Hammer Handles

[DennisG]

I have been looking for articles covering the making of hammer handles but have found nothing specific. I am getting into making my own hammers and so want to make handles to go with. Yes For 5$ - 10$ I can buy one but thats not what I want to do anymore.

I see some members with made handles on their hammers. The handle seems flat on both sides with curves on top and bottom, straight handles. I hear that one side has a slightly different curve so that by feel you know what face you are working with. One handle is the type Brian uses.

So I need to know, what types of wood to use, how the handle is formed, dimensions for the rough and finished handle, finishes used on the handle, and any other info I can get. Links, picture (lots is best), vids on making are all good.

Thanks guys for the help.

[Francis Trez Cole]

first you can use any wood you have that is what Brian Brazeal said to me I use oak you can shape them with a draw knife or with a hoof rasp is what he used. The shape can be what ever feel comfortable with everyones hands are diffrent. I put a file mark on the handle so I know which side is the round face with my finger. The real question is how much time you want to spend on making handles. We have a store called big lots I keep an eye on them every now and then they have handles to $2.00 when they do I buy them up.

[MattBower]

I sized my hammer eye drift to match one specific type of commercial handle. I wanted to make the handles easy to replace. But I have made a few handles. I favor white ash and hickory as handle woods, and farrier's rasps and carbide burrs for roughing.

[ThomasPowers]

Hickory is the gold standard in the USA, Osage orange makes a pretty handle too.

Nut woods (Pecan and Hickory are so similar that they are lumped together in the wood trade)

In europe fruit woods like apple or crab apple were often used way back when.

You might look over what has been used for bow making as the qualities are often similar!

Traditionally handle making was a winter craft done while the fields were not needing any attention (and you could sit by a warm fire carving out handles to be used during the rest of the year---roughing them in as you would do the final fitting when you used it.)

Dennis if you are in Australia or South Africa you will have to ask those folks what local woods work well, have you thought of putting your general location in your profile so it's posted along with such location specific questions?

[rthibeau]

this link might help....
http://www.tennesseehickory.com/handles.shtml

[jimbob]

get a good spoke shave and a large vixen file to shape your handle your find both of them will give a lot smother cut than a draw knife and hoof rasp ...
here is a link for the vixen file http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SIMONDS-1-14-FLAT-VIXEN-FILE-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4cf6d4e061QQitemZ330558660705QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomotiveQ5fTools

[Bentiron1946]

Building a shaving horse will be beneficial too , http://www.greenwoodworking.com/ShavingHorsePlans , mine has been ate by termites and damaged beyond repair by dryness and neglect. Still a good one is an extremely handy tool to have in the shop for making tool handles.

[Marksnagel]

Dennis,

I haven't made my own hammers yet, but I have replaced many many hammer handles. I use what is readily available here in north east North Carolina. I believe that it has a wide area that it grows in in the US. We have oak, hickory and a plethera of other common hardwood trees but my favorite is what some of us call musclewood. It is also called ironwood, blue beech and hornbeam. The real name is Carpinus Caroliniana. They are plentiful where I live. It is a really hard wood. I like the way it holds up and the way it feels. It has a wierd shape to it that gives it a muscled look to it.
It works for me.

Mark<><

[bigfootnampa]

Dennis;
My method is to start with a log section cut a little long or even a little over twice as long as my finished handle lengths. I split it through the middle and split sections a bit oversize (I use a froe for the splitting). I then split off the pith part of the split sections and the sharp corners so that I have a roughed blank with the major waste split away. Then I clamp the wood in my shaving horse and rough taper and shape the handle with the drawknife. I will use a spokeshave to refine the tapers a bit and then work any knotty or curly grain areas with my surform tool (I use it like a drawfile). I will rough fit to the tool and then dry the handle followed by a little sanding to take off any fuzzy stuff and soften the ridges left by the other tools. Now I mount the tool and finish the handle (if a hammer I wedge with wood and then two metal cross wedges).

Working overlength wood leaves some room to hold on with the shaving horse and the double length plus pieces are used to make 2 handles each. Have FUN!!

[Borntoolate]

Ash is another choice for a handle material. Hickory is supposed to have some magical qualities that also help absorb impact and make it easy on the body and as stated before is the US standard.

As a woodworker initially I learned that using a bandsaw to rough out the shape is very beneficial if you are going to add any shape to the handle. Make the handle longer than needed and cut away the waste for whatever shape you want and leave the ends square in order rest on the band saw table nice and flat. If the table is big enough. If not you can tape the waste back on adn this helps keep a more or less square stock. THis is also how to make Cabriole legs which is not that difficult. This is also useful in that you could make several handles ahead of time and then fit the hammer head later on.


As mentioned before a spokeshave is both fun and a wonderful tool to learn in order to make a nice shape. On the other hand I watched Jerry just rasp out a shape pretty quick on a handle he did not like. I made several recently from Ash and am working to figure out what I like. Not sure yet but over time I will as I experiment. So, just try something and then try something else until you find your way.


In some ways I think what you make yourself will somehow naturally be what you like. Mostly. And if not tweak or toss it as an experiment and learning. We learn by doing and making mistakes. Mistakes are the road to success as long as our body parts remain intact. Over time this will just get better and better. This is a great combination of woodworking, blacksmithing, personal creativity and preverence. truly a chance to personalize. I love it.

[Fosterob]

Is cherry to soft for a handle?

[jimbob]

you can also turn a handle in a lathe if you have one... at the tail stock put another center mark 1/4" on each side of center then turn one side then the other after the center is turned

[DennisG]

WoW, you guys sure have some good ideas. Thanks!

I am gonna have to see how this is gonna work. I don't have a lathe or a shaving horse. I could get files and a draw knife. As for wood choices I have a wide variety to choose from as long as they are in stock and possibly available in 1 1/2" X 1 1/2" or 2X2 or even pieces I can cut down on my table saw.

Thomas, I made the change so that my location is not just in my profile, but is also shown here.

Fosterob, I wonder about cherry too, also rosewood.

if you are reading the thread and have ideas pass them along please. Thanks.

[jeremy k]

Dennis - For shaping an existing or made handle, I use my Ickler brand 2-1/2" belt sander with a 36 grit belt for rough shaping to my liking, then I switch to a 80 grit for final dressing. When that is done I turn/twist the handle in a leather gloved hand to remove wood fibers from grinding, oil/wax as desired, then put it to use. I seem to prefer a rectangular cross section with the corners heavily chamfered. Just my simple way - JK

Here's a link to some references on dimensions from users :

[bigfootnampa]

Cherry is a bit too soft and weak for hammer handles IMO. I wouldn't hesitate to use it for many other types of handles though. I agree that ash is very good and a bit lighter than hickory (not quite as strong though). I would advise you to avoid all the rosewood family of woods and especially cocobolo because of toxicity. They tend to cause allergic reactions and are not worth the risks IMO. A drawknife is THE most versatile and the swiftest tool (excepting the lathe) but you really need to make a shaving horse to realize the benefits of using the drawknife. IME it is not easy to buy a shaving horse, you have to make one. Working with firewood (greenwood) is far easier and more satisfying than working kiln dried wood... this is true for the lathe or the drawknife.

[bajajoaquin]

...As for wood choices I have a wide variety to choose from as long as they are in stock and possibly available in 1 1/2" X 1 1/2" or 2X2 or even pieces I can cut down on my table saw.

...

Any tree-trimmers in your area? If they are trimming any trees that meet the criteria, you may be able to get some branches from them.

[ThomasPowers]

Note that splitting out your handle blanks tend to make for stronger handles than sawing them out as you don't tend to get grain run out if they are split!

I generally buy seconds and watching for grain run out is the biggest issue with them. When I'm lucky I find ones with merely cosmetic damage---right where I will be modifying them for *my* use!

Thanks for the location!

For a really spiff handle: osage orange with a walnut wedge and pattern welded cross wedge!

[John NC]

I put photos of my latest handle HERE (Click for pics)

I used Black Locust that had been dead but standing for about a year. Black Locust is the only wood I know of that can stand dead and not rot. Guys even make archery bows out of standing dead Locust. Other good woods have already been mentioned. If you find a nice long log of Osage Orange with straight grain sell it to a bowyer for big bucks and go buy 20 Locust fence posts.

I use a saw to cut 18" logs, then split the logs into billets. As mentioned, it's important to follow the grain. Then I use a drawknife to get an oversized oval. A wood rasp and half-round file shape the curves, then I coarse sand with an RO sander. The head end has been clamped in the vise this whole time. Now I'll flip it around, cut it to length, and use the drawknife and rasp to shape the head end.

You can see in the pics that I like a flat right side, and a bulge in the palm area. You might like something completely different.

For a finish I just rub a little danish oil on it. I don't fine sand or use varnish because I don't want a glossy, slippery handle.

I used an epoxy intended to be used to set bolts in concrete, thinking it would stay flexible and not crack. As you can see from the pics it did neither. I'm going to try Liquid Nails next time.

[tagkver]

the only thing I can add is I cut green hickory in the spring while cutting fire wood I pick straght grained logs and split them like rails into quarters then wax the end grain and store it in my shop rafters next to the tin roof to cure. After about 6 months they are perfect for the shaving horse good luck

[Bentiron1946]

Almost any tree in the hickory family should make a good enough handle and that is a rather large family of trees and it close relatives the pecan, ash, butternut and walnut. The last two haven't been on my top list for hammer handles though. I have used maple and red oak for handles. I have tried mesquite but it ain't worth a hoot. I have used some other weird stuff like eucalyptus but it wasn't all that good either. Arizona Iron Wood was not all that good either, too brittle. If you see a tree trimmer cutting down a tree you don't know what it is just grab a chunk, it may not make good handles but it may make a pretty bowl or doodad. No use letting it go to the landfill or fireplace without giving it a shot at something pretty. :P

[gearhartironwerks]

I have been looking for articles covering the making of hammer handles but have found nothing specific. I am getting into making my own hammers and so want to make handles to go with. Yes For 5$ - 10$ I can buy one but thats not what I want to do anymore.

I see some members with made handles on their hammers. The handle seems flat on both sides with curves on top and bottom, straight handles. I hear that one side has a slightly different curve so that by feel you know what face you are working with. One handle is the type Brian uses.

So I need to know, what types of wood to use, how the handle is formed, dimensions for the rough and finished handle, finishes used on the handle, and any other info I can get. Links, picture (lots is best), vids on making are all good.

Thanks guys for the help.

I feel that if you make the hammer, you should make the handle. The handle is all makers preference...in general. If you make hammers to sell, you have to allow that every handle should be somewhat generic so that ea smith can modify the shaft to his/her hand.

I recently made a number of hammers that were offered for sale at a hammerin. Most were within the normal handle grip...whatever that is...ie, they fit my hand. However, two smiths approached me that had huge hands and needed larger handles. They didn't but my hammers. I could see why. So, my conclusion is that I should make the handles a little larger than what fits my smallish hand, and let the new owner sculpt their own beyond my basic shaping.

I have a good friend who is a nail bender and who makes a lot of decks here at the coast. I am gifted to get the rems. He uses "tiger wood", a tropical sub species of red oak. The oils in the wood make great hammer handles, and as he says that after a day of working with it, your hands feel soft.

Also, I use a wedge made of any hardwood and use a 2 part epoxy to glue the handle on...no metal wedge as that splits and destroys the handle. I have some friends who use "Sikaflex", a marine bonding agent to glue the handles on. I'm not convinced it is the best adhesive, but again, it's a personal preference.

John

[ThomasPowers]

"Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Goncalo Alves has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye and skin irritation."

I try to stay away from tropical hardwoods having know knifemakers that got sensitized to them doing handles. Of course I worked with a fellow who was sensitized to black walnut too, sand a piece 100 feet away in the shop building and his nose would start bleeding at the other end.