One of the wedges on my old lump hammer has come out. Before it came out completely I had a look and it seemed to be made of wood (this is an old Chinese(?) 1kg hammer that I've had for over 20 years, with two wedges at right-angles to each other). I could replace it, but sets of metal wedges - nearly all of which I'll never need - seem to cost nearly as much as a new hammer. Any ideas for a functional substitute?
Hammerhead wedges
Jun 17, 2018
18 Replies
Can you get the wedge back in and soak the head in PEG (anti-freeze)?
Not tried it myself, but I gather it soaks in, swells the wood, but unlike water, once swelled it doesn't shrink back as it dries ...
A new hammer
Araldite? grin. Brian
Unfortunately the next time I looked when the head had moved down the shaft a few mm the wedge had gone. I guess I could fashion a new one from a scrap piece of hardwood and try the antifreeze soak.
Why not spend a few minutes of money?
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Surely using a wooden wedge is the obvious solution. You don't need PEG if the wood is dried.
NT
If wood wedges worked for twenty years, it sounds like making some new ones will get a similar life extension out of it.
I mended a hammer by screwing a suitably fat screw into the wedge hole to splay out the wood.
I have a little old wood handled hammer where the handle has split badly ve ry close to the head. I can pare the handle down by hand or with a sander, but I'm not sure it would be accurate and thus a good tight fit. Is there a technique that can be recommended?
NT
A small piece of cast iron rainwater guttering was used as a substitute in the trade. If you can find a piece. I've even seen a small round headed nail knocked in the head of the shaft.
Epoxy?
I suppose I hadn't thought of break & glue. I may as well try that before recutting the wood. Cheers.
NT
Far be it from me to divert attention from a fixing job ... but may I recommend the odd car boot sale? You may not find wedges there, but you're almost certain to find whole stalls of ancient (therefore fantastic quality) tools - usually filthy, and usually being sold by someone who'd just like to go home a kilo or two lighter than when he came, and get a quid or two into the bargain.
John
great way to buy tools if you've got the time to spare
NT
That's why I said "the odd" .. I used to go to a local car boot regulary when I first retired. Then retirement started to bite, and I very rarely have that amount of time these days :-D
J.
That involves Getting Up. After 41 years of Getting Up, I don't do that any more.
Ah. But now you have the luxury of Not Going To Sleep At All.
As I did last night, due to a crisis involving a friend. Mind, I feel s*it now.
Not on your Nellie. I haven't done that since college days and I'm certainly not doing it now!
:o(
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