STOP! Hammer Time!

[mccutter]

I fixed a 4lb sledge hammer some bonehead broke on me busting apart an old wooden shelf. It seems he hit with the handle just below the head sending the head flying...

I considered a new Estwing at Lowe's for $20 but figured the time it would take me to go and buy one PLUS the fact I didn't need it right away, made me decide to fix my old hammer proudly stamped "CHINA" on it. There was a little sentimental value as well, seeings I've had it for over 30 years...

Knocked the old handle remnants out of the head making sure to recover the wedge, then cleaned the hole. Cut the handle at the break point. Took the handy dandy Makita sander and shaped the handle until it just barely fit and cut cross slots in the end with a hack saw. Then banged the head on the shortened handle, cut the excess handle off, then drove the wedge in with a punch. Finished by sanding the handle flush with the head and applying glue to the cross slots while holding the head in the upright position in a vise, allowing the glue to seep into the slots. Spent about 20min doing this but the hammer will be good for another 30 years!

[midmosandblasting]

I Like . I have one From Dieter Zimmerman . A good 5 kilo short sledge . The only thing is it don't swing straight always goes to the right . Gave it to me in 1980 when the Kieserling guys were done supporting new machines for two years .

[Tim KS]

It looks like you could break it two more times and still use the old handle for a fix......but you'll lose more momentum with a shorter handle on each fix. I guess then you can just throw the head where you want break things.

[TEK]

Originally Posted by Tim KS

I guess then you can just throw the head where you want break things. :

Haha, was this a GNAP reference?

[TEK]

My dad used to beat on the end of the handle to drive it into the head. I laughed, until I tried it myself..

It works pretty dang good. Just don't hit the wood off center. If I ever did I just sanded the smashed end clean and wrapped it with friction tape..


I would then drive the wedge in with a screwdriver and sand off the exposed wood until flush, then a 2part epoxy from the top, like you did..

I've also glued rake and hoe handles like that, I don't recall ever needing to do one twice...

[milomilo]

Looks good to go. Anyone here ever use the round wedges?

[slip knot]

I use round wedges all the time... nails.

I've had better luck tightening hammer handles using boiled linseed oil. I set the hammer head down in a small pan and let it soak a few days.

[midmosandblasting]

When I was a kid working for for a wood guy . He always soaked them in glycerin .

[NOBLNG]

Originally Posted by TEK

My dad used to beat on the end of the handle to drive it into the head. ... then a 2part epoxy from the top, like you did.

To drive the head on, I've always banged the butt end of the handle down on a good solid surface. The weight of the head will drive it on. I have never glued the wedges though. I will try that trick next time!

[terry lingle]

I install hammer heads by first fitting the handle side as accurately to the head as possible after sawing for the wedges then if I am using epoxy I coat the handle all over the contact area and into the saw cuts.
Then I drive the head on as nobling does. After checking /adjusting the head to handle alignment I drive a wooden wedge long ways into the handle again check alignment before the last few hits.
Then I drive two steel wedges across the handle line and trim the handle to length.Finally I use the rest of the epoxy to seal the end, stand the tool on the handle to aid gravity getting the epoxy into all the voids. I oil the handle below the head before I epoxy so any epoxy that escapes out the bottom onto the handle is easily removed.
I do several handles at one time for efficiency.