Hammer handle wedges

[123hotchef]

one for the ardvak maybe

My club hammer head came off today!
quick fix needed so a coule of screws fired in for now to finish the job.

But I want to fix it properly it is my favorite heavy hammer.

Can I just make some wedges up and tap them in?

 

[Brad93]

You’ll probably need a new handle.

 

[123hotchef]

You’ll probably need a new handle.

Nah, I think it needs a timber wedge tapped into it

 

[brightspark]

the proper ones are ironhttps://www.google.co.uk/search?source=hp&ei=y02SXe63LePBlwTktIfQDg&q=hammer+wedges+toolstation&oq=hammer+wedges&gs_l=psy-ab.1.1.0l6j0i22i30l4.3884.9243..12355...0.0..0.85.922.14....2..0....1..gws-wiz.....0..0i131.g98u1wbtPi4#spf=1569869272307 do the job proper

 

[TechnicAl]

I had a club hammer that shed its shaft......Id got another one from somewhere but it was about 2 feet long......I fixed them together with the intention of cutting down the shaft...but its handy....its really good for smashing stuff up....so ive left it and I got another club hammer from wickes sell off site

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I had a club hammer that shed its shaft......Id got another one from somewhere but it was about 2 feet long......I fixed them together with the intention of cutting down the shaft...but its handy....its really good for smashing stuff up....so ive left it and I got another club hammer from wickes sell off site

I have a long handled club hammer too. Very handy when a sledge hammer is too unwieldy.

 

[Seadog]

I have a long handled club hammer too.

I collected one of those this evening, together with a 12lb sledge and a new pickaxe.

 

[hotponyshoes]

If you were fitting a new handle you would have a slot in the handle to allow it to close up a little when you drive it into the head. Normally along the longest direction.
You then fill that slot with a timber wedge to get the handle grain back parallel then drive a metal wedge into the lot at an angle to the timber one

Proper metal wedges have teeth to stop them coming back out again but anything that's tapered will do in a pinch.
I have seen hundreds of hammers with horseshoe nails driven into them.
Screws tend to work better if you use a few and don't go in to far so they are only widening the handle at the end of the shaft.
With nails/screws/wedges I would normally only go in a maximum of 1/3 the depth of the hammer head then cut the excess off/flap disc over.
A decent hammer will have a taper on the outer 1/3 or so of the head to let the handle expand back out again.

 

[Parm]

A bodge will get you out of a spot of bother when needs must. But in the long run it really should be done properly. It’s not pretty when they go wrong

 

[optima21]

last wedges I used were clothes pegs in a planishing hamer

 

[123hotchef]

last wedges I used were clothes pegs in a planishing hamer

I like the cloths peg idea!

It looks like the wooden wedge is missing but the metal one is still in there

 

[Spark plug]

While we are on the subject, can anyone recommend a good supplier for hammer handles that are comfortable to use. I have a number of nice old hammer heads that need new shafts, but find a lot of the modern offerings just don’t feel right in the hand, or are made from over sized Swan Vesta’s.

 

[Parm]

While we are on the subject, can anyone recommend a good supplier for hammer handles that are comfortable to use. I have a number of nice old hammer heads that need new shafts, but find a lot of the modern offerings just don’t feel right in the hand, or are made from over sized Swan Vesta’s.

It’s the same shop that sells

Four candles

 

[hotponyshoes]

Find one that's two big then flap disc it down until it fits your hand properly.
I like to burn mine then wire brush it off to open the grain and give a bit of extra grip in the wet

 

[stuvy]

My hammer is a smaller club head on a 2’ shaft was only a £10 from wickes and is great for one handed or double handed wrecking

 

[Parm]

Find one that's two big then flap disc it down until it fits your hand properly.
I like to burn mine then wire brush it off to open the grain and give a bit of extra grip in the wet

Have you got a pic you can post?

I like that idea and wouldn’t mind seeing how far it needs to be burnt and wire brushed

 

[brightspark]

Have you got a pic you can post?

I like that idea and wouldn’t mind seeing how far it needs to be burnt and wire brushed

sandblasting wood does the same thing .takes out the soft grain

 

[Parm]

sandblasting wood does the same thing .takes out the soft grain

One small problem with that, I don’t have a sand blaster

 

[Migmac]

Put a new handle on it, at least you’ll know it’s good. Easy job. Get a handle that’s thicker than the hole through the hammer head. Use a rasp to get it down to a size that is a good fit, tight but not to tight. Make it so you have about quarter of an inch extra sticking out the end of the hammer head. Before you fit the handle cut a slot in it for the wooden wedge. Some folk oil the bit of the handle that’s going through the hammer head. Helps protect it. Drive the handle through by hitting the end furthest from the head. If shavings come off it’s a good fit. Drive the wooden wedge in with hammer, a big enough one that allows you to hit all the wedge. Once the edge is in, cut the excess off. It doesn’t have to be flush with the head, a wee bit sticking out is good. Put the step wedge in at right angles to the wooden wedge or at a slight angle.

 

[hotponyshoes]

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.