Proper way to affix 6 pound sledge to hickory handle (metal & wood wedge in slot)?

[Jim Elbrecht]

Long term they are cheaper than wood. But they *are* heavier-- and just don't have the 'feel' of wood. I've gotten used to them, but I don't swing them every day like I used to.

If you found a hickory handle that was any good- you're a better man than I am. The last *good* hickory handle I bought was from an old German guy who made them in 1975. I've had store bought ones split on the first day out.

The ones I got fit fairly loosely and then you poured epoxy around them. I've got a 6?lb hammer, a 12-15 pound sledge and a felling axe that haven't budged in 20 years or so-- and though I don't use them so much anymore, the first 10 years were pretty regular-- and they've all had the bejeezus abused out of them.

Jim

[jw]

If you cant get the head off the handle, buy a metal wedge almost the full width of that slot, and drive the metal wedge in where the saw cut is. You wont be able to use the small metal wedge that came with it. But I've done it this way and it worked well.

[Harry K]

Lot more messy as you have to epoxy them in IIANM. Never used one myself. I prefer the 'spring' in wood handles.

Harry K

[Harry K]

hold the sledge in midair, head down. Heavy hammer and alternating blows side to side on the sledge head. Ignore all the "don't hammer on hardened heads". It is 90% BS and 10% wishful thinking.

Harry K

[Harry K]

I missed that. You say the handle fits. DO NOT SKINNY DOWN THE HANDLE. It will be forever loose if you do. Start the wood wedge in before insertin the handle in the sledge head. Yes, it works fine in my over 30 years experience do it. It doesn't take much just far enought that it doesn't fall out while inserting handle.

Harry K

[Larry Fishel]

He started by saying the handle fit fine, but his description of how he gorilla'd it on suggests otherwise...

[Harry K]

A well fitting handle does need to be driven in. I fit them by shaving down with broken glass. Takes off a few thousandths at a time, trial fit (drive until it won't go) , remove head, shave a bit at the marking, repeat until it goes all the way, If you can slip the handle on without hammering or tapping the handle on something solid it is too loose.

Harry K

[arkland]

Why?

I'm guessing they last longer than the wood hickory handles do?

Is that the reason?

Or that the head stays on longer?

[arkland]

I see that was my main mistake.

I didn't know to put the wood wedge in BEFORE inserting the handle into the maul.

And, I couldn't tell which way the maul was up versus down (if there is a difference, I didn't see it).

So, I guess, my inexperience killed me. It didn't help that there were no instructions.

My mistake for not asking BEFORE doing.

[arkland]

Hmmm... maybe I misunderstood.

When I put the handle in the maul hole, it was 'perfect'.

That meant it was EXACTLY the same size.

So, I held the maul handle down over a concrete curb and banged down on the handle.

The maul head easily slid down about, oh, an inch or more.

Then I banged harder on the concrete; the maul slid further; but there was about, oh, say a half inch left between the top of the maul and the top of the handle.

When I finally banged pretty darn hard, the top of the handle came flush.

At that point, I stopped banging. It was clear to me that if I banged the handle down further the maul head would slip down further (there is still an inch or so of handle taper left below the maul, which seems like a weak point to me).

By that (more detailed) description, would you say that the maul fit or didn't fit the handle?

[Jim Elbrecht]

Both. They take 100 times the abuse that a wood handle will-- and leaving it out in the weather won't affect them. The head will rust off before the plastic complains.

And the heads are epoxied in so they are permanent. If you managed to break one, or cut it up with your chainsaw, or something, the only way you'll remove the rest of the handle is with a torch.

But don't run out and buy plastic for all your weapons. Try one-- I can live with its *very* different feel, but I can see where some folks don't like them.

All my shovels, axes, heavy hammers and sledges now have plastic. [one of the plastic shovel handles is on its 3rd shovel and I'm looking for another broken handled shovel at a garage sale]

Jim

[Harry K]

Those rubber donut "handly savers" do work. I used them for the first time a few years ago. This year I had to reset both the sledge and maul handle due to looseness. Handles were still fairly pristine and solid. I shaved the handles a bit so they would go in further, wedges driven and excess cut off. First time ever had a handle survive long enough to be re-fitted.

Harry K

[Harry K]

Well you are learnign faster than _I_ did. I figured all that out on my own. No 'puters, internet, etc. back in the dark ages. :)

Harry K

[aemeijers]

I'll second that. My mother and grandmother could simply not be convinced to put their wood-handled tools away after playing in the garden. Being the dutiful son/grandson, I was always the one who got tapped to turn the garden beds in the spring. (What's a roto-tiller?). After about the third time of having the damn shovel handle snap on me, the lightbulb went off, and I bought them new shovels with fiberglas handles.

All my old man's nagging got to me. Even now, living alone, I can't bear to NOT rinse the shovels and metal-ended tools off before I put them away in the shed.