Whats the Best method for replacing a hammer handle?

[rodknocker]

A while back I bought some old blacksmithing hammer heads at a garage sale, just sitting in a box. I've bought enough hickory hammer handles from sears to mount them all. I sanded the handles down so that they were snug and I had to pound them on. Once on I used the stepped metal piece to spread the top instead of the wooden piece. After using the hammers just a few times the heads have come loose. A friend of mine said to soak them in oil to expand the wood, I did this and it made it worse. What do you guys think the best way is?

 

[ZRX61]

Get it fitting *kinda snug*, then take the head off & cut a kerf with a handsaw in the end of the handle. Put the head back on, hammer a wooden wedge into the kerfuntil its tight. Then hammer 1 or 2 of the steel wedges in at 90deg to the wooden wedge. I shall go take a pic..

 

[-Brent-]

ZRX, here's a good example of what you're talking about.

 

[mitusa]

Make sure you have the right size handle for your hammer. Then kind of shape the part that goes into the hammer to the size of your hammer. Push the hammer down onto the handle as far as you can. Then take your "hammer" and slam the hammer handle down onto a solid surface,.....this will drive the hammer onto the handle. When you have the hammer as far as you think it will go....check to see if the hammer is at a 90 degree angle to the handle. If you have handle sticking thru the top of the hammer, take a hack saw and saw it off flush with the top of the hammer. Then get the wood wedge ready and maybe start it into the slit.......Now take some superglue and run it around the edge where the handle meets the head. The glue will run down into the handle and as quick as you can, drive the wedge into the slit as far as you can. This should get the handle pretty tight, but drive one or two wedges into the top of the handle. You want this to be as tight as possible. I usually take some of the glue and run around the top of the handle to seal it.....it will take a day or two to cure when there isn't anything for it to bond to......

 

[ZRX61]

Great link! Here's mine:

This was done by a friend of mine as I recently found a bronze hammerhead at an estate sale with no handle.. Hole in the head is 1 1/8 x 3/4in. The wedge he cut tapered from nothing to 5/16in in 2 inches (which is the thickness of the hammerhead). Steel wedges are about 3/8 x 1/8in, altho one is bigger than the other as that's what he had laying around.

Head as found:

Finished:

This thing is a beast, weighs almost 4lb He also fitted handles to 3 ballpeins I had laying around for a total cost of $20 including the handles. I thought that was a bargain as I got to watch him in action on the bronze hammer & will do my own from now on. Incidently: not a single one of my 30+ hammers now has a loose head as I fixed the 2 or 3 cheapies when I got home that day.

 

[metaldad]

ZRX, here's a good example of what you're talking about.

Thank you. A good read!

 

[lilredex]

One thing that rarely gets mentioned when it comes to wooden handles is the grain orientation. If it is not oriented properly the handle breaks prematurely. If you buy flea market handles, look carefully before you take them home. It could be the reason they are there to begin with.

Round handles are never a problem, it is the oval shaped ones you need to look at carefully.

You should see relatively straight lines when viewing your installed handles from the top.....something like this:

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

"One thing that rarely gets mentioned when it comes to wooden handles is the grain orientation..."
Important point! We had an old Professor here at the Seminary, now long dead, who had done a full apprenticeship as a carpenter early in the 20th century...the guy knew everything about wood.
I had an old Disston rake of a model still made that I got from my Grandfather...the handle lasted just about forever, I just bought a new rake whenever the tines went to hell and swapped metal heads.
I did the swapping because new rakes all seemed to snap during their first season... I asked old Dr Shippey why, and he told me:
In the old days, wood was split into blanks for making the handles. The splitting of course delivered pieces that had proper grain if they would come off in a chunk long enough for a rake handle. Now, with more automation and high production rates, wood was sawn into the blanks to make handles, ignoring grain, and a good handle was a random event! Progress!!

 

[lilredex]

"One thing that rarely gets mentioned when it comes to wooden handles is the grain orientation..."
Important point! We had an old Professor here at the Seminary, now long dead, who had done a full apprenticeship as a carpenter early in the 20th century...the guy knew everything about wood.
I had an old Disston rake of a model still made that I got from my Grandfather...the handle lasted just about forever, I just bought a new rake whenever the tines went to hell and swapped metal heads.
I did the swapping because new rakes all seemed to snap during their first season... I asked old Dr Shippey why, and he told me:
In the old days, wood was split into blanks for making the handles. The splitting of course delivered pieces that had proper grain if they would come off in a chunk long enough for a rake handle. Now, with more automation and high production rates, wood was sawn into the blanks to make handles, ignoring grain, and a good handle was a random event! Progress!!

So true, you see it, if you have ever watched Roy Underhill split out his handles.......

http://www.pbs.org/woodwrightsshop/about/index.html

 

[rodknocker]

Great info thanks guys. ZRX, I feel like a jackass, I never thought to put the wood piece in first, then split it wit the 2 metal pieces, I just thought they were giving me extras

 

[-Brent-]

Zrx, that hammer is a beauty! I've been keeping my eyes peeled locally for vintage hammers to redo. You've got quite a collection.

 

[ajchien]

So this 8lb sledge with a 3ft handle followed me home from an estate sale for $2. Only issue I have with it is that it has about 15 nails in the handle at the head, acting as the "wedges".

The handle is currently tight.

Should I just use as is, or should I properly wedge the hammer head?

 

[Outlawmws]

The problem with the nails is they don't actually "wedge", they are straight. Eventually they WILL get loose. depending on how they were put in, the damage may be done. If you can get them out and they were in a line you may be able to wedge it properly.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned, but works well to get a better wedge, is to belt sand the wedge sides smooth. This allows the crappy rough sawn wedges they sell to go deeper and wedge tighter than if left rough.

 

[Dale B]

Something I didn't see mentioned was to make sure the hammer head is installed right side up . If it has a brand name on it , it should read normally with the handle hanging down . If no name , try it both ways , and then install it with the tight side down . Then when you wedge it , it expands into the larger part of the eye thus making it impossible to slide off .

 

[ZRX61]

So this 8lb sledge with a 3ft handle followed me home from an estate sale for $2. Only issue I have with it is that it has about 15 nails in the handle at the head, acting as the "wedges".

The handle is currently tight.

Should I just use as is, or should I properly wedge the hammer head?

Here's the thing....

When it fails, (& it will...) causing the head to fly off... do you want that to happen as you are taking a swing & the hammer is vertical above your head...?

 

[ajchien]

Here's the thing....

When it fails, (& it will...) causing the head to fly off... do you want that to happen as you are taking a swing & the hammer is vertical above your head...?

Well, that's exactly why I'm asking. Im not quite confident that the "current nail wedge" was such a good idea.

Since this is a pretty good sized hammer, is there any type of wood I should use as a wedge, or can I just cut/sand it out of a piece of scrap wood? I've also got some scrap metal around I can grind into metal wedges. Anything specific I should do? Or should I purchase a hammer head wedge kit? it seems I could size more appropriately if I self made these wedges.

 

[ZRX61]

Since this is a pretty good sized hammer, is there any type of wood I should use as a wedge, or can I just cut/sand it out of a piece of scrap wood?

oak, hickory, ash etc.

 

[JASTECH]

Maybe it's my lack of thinking but, why keep using them straight wedge type? For more pressure evenly inside the head, use cylindrical wedges in it. Would this not increase pressure evenly and therefore better holding?

 

[Outlawmws]

If you look at the eye in a hammer head, it has a double taper. The handle has a slight taper to keep the head from moving down it too much, but the real force is when it is swung and strikes. So the top taper needs to be really tight. The top wedge does this against the sides, assuming it was driven in deeply enough, and the metal wedges provide it in the length of the eye, completing the job.

Nails shove the materials aside, concentrate the pressure on one small area, and crush the wood fiber unevenly to boot, moreover the point is very abrupt, and once it is past that short upset, provides no more added pressure. The wedges add pressure evenly and add to it the more they are driven in.

 

[JASTECH]

So would it be preferred over the Epoxy version?

 

[Outlawmws]

I've never done one with epoxy, so can't really compare, for a fiberglass handle that is the only option, but on a wood handle I'm not sure the epoxy is more than a seal for keeping the wood from drying out?

 

[ajchien]

I figured out why there was duct tape wrapped all over the handle - theres a split in the wood that runs up the handle! I presume this is no good and shouldn't be repaired or glued back together. I'm going to look for a new handle unless someone else here thinks its ok to repair the handle.

And ... How do I go about sizing the handle for the hammer head? This hammer head is the double tapered kind - wider on top and on bottom, thinner in center. It's oval. 15/16 x 1-1/4in eye.


Getting sidetracked ... The hammer head is actually a 6lb sledge. The only other marking is "WARREN-TEED" on it.

 

[Lomotil]

Maybe it's my lack of thinking but, why keep...

Yep. It's your lack of thinking that perpetuates spam.

 

[reptilezs]

I figured out why there was duct tape wrapped all over the handle - theres a split in the wood that runs up the handle! I presume this is no good and shouldn't be repaired or glued back together. I'm going to look for a new handle unless someone else here thinks its ok to repair the handle.

And ... How do I go about sizing the handle for the hammer head? This hammer head is the double tapered kind - wider on top and on bottom, thinner in center. It's oval. 15/16 x 1-1/4in eye.


Getting sidetracked ... The hammer head is actually a 6lb sledge. The only other marking is "WARREN-TEED" on it.

stop by your mom n pop hardware store and they will have a handle that will fit. they are usually labeled with hammer type. get the one with the tightest fit. a little shaping will be needed to fit the new handle. probably under 10 bucks out the door

 

[mitusa]

From personal experience, if the split isn't too big, take superglue and apply it to the split. This glue will seek out the splits and any voids in the wood.....be ready with a clamp or vise-grips to hold the split back in place. It will usually "fix" the split.

If it doesn't, you're out some superglue.

 

[danielhp89]

Rather than start a new thread I figured I would would bring one back from the dead.

I bought a box full of odds and ends at a consignment auction the other day and in the bottom were three framing hammer heads that still had the broken wood and wedge in them, two were Vaughn heads, I weighed one and its 23oz as far as I can tell its this hammer.
http://www.vaughanmfg.com/shopping/...raming-Hammer-With-Curved-Handle__CF1-HC.aspx

I want to replace the handles with the correct ones but I am not seeing it on their site, any recommendations?

 

[kunkernator]

The last handle I replaced was on a 16oz ball peen. I sanded the handle to fit, and drove a wedge in (which will never come out), but I also gave it a light coat of clear epoxy on top of the wedge. It filled in a few little gaps, as well as giving it a nice finish. I use that hammer everyday and it is my "go to".

 

[930dreamer]

I need to replace a few handles, where's the best source/maker?

 

[Danglerb]

I wonder if a good source might be an old (possibly broken) handle that would be suitable when shortened?

 

[Fred W B]

I used to work with a journeyman who would leave his hammers head down in a shallow bucket of water overnight, theory being that the wood would swell and keep the heads extra tight. Plausible? Or a waste of time?

Cheers

Fred W B

 

[jjjrmx5]

I used to work with a journeyman who would leave his hammers head down in a shallow bucket of water overnight, theory being that the wood would swell and keep the heads extra tight. Plausible? Or a waste of time?

Cheers

Fred W B

Waste of time and inproper installation.

Once the water dries, the wood will shrink and the head will come loose.

Fit the handle correctly, use both a wooden wedge and the metal wedge (or wedges on large head hammers) and things should be fine for decades.

For hammers with slightly loose heads drive the metal wedge deeper, or take a dovetail saw to where the head bottom meets the handle and just take a little off, pound head farther down the handle to seat and then drive metal wedge deeper to snug. Sand off small handle portion now sticking out the top and done.

Fitting a handle properly to the head hole size takes all the time.
Installing wood and metal wedges once the handle fits well are a breeze.

 

[toolfanatic]

Lots of good advise in this thread. I've fitted plenty of hammer and axe handles and only recently stumbled upon a better method for fitting heads on handles rather than hammering on. Most manufacturers use a hydraulic ram or press arrangement to press heads onto handles- it's accurate and controllable. I don't have access to a press so I use a carpenters sash cramp to press old heads onto new handles (also great for tightening up a loose head). With this arrangement you can fine tune the fit and orientation of the head as it goes on (nothing worse than a misaligned head and no way to correct it- a real problem if the handle is driven in my brute force of hammering alone!). I like to use a bit of epoxy in the eye of the head before assembly (once I've tested the handle fit etc), keeps moisture out and ensures a more surface area contact. I've a small collection of steel wedges but I've also made my own from scrap steel shaped on the bench grinder. I always use a hardwood wedge- whatever I have liking around- oak, iroko or beech, again glued in. When picking up replacement handles I try and pick the best grain orientation I can, more than half of the handles would be unsuitable or less desirable in terms of this alone. I finish bare wood handles with a boiled linseed oil and turpentine mix after fitting.

 

[Outlawmws]

I need to replace a few handles, where's the best source/maker?

It's getting tough, as the big box stores carry few if any. Try to find an old mom and pop hardware store if any are left where you live. On line works, but no control for selecting a decent handle with good grain qualities...

If I find decent handles for a decent price at yard sales or flea markets, I just buy them and "stock" them...

I wonder if a good source might be an old (possibly broken) handle that would be suitable when shortened?

This can also work as well. The hard part is getting one sized right for the grip, getting an oversize grip on a small BP for instance makes it awkward.

 

[kenburkholz]

Back in the early sixties Snap On offered several plastic and fiberglass handles with epoxy bonding kits for hammer handle replacement. They were a little fiddly to install, but I am still using them to this day with no problems. Ken.

 

[jjjrmx5]

Check with your local ACE hardware (if you have one close). Most seem to carry a decent stock of hickory replacement handles made by LINK handles made by Seymour Manf. Co, in Seymour, Indiana. I've used a bunch of these for rehandling hammers with great success. Have to still choose your grain orientation wisely, like Outlaw suggested, since Seymour makes no effort to orient the grain any certain way when the blanks go through their machines (and I was told that directly by the head of their plant).

I"m the same as Copilot.

My local Ace as well as the local mom and pop Do-It centers all buy Link hickory handles out of Seymour, IN. USA made.
Bought a case of 10-12oz handles back in the summer since they are hard to find that small. If I need anything though, they'll order it in for me.

LOL on the grain orientation. Makes sense.
Some are fine, others are like, WTF.

For roofing/framing hammers and 32oz ball peens, Sears keeps a nice assortment of C'man handles. None for anything small though.

 

[Marvin Hagen]

Lot of great information here.