Hammer handle wedges

[hotponyshoes]

If you are buying an expensive handle then you can vacuum pack it in salt for a few weeks to really dry the wood out before fitting. That way when it gets back to atmospheric moisture levels it will expand and get even tighter.

 

[Parm]

View attachment 194783

Can get a better photo in the daylight if I remember.
I have a pretty decent flame coming out the front of the forge so I just hold it in that (moving around) until it starts burning then dunk in water then a fine wire brush and give it a scrub off.
If I was doing it for somebody else I would then rub over with a sponge sander but my hands are about 80grit anyway so I just get on and use it.

I burn heavier at the far end and nothing by the head as I hold it nearer the head for fine tapping and need more grip as I move further out to really wang it.
On a lump hammer I would do the whole thing.

Thanks very much, very handy tip indeed. I asked cause I’ve got a club hammer with a lacquered handle. It’s utterly useless if it gets wet. It will now be getting this treatment

 

[hotponyshoes]

You might want to get the laqure off first. It might just burn off but I can see it turning into a melted sticky mess that soaks into the wood under heat!

 

[Parm]

You might want to get the laqure off first. It might just burn off but I can see it turning into a melted sticky mess that soaks into the wood under heat!

Yep will do, I will be using a blow torch to do the deed, so lacquer will be coming off first with sand paper

 

[hotponyshoes]

If you don't want to do the whole thing then hold it head side down so the flames rise up and you can get the 'tapered' effect towards the head eaiser

Here is another way of doing it (not my work) cnc cut end on the handle after freeze drying the wood for a few months. Pressed in with some sort of ultrasonic poker.
If you zoom in you can just see a small cross pin but there is no adhesive or anything else and that's had pretty heavy use for 4-5 years now.

 

[Parm]

Is that machined metal that connects the handle and head?

 

[hotponyshoes]

Yea, that's a sleeve that the handle goes into.
The head is spring loaded against it which saves a surprising amount of shock going up your arm when battering stuff with it.

 

[hotponyshoes]

 

[Parm]

Nice, but way way too complicated for my basic needs.

Looks like a blacksmiths hammer, so good if you have to swing that all day

 

[hotponyshoes]

Yea i mostly use it for punching 8mm holes through 10-12mm thick steel so it helps keep my elbow in one piece.
I wouldn't bother with it for anything I wasnt using daily.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

My hammer is a smaller club head on a 2’ shaft

That sounds very singular

 

[outofthefire]

The wooden wedge is what holds the head on, the metal wedge is there to stop the wooden wedge coming back out. It's rare we do lump hammers with long hickory handles, but we do loads of 16" and 24" fibreglass. If you need a handle and wedges I can get a price if you want.