Wooden handles are the most preferred ones among people as compared to metal and fiberglass due to the fact that they are lightweight, transmit less vibration, and are comfortable to use.
However, with regular use, wooden handles do form cracks and the hammer head becomes loose with time and you do not want a random hammer head flung at his or her head.
It does not make sense to throw an otherwise good hammer just because of broken handles. So, it becomes important you replace your handle on time to make working with a hammer safe.
There are many methods and ways to replace a hammer handle. Everyone has their own techniques. But today in this article, we will be discussing the method I follow.
Steps To Replace A Wooden Hammer Handle
Step 1: Get the necessary tools
- New handle
- Bench Vise
- Hacksaw
- Hammer eye drift
- Another hammer
- Wooden shims
- Metal wedges
- Sealing oil
Step 2: Fix the hammer to the bench vice
Fix the hammer tightly to the bench vice. This will properly secure the hammer and allow you to work with your tools efficiently and safely.
Step 3: Saw off the old handle
There are many people who remove the handle without the need to saw. You could also follow this method. But sawing the wood makes it easier to remove it from the head.
Step 4: Remove the stub from the head
Use a hammer eye drift to knock out the stub of wood from the head. If you don’t have a hammer eye drift, you can also use a punch.
Step 5: Insert the new handle
You can buy a hammer handle from the store or purchase it online. But make sure to check whether the handle is sized for the hammer eye. An improper-sized handle will not give a proper fit.
Step 6: Strike the butt end of the wood
Keep your hammer upside down and start hammering the butt end of the wood. The handle is accelerated downwards because of inertia.
Keep striking the wood until the wood is projected out of the eye and is tight enough such that not even an inch can be inserted into the eye.
Step 7: Cut off the projected wood
Step 8: Hammer wooden shims
Chop off thin wooden shims according to the gaps in the eye. Insert the wooden shims in the gaps and then hammer it until it doesn’t gets any down further.
Once you are down, use a hacksaw to trim off the excess wood protruding out.
Step 9: Insert one metal wedge
Take a metal wedge and hit it down gently at an angle so as to lock the wooden wedges altogether.
Step 10: Provide a water seal
After so much effort, you would never want your hammer handle to get into contact with water and get damaged. Therefore, in order to increase the life of the wood, it is important to provide a water seal.
You can do this by soaking the wood in linseed oil overnight. Make sure your hammer is completely submerged. After a day, allow the oil to dry completely before using it.