Wooden handles, do you replace or buy a new tool?

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I needed an axe. My choice was to go to HF and buy a Fiber glass handled axe for 8.99 or a handle from Lowes. A 10 mile round trip or a 50 mile RT to Harbor Freight. I spent 10.50 for the wood handle. It aint hickry or ash. But it fit the head with out drama. Also bought a few wedge kits to tighten a hatchet and my maul.
 
I rarely use my axe, but the only fiber/plastic handled splitting maul worth getting IMO is a collins, with a pull through handle. I think it will be a near lifetime handle for me, given how little its been damaged in 10 years. I also have a fiskars splitting maul but its a bit light for the tough stuff, but if you've got straight grained 12" rounds it makes splitting easy.
 
If it's a nice tool I fix it. I try to stay away from pot metal junk but obviously you wouldn't fool with a new handle for such things.
 
I have a number of orphaned hammer heads. I don't put new handles on them because I can pick up a good complete hammer cheaper at estate sales.
 
Originally Posted By: andyd
I needed an axe. My choice was to go to HF and buy a Fiber glass handled axe for 8.99 or a handle from Lowes. A 10 mile round trip or a 50 mile RT to Harbor Freight. I spent 10.50 for the wood handle. It aint hickry or ash. But it fit the head with out drama. Also bought a few wedge kits to tighten a hatchet and my maul.

Sorry for an old timer suggestion:
was it customary for wooden handles to be set in water to make the wood "inflate"?
..this was of course after the wedge....
Also, did you had to threat/sand the surface of any handle to bring it to your desired finish?
 
Originally Posted By: Jeepwm69
Sad that nowadays you can buy a whole nother tool as cheaply as you can buy a new handle.


Amen to that! A real shame...
 
I've only done it once for a small sledge hammer, but for most of my other axes, I'll likely re-handle them when they break. I've been trying to buy higher quality stuff (that's more expensive), in hopes that it works better, so it would be well worth replacing. If it was a cheaper HF tool, I'd just buy a replacement.

Originally Posted By: pandus13
Originally Posted By: andyd
I needed an axe. My choice was to go to HF and buy a Fiber glass handled axe for 8.99 or a handle from Lowes. A 10 mile round trip or a 50 mile RT to Harbor Freight. I spent 10.50 for the wood handle. It aint hickry or ash. But it fit the head with out drama. Also bought a few wedge kits to tighten a hatchet and my maul.

Sorry for an old timer suggestion:
was it customary for wooden handles to be set in water to make the wood "inflate"?
..this was of course after the wedge....
Also, did you had to threat/sand the surface of any handle to bring it to your desired finish?


I think typically you'd use something like linseed oil since it'll dry out much more slowly than water.
 
I'm a re-handler. I'll buy one or make one from scratch. For final finish, use a scraper.

Don't soak a wooden handle, you'll crush the wood and it will loosen even more when it dries.

My question is why are you breaking handles ?
 
I do both.

I need a smaller sized oval head handle for a smaller pick I own....can't find one.

I also need a square stock headed handle for a maddok (peat blade) / small root axe combo. This one I think I have to make from a tree.

Is there a wooden handle source somewhere out there?
 
Yes, but look on eBay first
smile.gif


You can get hickory handles for most tool off eBay easy enough. Most of the volum suppliers can tell you where to get a specific dimension if needed for an old tool
smile.gif
 
[/quote]
Sorry for an old timer suggestion:
was it customary for wooden handles to be set in water to make the wood "inflate"?
..this was of course after the wedge....
Also, did you had to threat/sand the surface of any handle to bring it to your desired finish? [/quote]

I was advised to leave new handles to soak in rainwater, then seal the wood.
It seems to work, it took 30 years for my old faithful 2lb hammer handle to fail. No doubt linseed oil (which I lovingly applied to my cricket bats in my youth) or other proprietry treatment also have their merits.

But finding a new handle was a task to test the patience of Job....

Claud.
 
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