Talking of Hammers and Handle grips

[billp]

Has anyone ever tried wrapping the handle of your hammers with leather to help improve your grip.
I find as I have gotten older and have done a little less work with my hands I have lost some of my hand strength. Now that I have taken up blacksmithing I do fair and hope to get stronger as I do more but my friend Aurthur who now lives in my hands and most joints does not help much ether. So, I though of wrapping leather on the handles of my hammers to help me and make the handles a bit more gripible (if that is a word) and help keep the movement of the hammer in my hand down as much.
Just curious if anyone has ever done this before and if it helped or just cause more problems?
Any thoughts?
Bill P.

[jimbob]

try some Blue Emu oil on your hands before and after you work...your friend(?) Aurthur I'm sure would rather you didn't!

[Alwin]

I like my handles smooth so they can move in my hand easily. I don't do it the same way, but look at some of the Hofi blueprints on hammering for another perspective. You learn to control the bounce of the hammer and guide it with a loose grip and fluid motion of elbow and shoulder-and wrist in Hofi's method. Beware of feeling that you need to grip the handle tightly and forcefully control its movements, the vibration you absorb from that can quickly damage you.

[Pault17]

PIcture in your mind a sweat-soaked leather handle of a three pound hammer as you accidentally loosen you grip on the down-swing:o

[billp]

Alwin you make good sense something I never though of I'll try the looser grip which may be the answer to all my problems with fatigue in my hands. I'll try the oil as well jimbob if nothing else it may help with my fingers splitting open from dryness.

As for Aurthur that's just a nick name for arthritis. When I was working in the medical field we would come up with little names like that for different things. Sometimes not realizing everyone understands what we're saying but then again sometimes that was the idea too.
I just didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea about who or what Aurthur is.

Gotya Pault17

Bill P

Edited March 30, 2009 by billp

[nett]

Study Uri Hofi's hammer techniques, they have merit. In short, he promotes a way of grasping, raising, and striking with the hammer that will reduce injury to your body.

BP1001 Hofi Hammer Technique | Blueprints 1000
BP1002 Hofi Hammer Technique | Blueprints 1000

[element]

BP1012 Making Hammer Handles | Blueprints 1000

Im thinking your handle(s) are to small. Maybe making your own like hofi does may help you. They are tapered so they wedge in your hand so to speak.

[jimbob]

just got the mail today, in it was the Hammers Blow from ABANA. On page 5 under shop tips...Cushioned Hammer Handles by James DeMartis he is using "Tennis Racquet's Grip"
he says it improves the handle by reducing shock,asorbing sweat from your hands and improving grip.he also says the tape last a long time...might give it a try see if it helps you out!

[Brian C.]

Just to add to this topic. I am recovering from last fridays surgery to repair a tendon in my elbow that was torn over 1/2 in two. I was forging when I did it, nothing I had not done hundreds of times before.

I am going to study the Hofi methods carefully while recuperating.

[Ramsberg]

I use twine.

Steel handle, used to have leather rings on it, brazed onto a three pound or so head.

Steel handle shaped like a thin and tall I beem.

Twine wraped around it until it felt comfortable in my hand, using a LOOSE, thumb on side fingers curled around side of hammer.

The twine wrap is VERY inexpensive, lasts a long time, absorbs "hand water" and becomes mildly loose so that it can shift in the hand.

It produces less shock in the hand and elbow then a wooden handle of the same weight.

The hammer is flopping all around throught the stroke, but that doesn't matter, once you become comfortable with it, it is great.

For me a loose grip. lighter hammer and a rapid swing with a snap of the wrist just before impact, almost let go of hammer just before impact, let it fly back up.

I developed this technique from striking/boxing jabs and adapted it to blacksmithing, then, as with almost everything that a young man does, found out that I was beaten to the punch so to speak.

Caleb Ramsby

[divermike]

I just got my edition of hammers blow, and one of our own has a good article about hammers in it. Also someone else suggested a tennis racquet tape for the handle, I may try that as my hands are always sweaty. Anyway, hats off to the Brazeals for their article.,

[Woodeye]

I have a couple favorite hammers that I like to rotate during a session so my hammer hand muscles get a bit of variation. For me the worst thing to do is hammer with a glove on - I forget to take it off sometimes after doing something else that needed two gloved hands and have found that the unconscious extra grip strength that is needed to overcome the slip of the glove fatigues my hand and forearm muscles like right now

[ThomasPowers]

I like to start with a light hammer and warm up---usually do a small project while the forge is coming up to full heat; then I switch to a heavier hammer to do some major work on a larger project and as the day wanes switch back to a lighter hammer to finish up the project or do another trinket for the sales table.

[saintjohnbarleycorn]

The thing I found out is it is easy to hurt yourself. No matter what you are doing. When you are young you get a lot more leeway and also heal faster. I find that it is important to focus on what you are doing, after time it probably come natural, but if you don't have a lot of time on the hammer, you mind will wander a bit and that is where the trouble comes in. Also trying to do more than you should or longer. Work your way up to it, and what everyone else said here also. kevin

[billp]

Will after all the great advice and very numerous opinions I have decided the leather is off BUT!! After looking at Uri Hofi's style and grip I'm starting to think about redoing the handles on some of my generic hardware store hammers. As I find like my baseball bat I tend to choke up on the handle. Hofi's grip really does make since as, like I have stated before, with age and less use in the past I have lost hand strength. But with the Hofi grip I find it easier and helpful as I rebuild strength.
So thanks again for all the input.
Bill P

[Sweany]

I burn the handles in the forge a bit and then scub em with a wire brush.
this opens up the grain and makes the hammer handle more grippy.
I learned that from Bill Epps.

I like a medium length handle and flat on the sides, like a Hoffi handle, I flatten my handles that are round also.

I read a rule of thumb for hammer hadles once somewhere.

with the hammer head lying in your head the end of the handle should touch the inside of the elbow.

I don't like em quite that long, mainly due to my eyesight. :)

[Frosty]

with the hammer head lying in your head the end of the handle should touch the inside of the elbow.

With the hammer head laying in your HEAD you might as well just lay there quietly, grip doesn't matter anymore.

However it might've prevented the above situation.

Frosty

[billp]

Now you see Frosty, I wasn't going to say anything cause at some point or time I'll do the same thing but, I understood what you meant Sweany.

Bill P