Changing Hammer Handles?

[TomN]

Hi All,

I recently got a load of hammers and hammer heads that are rusted.
I'm looking to clean the rust off and put new handles on all of them. I've already got some handles and some metal wedges.

Just looking for some general tips really.

I found an article on it online, but it had tiny pictures and couldn't get them any bigger. If anyone can point me in the direction of a good one, i'd be grateful.
Cheers.

[Mr Smith]

It'd all depend on what you have available...
Firstly the rust.....If I assume you have the bare minimum, then personally, I'd remove all the rust with a wire brush or failing that, any stiff brush, like a scrubbing brush.
Next up I'd chuck it in a container of vinegar to clean off the remaining rust. Let it soak, and then clean it up with some steel wool.
Either that or a wire wheel fitted to a bench grinder. Unless it's *huge* rust, don't stress too much. some fine rust is okay. Big flakes are not.

Fitting a handle is a story in itself, and I'm sure there'll be a flurry of posts in short order. :)

[Dodge]

This would make a great BP but I don't have any pictures and I don't need to re-handle any hammers right now, but the way I was taught was to sand or file the handle to fit the hammer head so it starts in the eye snugly. If you turn it over handle up and the head falls off, repeat process with new handle and don't file as much. If it stays on, using another hammer strike the bottom of the handle repeatedly. This will draw the head up onto the handle. Continue, removing small curls of wood as they peel with a file. If they are large chunks, you have it too tight and need to knock off the head and smooth the handle down to remove just enough to prevent splintering. You will be able to see, by now, by the marks left by the eye, how much to remove. Some people drive the handle down, handle first, on a hard surface like the anvil or work bench; your call. Repeat this process until the head is drawn tight against the swell on the handle.

At this point, some folks saw the stick-out of handle off flush with the top of the head, some leave about an 1/8" - 1/4". (More on that later) Take a wooden wedge, and work it into the split. (Often I use a knife to define the split because it is usually too closed to just insert the wedge). Using a smaller hammer than you are handling and drive the wedge as carefully and deeply as possible into the split. It will eventually splinter and mushroom, but if it doesn't the handle may be too loose. If you simply can't get ti started or it splinters and breaks of right away, you may not need it or the handle is too tight and may need to be removed and a little material removed so the wedge can start. (Its a judgement call that comes with experience). After driving in the wedge, grind or file the top of the handle and wedge smooth. Finally, drive the steel wedge in perpendicular to the wooden wedge with the same small hammer you used for the wedge.

The reason for leaving an 1/8" - 1/4" stick out, as was explained to me by Jr Strasil (irnsrgn) is that this will eventually mushroom a bit and then, even if the steel wedge comes out, the handle will not fly off in use. Of course you don't continue to use it this way but its simply a safety measure to protect bystanders or yourself from a flying and/or ricocheting hammer head.

The reason for using a smaller hammer to drive in the wedge is so that the shock won't begin to draw the head up and loose as easily as using a larger hammer (unless you are skilled enough to drive the wedges in with one blow )

These methods have worked for me for the last 20 or so years, and so far, the only hammers I have that are loose are so from shrinkage and a soak in the slack tub usually fixes that. I have heard that soaking in linseed or other light oil prevents the shrinkage too but I have neglected to try it.

Hope this helps and I'm sure others will chime in to support or oppose my methods

Scott

[ThomasPowers]

Just to add that I like to use a farrier's rasp to do the "filing"; generally the smooth side unless I need to do a lot of removal---I've some oddball hammer eyes in my "collection"

Ex-hammer handles that can't be cut down for a smaller hammer make good firewood for blacksmithing events (unless you've soaked them in oil or diesel!)

[TomN]

Thanks a lot guys.
I'm looking to do this over the weekend, if I get time. Got some welding and things to get out of the way first though!
Lots to do to get set up.

I will try and put up some pictures if I can, of this process and maybe it can be made into an article for future reference for others?

[jimmy seale]

here is something i learned years ago..shave the wooden wedge down so it will fit through the eye,then start it in the slit,get the head started on and bounce the handle on the floor till the hammer bounces.it will only take one time of doing it this way to know what i mean,any way,the wood wedge will already be started so drive it in,trim it off and set steel wedge at 45 degrees from the other one and drive it in and tada your done.this way you don't have to cut the slit to wedge it..let us know how it goes or if i can make the instructions more complicated i'll try

[TomN]

My hammer handles don't have a split in the top and I don't have any wooden wedges, just metal ones.
Do I need to make a split myself and get some wooden wedges, or can I middle through with just the metal ones?

[jimmy seale]

well i never seen a handle with out a slit but, if it fits tight and the eye has a hour glass shape to it.. go for it just check i time to time and make sure the wedge stays put

[ThomasPowers]

A hacksaw will make a nice slot if you want one. I get a lot of handles without slots and generally slot them.

I also like to make the wooden wedges from odd bits of wood left over from knife handle making---pretty colours and harder and stronger than most the wedges sold for that purpose. I sometimes make the metal wedges from pattern welded scraps as well..

One last tip: I live where it's exceptionally dry (we have not had 4" of precipitation *total* this year to date!)

I like to let hammer handles dry out a year before using them, (as I buy #2's ahead of time this is not a problem), then after setting the head and driving the wedges I set them on end (head down) in a small tray of raw linseed oil about 1/2" deep and leave them for a week or so until the oil wicks up through the head and can be seen above he hammer/head transition. This helps deal with shrinkage due to humidity swings.

[John B]

My hammer handles don't have a split in the top and I don't have any wooden wedges, just metal ones. Do I need to make a split myself and get some wooden wedges, or can I middle through with just the metal ones?

Hi Tom, Did you not pick up an information sheet when you were on the toolmaking course? It covered handle fitting. copy of text here

Select correct size handle for eye and saw a cut for the wedge to be fitted to approximately halfway down to where the curve on the business end starts.

Place the handle into the eye ensuring it is in the correct side, place the assembly over a suitable bolster or swage block, and using a wooden block and hammer or fibre/leather hammer or wooden mallet, drive in the handle until it is solid, but not over the shoulder on the handle.

Cut off the excess amount of handle protruding through the head

Cut a suitable wedge from some hard wood, and drive this wedge into the sawcut until solid and the eye is "full" (Glue can be applied to the wedge prior to insertion if required)

Using a steel wedge of suitable size with ‘ragged’ edges drive this in across the wooden wedge you have just inserted

Check the head is attached solidly with no movement, and if needed finish dress any messy areas

You can always carve/sand the handle to give you the most comfortable grip, and always check the tool’s head for security

[TomN]

Ah yes, I did get the sheet from the course John. But thank you for reproducing it for me.

I'm up in the mornings trying to get things done before work and am slowly making progress in all my little projects. Learnt how to weld and use an angle grinder. Steep learning curve, especially with the welding. All good practice though.

I'll post up some images as I go with this!

[Dodge]

Jimmy,
Neat idea with the pre-started wedge!! BTW, I bought a bunch of handles recently at a salvage/rummage and over stock store. None had the slot. But they didn't come with wedges either. Wood or steel ;)

[ThomasPowers]

Hammer handles and wedges are "consumables" for blacksmiths and so should be picked up whenever you can find good ones cheap---I picked up 21 steel wedges at Quad-State which should hold me for a couple of years. Unfortunately my "regular" source of handles was out when I cruised through AR on my way to OH; but I still have a couple of dozen nicely dried to NM standards. (I did find a few of the "Christmas tree" wedges there though...)

[rthibeau]

Old hammer handles of hickory make good wedges, just have to band saw them to size and shape or split them off if you're good at that sort of thing. Metal wedges can be made from any steel....forge them out to size and cut off from the bar.

[peacock]

Never soak a handle in water. It will swell the wood but it will also dry out and be worse than before.
Soak them in ethylene glycol (antifreeze will work). You will only have to do it one time. Just soak the head not the whole handle.

[ThomasPowers]

Warning that a tray of ethylene glycol can attract animals including pets and result in their agonizing death---one of the reasons I go for linseed oil instead.

[pkrankow]

If the head is shaving a curl off as it goes in the inside edge is too sharp, clean it up and round it slightly. The sharp edge will weaken the hammer handle at the head and encourage it to break.

If you have a slot but no softwood wedge, cut one out of stud lumber, choose a tight straight grained section and cut a narrow wedge, leave the skinny end the thickness of the cut in the handle, and the fat end about 1/4 to 3/8 inch wide, and 2 inches long.

The handle has to fit very well if there is not softwood wedge and only steel wedges.

Round safety wedges are a pain, but can be reused. After sawing the handle off, drill the wood out of the center of the safety wedge. Then drive the cut remains of the handle up and out of the head with a large drift (1/2 inch round stock works good.) now you can split the safety wedge out of the old handle and not have to worry about trying to clamp a hard round object to drive or drill the plug out of the center. Be careful not to mash the cutting edge of the safety wedge, or crush its circular shape. Deformed safety wedges will split the handle end when installed.

A good handle that is sawn off can be re-used. Use a spoke shave or draw knife to fit the end of the hammer handle to the cleaned eye. Mark back the height of the head plus a little (3/8 inch or so) then carefully extend the shape back to the mark, then blend the shape to the rest of the handle. Use a saw to cut a slot for the softwood wedge so it will be just past the center of the hourglass shape in the eye. The loss of a couple inches is often not an issue as hammer handles are often "choked-up" on.

I prefer using 2 regular metal wedges 45 degrees to the softwood wedge over a safety wedge.

Phil

[Pat Roy]

On my first handle job I wittled and filed to get the perfect fit; it took a while. More recently I have developed the fine art of shaping my handles using the bench grinder for the job. I guess I'm lazy and I like the scent of burnt wood, but it is quick and effective.

[TomN]

Tonight I hope to get the first stage of the cleaning up of the heads done. Going to give them a quick wire brushing then leave them to soak overnight in some cheap cola. Got 4 litres of it from Sainsburys for 40p.

Once thats done, its back to grinding and welding my tool rack. Last night I got the first section completed and dropped 3 hammers in there and it worked nicely.
I might make some wooden wedges out of one of the hammer handles that I cut off of a broken hammer.

[Francis Trez Cole]

an other point if the eye has rust in it sand with emery cloth. I glue the wedge in the handle with a water proof wood glue. after its dry I saw it flush and drive the wedge in the opposite direction of the wedge 90 degree

[Old N Rusty]

I used to whittle, and fit, and plane with a bit of broken glass, and got as perfect a fit as I could. Then wedge the hammer very carefully, as described above, Big waste of time . Now I use my 4" grinder with an aggressive grit sanding flap wheel,while positioning myself so a box fan blows the dust outside . I quickly get a fit on the stick. For a wedge I now use a 3/4" long piece of 3/8" steel pipe which I sharpened the end on the bench grinder before cutting it. This piece of pipe driven in the end holds much better than a flat wedge. If after much use I feel a hammerhead loose I drive a nail or screw into the wood outside of the pipe ring. I especially like seasoned pecan wood best and will use hickory also.

[TomN]

Thanks for the further information guys.
I took a photo of the rusty hammer heads tonight and dropped them in a bucket full of 4 litres of cheap cola. Cost me a total of 40p.

Unfortunately I left my wire brush somewhere else (where i'm putting my workshop together), so won't be able to brush them down till the weekend. Might take a photo tomorrow morning to see how the cola does on its own.

[Frank Turley]

Years ago, a student told me about an old smith from Astoria, Oregon, who drove his handles on under water, so we gave it a try. We pretty much followed Dodge's prep ideas. The haft was filed or shaved down till we got a snug fit for at least 1/4 of the way into the eye. Then we put the assembly into a bucket of water, the head downward at an angle, facing and near the botton seam of the bucket. Two or more hammer raps on the butt of the haft shoots it through the eye. I know; lol. But try it. Last year, I got an apprentice/helper/friend, Daniel, who had worked in Germany for five years and in Texas for 12 years. When he saw me prepare to do the underwater method a few months ago, he said, "Hey, that's just the way we did it in Germany!"

It beats me what is involved with the underwater idea. It could be some physics principles that I'm unaware of. The water might act as a bucker and/or a lubricant.

But there's more. The Astoria smith also shaved his hafts with a piece of glass after rasping, filing, or sanding. A sandpaper finish was not desirable as I understand it, because tiny grits are left, even with fine sandpaper. I'm sure one could use a steel scraper (the kind with a wire edge) instead of glass.

It the haft is newly bought, it is covered usually with some kind of enamel or varnish. This should be removed and WILL be removed if you shape the haft to your liking. I rub a 1/2 boiled linseed oil, 1/2 turpentine mixture into the entire haft, letting the butt and tip soak for a while BEFORE driving it into the hammer head.

I make A36 wedges out of 3/16" x 1/2", one heat. If you work quickly enough, you can hardie cut about 2/3 in and quench at a red heat. The wedge will harden enough to snap off and will drive straight without bending. If you like the serrations like store bought wedges, hammer the sides over a "sharp" anvil edge or stake edge.

An old rabbinical saying.
"Much I have learned from my teachers. More I have learned from my colleagues. But most I have learned from my students!"

[HWooldridge]

I fit mine using a belt grinder (and a fresh belt). Just before the final fitting, I slather it with "Household GOOP", seat the head and drive all wedges after also painting them with GOOP. It is important to leave 3/16" or so sticking out the top because it helps the glue stay solid. Heads set this way will go a long time without loosening - although I'm not sure how long because I have several that are still tight after about 15 years or so.

I sand my handles into an octagon cross section but that's one of my weird little habits; I have no reason to recommend it apart from personal comfort. I have the bad habit of placing my thumb on top of the handle when I hammer and that shape helps me with control.

[TomN]

As promised guys, here is an image of my hammer heads and paraphernalia, before I put them in the bucket of coke.



I will post up another picture later of them, after I have had a good go at them with a wire brush.