fiberglass handle on mallet replacement

If you could find a nice sized piece of steel pipe, just weld it to it.
I’ve done it to hammers etc and it never gives a shock through the handle.
 
Well the old Atlas 2.5 Lb gave up on me today.
It's quite old as it used to belong to an old uncle. Now he was in no way practical so had sat in his tool box for lord only knows how long. He told me to fetch his tools for myself when he went into a nursing home.

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It also flew past my head as it gave up!

So I'd like to make a new handle for it.

What kind of wood is best?
I have some wooden 4×4's that came under some girders. Not sure what they are but deffo hardwood and very hard to cut or drill.
Is hardwood suitable? Or too brittle from having short grain?
 
Quite sure they used talk about hickory for hammer shafts where youd get a hickory tree thats an other question though
 
Had a bit of a google and it seems that most woods are fine.
@johndeere6920s seems that fruit trees are good in general. Have a Cherry tree that fell last year so might hunt out a chunk of that!

American sites seem to rave about Ash. But can't help but feel it probably aint the same Ash as we have. Of which I have a serious amount to chose from!
 
Hickory is certainly popular for such handles.

If it were me, I would weld a nice correctly sized pipe to it. Not solid bar. Pipe doesn’t seem to pass on any impact to your hand.
 
CORK said:
Hickory is certainly popular for such handles.

If it were me, I would weld a nice correctly sized pipe to it. Not solid bar. Pipe doesn’t seem to pass on any impact to your hand.
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Naah. Want to try and keep it looking good.
It's a good age and a nice size.
 
SMID said:
Quite sure they used talk about hickory for hammer shafts where youd get a hickory tree thats an other question though
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As clint says in the film, "you can't beat a nice piece of hickory,,," after he'd giving some rouges a good licking,,
 
CORK said:
Hickory is certainly popular for such handles.

If it were me, I would weld a nice correctly sized pipe to it. Not solid bar. Pipe doesn’t seem to pass on any impact to your hand.
Click to expand...
And shrink a bit of plastic pipe onto the pipe handle too..
 
AYF said:
Had a bit of a google and it seems that most woods are fine.
@johndeere6920s seems that fruit trees are good in general. Have a Cherry tree that fell last year so might hunt out a chunk of that!

American sites seem to rave about Ash. But can't help but feel it probably aint the same Ash as we have. Of which I have a serious amount to chose from!
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No ash would be second to hickory.

@CORK what sort of animal are you. Pipe handles are ruff
 
Well I got taken by a bout of wanting to give it a try....

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Found a well dried Ash log. And split it down a bit. Then attacked it with the pocket knife and small grinder with flappy wheel on.
Not perfect by a long way. But for 40 minutes of pissing about we will see how it goes!
 
JohnBoy said:
No ash would be second to hickory.

@CORK what sort of animal are you. Pipe handles are ruff
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Sure he's as rough as a bear's hole, I'd say you'd want the rubber boots to get out of the tractor and a couple of Imodium for after the dinner :whistle:

The grandfather had a hardware shop in his time, when hardware was a trade, and it was always hickory for hammer handles with him.
 
AYF said:
Well I got taken by a bout of wanting to give it a try....

View attachment 60072

Found a well dried Ash log. And split it down a bit. Then attacked it with the pocket knife and small grinder with flappy wheel on.
Not perfect by a long way. But for 40 minutes of pissing about we will see how it goes!
Click to expand...
Not bad considering you made it from scratch. I got a drawknife a good few years ago and its great for shaping up handles. I have seen a good selection of them on Amazon.
 
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Mid cork said:
Not bad considering you made it from scratch. I got a drawknife a good few years ago and its great for shaping up handles. I have seen a good selection of them on Amazon.
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Any recommendations as to brand or type . Replacing handles is one job I like . Put a handle in a sledgehammer this morning . I just have a short plane. Often meant to get some sort of a draw knife. Thanks
 
mixed fleet said:
Any recommendations as to brand or type . Replacing handles is one job I like . Put a handle in a sledgehammer this morning . I just have a short plane. Often meant to get some sort of a draw knife. Thanks
Click to expand...
I have only ever used the one I have, don’t know what make it is other than it was made in Germany.It has a straight blade about 10” wide. I’ve seen ones with curved or bow shaped blades and they might be better for gouging into materials but I would imagine they would be harder to control. I also like fitting handles to things.
 
A cattle foot disc in a grinder makes short work of shaping wood,used one on the beams in my attic,did a great job but the dust was unreal.
 
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