hammer handles
- Thread starter royce
- Start date
d42jeep
Well-known member
It’s nice to see that installing new handles isn’t a lost art. I did these two for a buddy last week. I probably average doing one a month.
-Don
-Don
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txvwnut
Well-known member
Where you guys getting handles from? I’ve got a few I need replace and no one local has handles.
Mintgrun
Well-known member
WisJim
Well-known member
I've been picking up handles at sales, etc, for many years so I have a drawer or two full out in the shop, plus longer ones such as axe, adze, and sledge handles stuck in a corner. And I still don't always have just what I need so may have to split something out of a bigger chunk of raw wood and get out a spokeshave and drawknife.
macgee
Well-known member
Nice thread and good to see Drives and others installing handles. Something you don't see discussed very much now a days.
I had a friend who restored and sold vintage hammers, they were beautiful but he struggled to find good handles and always asked me to buy them whenever I find them at a good price. Its not easy now a days finding old hickory handles especially for the lighter sizes.
I had a friend who restored and sold vintage hammers, they were beautiful but he struggled to find good handles and always asked me to buy them whenever I find them at a good price. Its not easy now a days finding old hickory handles especially for the lighter sizes.
Provincial
Well-known member
I buy all the new handles I see at garage and estate sales. It is amazing how many show up, and at affordable prices. Very few people will go to the trouble of replacing a broken handle these days.
I think that the small ball pein hammer handles get broken a lot because they are so slim near the head. This provides a weak point that is vulnerable during a mis-strike.
Pvt. Lugnutz had a good thread on how he repairs/reinforces this area with wire "whipping" by wrapping the handle there. It is an art!
I think that the small ball pein hammer handles get broken a lot because they are so slim near the head. This provides a weak point that is vulnerable during a mis-strike.
Pvt. Lugnutz had a good thread on how he repairs/reinforces this area with wire "whipping" by wrapping the handle there. It is an art!
RTM
Well-known member
Here is my last few weekend’s work on rehandling. Most came from House Handle, as Mint mentioned above, a few from the Denver surplus place or garage sale.
Included was a ~16# sledge, apparently broken on its first swing per the PO, an old SPRR adze, welded at the eye, a ship maul with a tiny eye which required a 5/8” x 1-1/2” wide handle, so cut down the end of a sledge handle, an a 6# splitting maul. The short stuff includes a tiny hammer, lying down, a broad hatchet with Octagonal handle, and a shingling hatchet with a flamed handle. Most of these were bought with no, or a broken handle, I’m not THAT bad at swinging tools. The neighbor broke the splitting maul that I loaned him, with a weak handle, so I don’t hold that against him.
Not shown is another adze with a small eye that is requiring removing a lot on material, but using a spokeshave and drawknife is fun practice.
When I buy from House, I use their “hand picked” and “no lacquer” options, and occasionally the “octagonal handle”, which they drawknife to order I think. I am not skilled enough, nor have access to decent material, to split my own yet, much less shape them to comfort.
Included was a ~16# sledge, apparently broken on its first swing per the PO, an old SPRR adze, welded at the eye, a ship maul with a tiny eye which required a 5/8” x 1-1/2” wide handle, so cut down the end of a sledge handle, an a 6# splitting maul. The short stuff includes a tiny hammer, lying down, a broad hatchet with Octagonal handle, and a shingling hatchet with a flamed handle. Most of these were bought with no, or a broken handle, I’m not THAT bad at swinging tools. The neighbor broke the splitting maul that I loaned him, with a weak handle, so I don’t hold that against him.
Not shown is another adze with a small eye that is requiring removing a lot on material, but using a spokeshave and drawknife is fun practice.
When I buy from House, I use their “hand picked” and “no lacquer” options, and occasionally the “octagonal handle”, which they drawknife to order I think. I am not skilled enough, nor have access to decent material, to split my own yet, much less shape them to comfort.
macgee
Well-known member
I found this bucket of handles a while ago at flea market, they went to a friend of mine after keeping a couple for myself.
In my neck of the woods, its hard to find NOS handles.
I also played around with protective sleeves covering the neck with copper and I like the balance a lot with it added, doesn't really effect the swing so much but you feel more authority behind each hit without it feeling like a bigger heavier hammer. I know, not a good description.
In my neck of the woods, its hard to find NOS handles.
I also played around with protective sleeves covering the neck with copper and I like the balance a lot with it added, doesn't really effect the swing so much but you feel more authority behind each hit without it feeling like a bigger heavier hammer. I know, not a good description.
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bmwrd0
Well-known member
I have a hammer handle question. How common are octagon sided hammer handles? I ask because I stumbled across my grandmothers old keen kutter claw hammer. Its got a smallish head -8 oz or so but about a full length 8 sided handle which is very comfortable. New hammers that I have seen lately have an oval or round hammer. Any thoughts?
Marvin Hagen
Well-known member
I still replace handles I will save them up and spend a weekend replacing them. I buy them at flea markets hard to find really good quality ones. Then some people want a lot of money for broke hammers needing handles.
RTM
Well-known member
I have grabbed a few in the wild, several ball peins, one or two claws, a couple of brass ones too. I’d guess less than 20% in the wild. I like them. When I buy new handles, I often ask for them cut octagonal, to differentiate between two similar shaped heads.
With a spokeshave or drawknife, you can convert your oval wooden handles to octagons.
macgee
Well-known member
Nice work table
Provincial
Well-known member
I like to avoid using the steel wedges if possible. Normally, when fitting a new handle the wood wedge does the trick if I get the handle fitted properly.
I've envied Royce's work table before. He works with big pipe projects, and the fall-down can be very useful! You do need a lot of storage area.
I've envied Royce's work table before. He works with big pipe projects, and the fall-down can be very useful! You do need a lot of storage area.
RTM
Well-known member
Yeah, damn that’s nice.
d42jeep
Well-known member
I have my handles and future projects stashed in a Powr-Kraft carry box. I find them at old school hardware stores, estate and garage sales and online when necessary. Usually when Tin Medic sends me hammer heads for rehandling he sends along a batch of handles too. The used but possibly reusable handles go in the bucket.
-Don
-Don
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IMCA38
Well-known member
Harry Epstein carries a nice selection of handles at reasonable prices.
https://www.harryepstein.com/catalo...duct_detail=2635&q=+hammer+Handle+replacement
https://www.harryepstein.com/catalo...duct_detail=2635&q=+hammer+Handle+replacement
davethorik
Well-known member
Love that Lixie! Never paid attention how the handles are attached to the head, press fit or glued in?
d.mcfarland
Well-known member
Some nice collections here!
Provincial
Well-known member
Speaking of work tables, 50 years ago I worked in a machine and fabrication shop that repaired logging and sawmill equipment. One project involved cutting out the center of a huge roller chain sprocket that was almost an inch thick. The circle was almost four feet in diameter, and had no center hole. It sat around for a year and no one spared the time to cut it up.
A logging outfit brought in a yarder drum that was almost four feet in diameter at the flange. One flange had a cone clutch surface and an external band brake surface. The other end had a drive gear that was worn out. After we cut off the old gear, the owner decided that he didn't want to spent the money for a new gear, sit it sat around, getting in the way. One day, it dawned on me that the round plate and the gear end of the drum were about the same size, and measured them. The circle hung over the OD of the drum by 1/4" on all sides. Management approved welding the circle onto the drum, and we determined that the hourglass cross section of the drum allowed us to just straddle the narrow part with the forks of our forklift, making it easy to move around. The clutch/brake flange kept the center of gravity low, and the whole thing weighed well over 1,000 pounds, so it was very stable!
Royce has all the holes around the edge, an I see that he has made tooling to utilize the "stake" holes! Way better than a plain flat surface!
A logging outfit brought in a yarder drum that was almost four feet in diameter at the flange. One flange had a cone clutch surface and an external band brake surface. The other end had a drive gear that was worn out. After we cut off the old gear, the owner decided that he didn't want to spent the money for a new gear, sit it sat around, getting in the way. One day, it dawned on me that the round plate and the gear end of the drum were about the same size, and measured them. The circle hung over the OD of the drum by 1/4" on all sides. Management approved welding the circle onto the drum, and we determined that the hourglass cross section of the drum allowed us to just straddle the narrow part with the forks of our forklift, making it easy to move around. The clutch/brake flange kept the center of gravity low, and the whole thing weighed well over 1,000 pounds, so it was very stable!
Royce has all the holes around the edge, an I see that he has made tooling to utilize the "stake" holes! Way better than a plain flat surface!
Cleave
Well-known member
I've been happy with the handles I've bought from House Handle and Beaver Tooth.
I've also made a few of my own for axes, hammers, chisels, and files. It is somewhat time consuming, but not all that complicated.
I've also made a few of my own for axes, hammers, chisels, and files. It is somewhat time consuming, but not all that complicated.