Making and fitting your own tool handles.

[formariz 11,988]

Since many of you showed considerable interest in the previous thread and have many hatchet heads lying around unhandled, here is how I go about making and fitting a handle for one. With the exception of cutting the blank on the band saw it was done with a few hand tools. The whole process took a little less than one hour but of course I have done this countless times. Keep in mind that although you may not have the same tools I have any of them can readily be substituted by any thing you may have. I used an old head I had here. Next if interested I can show how to sharpen it so I can shave with it. 

 

1- The Wood

  Wood of choice is Hickory but you probably will not have that in stock me included. I had a scrap piece of ash which is probably the second best wood for it. However, almost any hardwood you may have will do. It should be dry so it will not shrink inside tool eye.

2- Grain orientation.

 This is important. The piece I have however also does not have the ideal grain for it but it will be ok on a small hatchet. If it was a sledge or full ax it could break in time.  Grain should run vertical in line with hatchet blade and should be as straight as possible without running out in the middle of handle. That is how a piece of wood has the most strength. 
 

3- Shape of handle   

  This is mostly dictated by the type of use or tool it is. Every single little nuance of the shape on a handle has a specific function. This however is also dictated by personal preference and should not be written in stone. 
 

4- Finish

  Store bought handles come sanded and finished. Finish is important to protect handle.  I prefer my handles to have the tool marks and ridges from the spoke shave or plane. I don’t want them silky smooth . The tool marks add grip  and feel better in the hand. 
 As for the type of finish I like to fully dip them in linseed oil for a day or so . Just wipe it then and let dry redoing the process like once per year. 
  Many times I reshape a handle that I may not be so happy with and it’s easy to restore finish. It’s a tool handle nothing complicated really needed. 
 

5- Fitting and wedging. 
 Fit must be tight and precise. If you can test fit a handle into the eye and remove it, it’s no good. It will never last. In reality it should stay without any wedging, that being only an added aid. Any one that I fit if needed to be removed it will have to be destroyed. If done incorrectly the wedge will actually weaken the whole thing. Installing the head is done in a specific manner, not by hitting head onto handle and not by hitting back of handle onto a surface with head on top. In other words never use blows or gravity to install the head. The very opposite, just start the head like 1/8” , turn handle with head facing down and now hit back of handle. The vibration will bring head upwards fully into handle      
correctly aligned and very important without damaging the part of handle that will be inside eye.  If inside of eye is a little rusty leave it, it creates additional friction.

 Any straight grained hard wood will do. Hickory best choice. Ash good also .

 

Unlike this piece grain ring lines should be vertical in line with blade length. This will be ok for a small hatchet.

 

Size piece a little oversized and longer than needed.

make sure eye end is square

Place head centered and straight on blank and trace eye shape onto it

 

 

I like to cut eye portion close prior to shaping but not necessary. My reason for it is to stay away from it as I do the preliminary shaping on the front half of handle. If a wood wedge was to be used vertically on the handle this would be the time to make that cut now. 

 

I now start shaping using a spoke shave. It’s a very efficient tool for it but it can be done with a block plane and rasps. I do the front half of handle now.

 

 Eventually I’ll get to the important part. Very important not to take too much and have correct shape. Leave pencil lines intact. Test frequently until it can be started for no more than 1/8”

again make sure that you can only start it  no more than 1/8”

 

It’s time to put it in. Chamfer edges of fitted end

 

This is the correct way to drive it in . Upside down hitting back of handle. Vibration will bring it up into handle correctly aligned. Trust me. 

 In place. Notice on how head shaved high spots as it moved up.

 

Insertion is now completed. Do it until about 1/8” sticks out. At this point if I needed to remove it it would have to be destroyed . It will NOT come out. 

 

 Head is perfectly aligned with handle. Driving it any other way can cause head to be slightly tilted . That would also mean that it damaged one side of handle as it was driven in.

 I now shape the back half of handle . My hand will be the final judge . I keep going contouring it until I am happy with how it feels.

 There it is with all that came off of it

 Cut handle to final length if needed. I like to leave them a little long. Always in time to cut later. Sometimes in use one wishes it was left longer.  Cut a heavy chamfer on back edge. It will prevent splintering if you hit back edges.

 

Drill a hole in back of handle trough the longest section for a string to hang hatchet. It will save edge from damage by hitting other tools while stored.

 

 Chamfer edges of holes

 It really needs no wedges. One way it would be one wood wedge lengthwise with one metal wedge across it. At this time I only have here one metal wedge which is not the right size. So the correct way to install it is this way. Use what is at hand. Notice the burnt mark around wedge. I like to make the wedge red hot and drive it in. It will go in easier specially when oversized as this one minimizing cracking of end.

 

 

 File everything down flush with head

 

Melt paraffin onto end to seal everything. Water or moisture here will be the beginning of the end. 

 

 

 All tools used to make it. My grandchildren should be able to use it for the rest of their lives.

 

Edited February 9, 2022 by formariz

[SylvanLakeWH 25,979]

Beautiful!

 

Thanks!

 

[lynnmor 7,354]

Do you seal the wood with something like linseed oil?

[formariz 11,988]

2 hours ago, lynnmor said:

Do you seal the wood with something like linseed oil?

Yes I do. Stated in beginning on section 3. Specifically I totally dip handle for at least a day. I usually make a recipient out of PVC pipe. Cap one end. Long enough for the type of handle having several from anything such as a hammer to a five foot long hoe handle. Place handle in pipe up to metal and fill with linseed oil. Given time oil will penetrate wood substantially and be a great moisture barrier. A finish which is only a film on surface will be easily damaged moisture being then absorbed into damaged or worn area traveling under film and compromising the still existent finish. Too much thinking I know but a fact.

Edited February 9, 2022 by formariz

[Pullstart 63,103]

Amazing work Cas.  Thank you for sharing these things you know so well!

[Skwerl58 710]

Great tutorial with pictures! Thanks for posting.

[WHX?? 49,182]

Since I don't have the time, patience but mostly skill to make my own there is a vendor at most of our shows that offer commercial made handles I use. 

They seldom fit the head but one trick I have learned is mix up some thin epoxy and get it to flow down between the head and handle. It seals the handle to the head perfectly & usually no need for wedges. 

I got the idea from a store bought replacement fiberglass handle I got for a splitting maul that came with the epoxy. It was the only way to attach the handle to the head. 

[formariz 11,988]

48 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Since I don't have the time, patience but mostly skill to make my own there is a vendor at most of our shows that offer commercial made handles I use. 

They seldom fit the head but one trick I have learned is mix up some thin epoxy and get it to flow down between the head and handle. It seals the handle to the head perfectly & usually no need for wedges. 

I got the idea from a store bought replacement fiberglass handle I got for a splitting maul that came with the epoxy. It was the only way to attach the handle to the head. 

If a handle is properly fitted and installed there is no need for a wedge. However one has to actually inspect and measure tool's eye on both ends. Some eyes are flared on the exit side of handle and will require a wedge. On some other types of tools such as hoes,picks and mattocks eyes are extremely flared and those are inserted from the opposite end the shape of handle being what holds it in place with the mechanics of usage.

On the subject of fiberglass handles. Obviously a modern development intention being the elimination of labor intensive wood which has to be properly cut,dried,selected and machined. Mostly available in sledges, mauls and also hammers. It is however not the same, not even close in many aspects. Specially when it come to the absorption of vibration before it comes into  into your hands. When you miss with a maul or sledge and hit handle, a wood handle will take substantial occurrences before it fails ( if grain is of course correctly oriented). A fiberglass handle will not take so much punishment. The only advantages that a fiberglass or metal handles in the case of hammers have over wood is aside of cost, the fact that they are impervious to user neglect or lack of knowledge in maintaining them since no such care or maintenance is needed. The same cannot be said for wood. It is a natural product which reacts to atmospheric and physical conditions requiring a certain knowledge of it in order to maintain any longevity.

[lynnmor 7,354]

2 hours ago, formariz said:

Yes I do. Stated in beginning on section 3. Specifically I totally dip handle for at least a day. I usually make a recipient out of PVC pipe. Cap one end. Long enough for the type of handle having several from anything such as a hammer to a five foot long hoe handle. Place handle in pipe up to metal and fill with linseed oil. Given time oil will penetrate wood substantially and be a great moisture barrier. A finish which is only a film on surface will be easily damaged moisture being then absorbed into damaged or worn area traveling under film and compromising the still existent finish. Too much thinking I know but a fact.

 

I must have skipped over the SECOND section 3. 

[formariz 11,988]

4 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

 

I must have skipped over the SECOND section 3. 

LOL. I can see how that would happen.

[stevasaurus 22,879]

Cas, excellent write up.  I got to thinking that I had a head or two laying around.  I found this picture...looks like I am going to get some practice making handles.  Found another Carpenter's Hammer too !!  

 

 

Cas, this Carpenter's head is a little longer and a lot thinner for the blade.  Nothing stamped in the metal.  The identification was probably stamped in the old handle. 

[formariz 11,988]

1 hour ago, stevasaurus said:

Cas, this Carpenter's head is a little longer and a lot thinner for the blade.  Nothing stamped in the metal.  The identification was probably stamped in the old handle. 

 You got quite a few good things there. Yes that is an older head. The hammers are good also. The smaller one is a handy one to use. Masons hammer too and I see a small square peen to the side. I use one of those on the bench  like that. Good for small delicate stuff and to adjust wooden plane blades. Quite possibly those files are also still good. Cats paw always an essential thing if you do any framing.Good find.

 Once handles break that is it , they just get thrown to the side. Doesn't have to be like that. What you buy today is not in the same planet as things like those.

[CCW 1,300]

Now i have make a new handle.  Just for yah ha's.

[ebinmaine 68,461]

Wonderful write-up Caz. 

Thank you much for taking the time to put this all together. 

 

[lynnmor 7,354]

I'd like to keep the patina on this hatchet found on (in) the family farm, but fitting a handle may disturb the fine finish.

 

[ebinmaine 68,461]

44 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

I'd like to keep the patina on this hatchet found on (in) the family farm, but fitting a handle may disturb the fine finish.

 

 

Putting a decent edge on that might cause a shine. 

[formariz 11,988]

2 hours ago, lynnmor said:

I'd like to keep the patina on this hatchet found on (in) the family farm, but fitting a handle may disturb the fine finish.

Not necessarily. You can fit a handle on it and distress the handle to match without disturbing anything at all. It has been done quite a few times. .

[formariz 11,988]

On 2/9/2022 at 4:04 PM, CCW said:

Now i have make a new handle.  Just for yah ha's.

Careful with what you start. You may get addicted to it.

[formariz 11,988]

On 2/9/2022 at 1:16 PM, stevasaurus said:

looks like I am going to get some practice making handles

Ironically in that photo basically everything needed to actually make a handle is there.