I need a new wooden handle for my cross-peen hammer (Whitehouse;
England; #403). The original handle broke after about 20 years of
moderate use. It was oval and about 10 inches long. I did a modest
catalog search, but came up with nothing. Would it be simpler to ask
a wood-working friend to make me a new handle?
Also, I am having a really hard time getting the wood residue out of
the head – I have chiseled, pokered, scraped, and drilled it, and
soaked it in warm water. What else might help?
You could remove the wood residue by burning it out. keep the
temperature below 560c and you wont alter the tempering. As for a
new handle, hickory is the best wood, you should be able to get
someone to turn you one up without any problems.
Common industrial practice is to burn out any residue. Just use a
small torch and try not to over heat the hammer head. Hammer heads
are usually forged and can handle some heat without any ill effects.
You could remove the wood residue by burning it out. keep the
temperature below 560c and you wont alter the tempering. As for a
new handle, hickory is the best wood, you should be able to get
someone to turn you one up without any problems.
Just to add to this;
Get few thin strips of hickory sawn lengthwise and laminate them
under pressure using high quality wood glue. Turn your handle out of
this stock. It should last very long time and recoil control would
also be much better.
Many thanks to those who made suggestions regarding my getting the
wood residue from my broken hammer handle out of the hammer head. I
was surprised to think of burning it out as a viable option
(actually, I finally was able to weasel out the residue without
burning, but it took a long time, much effort, and several tools).
Since I use some second-hand hammers, my problem usually is getting
the handles to stay in the head, not getting them to come out!
very easy to keep the head in the wooden handle. place a nail with
gnurled sides and just hit ‘that’ nail in the head! it will
eventually SPREAD the wood as it is being displaced and you won’t
have any more problems…if and when it does, and might get loose
again…just hit the handle (where you hold it) on the floor and the
following momentum will drive ‘that’ nail deeper into the metal head
just enough to make it TIGHT!..I suggest to hit the handle on a
sturdy floor…not your bench top!..
Try using Chair-Loc on the end of the hammer handle where it exits
the top of the hammer head. This liquid is used to tighten joints in
wooden chairs and it works miracles with hammer handles…
You only need to use a drop at the most as it will cause the wood of
the handle to swell, thereby anchoring the handling in the head. If
you use too much, you might run the risk of splitting the head with
the pressure, so I’ve been told.
After you add the drop of Chair-Loc to the end of the handle, hold
your hammer vertically with the ‘grip’ end resting on your benchtop
and the hammer head ‘up’. Bang the ‘grip’ end of the handle on the
benchtop, giving it a solid thump. This shifts the hammer head down
a little and anchors it more firmly on the handle. Let the hammer sit
for an hour before using (even more time might be better, but I know
you’ll want to be using the hammer). This will secure the head for
long use and the process can be repeated when the handle dries out
in the future (it’s wood, so it will shrink and swell again and
again).
Just ‘google’ Chair-Loc and lots of suppliers will show up. Your
local hardware store might also carry it. Pretty common item.