coats of linseed oil.
Both will be used for newbie blacksmith tinkering and general utility.

 

[d42jeep]

I enjoy re-handling hammers and have done dozens of them. Here are a few examples.
Shiftless, next time you stop by you can pick one out. I have a few extras.
-Don

 

[dutchgray]

Biggest problem I have is finding a new handle that you would actually want to use, most are terrible here, I pick up old stock whenever I find some.

 

[Cleave]

Now on to the Plumb mason's hammer,

I looked through the scrap wood pile, found a piece of pipe cribbing, looks like oak, and one section looks to have good enough grain.

Out comes the hatchet and Stanley 151 spokeshave. Here's progress partway through.
I really need to forge up a drawknife, that would be a great intermediate step between the two tools I used.

 

[454ragtop]

Cleave, your pics aren't showing, please upload directly to the site.

 

[Cleave]

Pictures show up in forum on my computer.
I added them to my GJ album, don't know how to best link that into post here.

 

[Cleave]

And, the mason's hammer with finished handle, next to the scrap the handle came out of.
In the section I used the grain was parallel with the handle.

 

[Provincial]

The photos in post #11 showed yesterday, but have disappeared since Cleave said he added them to his album.

 

[Cleave]

Picture retry, read the help section, that was harder than making a handle.

I spent around $17 for all 3 hammers put together including an off the shelf handle for the cross pein. Not bad!
Now I'll need to go fire up the forge and actually put 2 of them to use...

 

[2oolhound]

Nice work guys. I was rehandling some hammers last weekend and since I had a rag soaked with linseed oil I decided I should wipe down all my hammer handles. As I was doing it I stood the completed ones up in an old paint can. After I'd done it I stopped and looked at the scene on the work bench and really admired how it looked. The way the overhead light really set it off made it look so special. I finally discovered what it is about a bouquet of flowers that sets a girl off. This was a bouquet of hammers and it looked equally nice in the middle of the work bench like that so I snapped this picture. I thought this is an appropriate place to share it.

Enjoy!

 

[Cleave]

Here are a few more handles, all from a honey locust tree we cut down at the Father In Law's house. Dried for about a year, rived with wedges into quarters, then drawknife and such from there.
Collins double bit, 6 lb sledge, 6 lb straight peen (made from wood splitting maul I got for $1), R King broad hatchet, splitting hatchet (I think long ago that was an ax head, somebody must have chipped it and ground it back, bevel is too steep for good hatchet use).
I think that lineup cost me $17 total, plus effort... but I've learned a lot in the process!

Also note my new trick for linseed oil on handles - old oil can! Precise application, no mess. I made an easy cap for it.

 

[toolmiser]

I am also doing a bunch myself. I had a bunch of ones from garage sales. I like anything unique. I think I re purposed a few and made a couple, got a couple new (for long handles like axes). I had three axes/hatchets that are worth a little money on ebay. I wrote on them with sharpie so I or someone else doesn't sell them for $1.00 at a garage sale. Hammers are much more useful and neat looking with a handle. It also made me work on a skill-I don't have much skill with a draw knife or a spoke shave.

 

[lardy1]

I cut up those broken hammer handles for file handles.

 

[Shane6377]

I cut up those broken hammer handles for file handles.

Great idea! Do you have a pic? I'm curious how you get the file tang to securely stay on the handle.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[lardy1]

I just make the hole diameter whatever the width of the tang is about two thirds of the way up. Tap them lightly and they stay on just fine. No real science to it. The force at work on the handle should be pushing it towards tighter as it is used.

I tried using copper wire as a ferrule but no longer bother. If a handle were to split (none ever have) I would just knock it off and tap on a new one. Most of my files have come to me pre-owned. I'm not spending $5.00 or more for a handle.

 

[Cleave]

Yeah, I make file handles too - old broken chair legs, dowel chunks, whatever. Cut to length, drill hole for the tang to press into, cut a step for a ferrule if you're feeling ambitious (I use some aluminum tubing I have on hand). Pretty easy.

 

[Leviton]

Nice work guys. I was rehandling some hammers last weekend and since I had a rag soaked with linseed oil I decided I should wipe down all my hammer handles. As I was doing it I stood the completed ones up in an old paint can. After I'd done it I stopped and looked at the scene on the work bench and really admired how it looked. The way the overhead light really set it off made it look so special. I finally discovered what it is about a bouquet of flowers that sets a girl off. This was a bouquet of hammers and it looked equally nice in the middle of the work bench like that so I snapped this picture. I thought this is an appropriate place to share it.

Enjoy!

Great photo.

If my wife asks for suggestions next Father's Day, I'm going to suggest that she get me a bouquet. When she asks what kind, I'll send her your photo.

 

[2oolhound]

Great photo.

If my wife asks for suggestions next Father's Day, I'm going to suggest that she get me a bouquet. When she asks what kind, I'll send her your photo.

LOL Thanks!

You could also let her know they are perennials and last for years.