where to get good replacment handles

[Stihlcuttingwood]

I have numerous tools that need new handles hammers, axes,rakes,forks,ect. does any body know of a good place to buy good handles last winter I busted about 5 maul handles that were either new are close to new Ace ,Lowes and Do-it best sell Handles every day ? also I have a couple of hickory logs does anybody ever make their own Handles an older Gentleman once told me a certain part of the log makes a better handle I have no way of knowing was he right or not

 

[JolietJake]

Stihlcuttingwood,
Not sure if your close to a Amish community. I have one about an hour a way and whenever I need handles I have a great young Amish fella that makes the best hickory handles and fits them onto the tool. We found him when we stopped at another Amish farm to buy some homemade candy and the nice Amish lady referred us to her nephew the handle maker.
Check it out.

 

[redheadwoodshed]

House handle company makes good hickory handles for everything that could possibly need a handle, and they will cost you less than a hardware store.

 

[redheadwoodshed]

I have numerous tools that need new handles hammers, axes,rakes,forks,ect. does any body know of a good place to buy good handles last winter I busted about 5 maul handles that were either new are close to new Ace ,Lowes and Do-it best sell Handles every day ? also I have a couple of hickory logs does anybody ever make their own Handles an older Gentleman once told me a certain part of the log makes a better handle I have no way of knowing was he right or not

The sapwood makes better striking tool handles, it has more spring to it. I make a few when I have time, hickory is good, but I like white oak too, specially since it's a little easier/faster to work. And they seem to last me just as long. The important thing is grain orientation. Think of a double bit axe, the grain should run the same direction as the axehead, not across it. The straighter the grain, the stronger the haft.

 

[zogger]

They also make, various places, google is your friend, overstrike protectors for axe/sledge/maul handles.

Guess I am different from most guys, I prefer synthetic handles over wood. For me, they don't shrink or get loose easy like wood, they wear better, don't start losing fibers right at the head like wood does, I don't break them, and I don't see any more vibration to them over wood.

Just like I prefer synthetic axe heads, modern some sort of alloyed steel, over raw natural stone or cast iron...

 

[redheadwoodshed]

They also make, various places, google is your friend, overstrike protectors for axe/sledge/maul handles.

Guess I am different from most guys, I prefer synthetic handles over wood. For me, they don't shrink or get loose easy like wood, they wear better, don't start losing fibers right at the head like wood does, I don't break them, and I don't see any more vibration to them over wood.

Just like I prefer synthetic axe heads, modern some sort of alloyed steel, over raw natural stone or cast iron...

I like my Fiskar splitting axe X27 or whatever it's called, but I love my old Keen Kutter for cutting wood. It's a 4 1/2 lb razor blade mounted on a 32" piece of American hickory and it's been around for over 100 years. It's just a fine tool and I appreciate a fine tool.

 

[woodchuck357]

I make a lot of my own handles and have tried many grain orentations and haven't noticed any great difference in strength. Some say sap wood is best, others are very sure heart wood makes stronger hafts, but I have found the grain orentation mostly effects warping of the haft and the number of rings per inch has the most effect on strength. Faster growing wood is stromger. So the fewer rings per inch the stronger.
I avoid handles that have both heart and sap wood.
I use white and post oak often also. I haven't made a haft from live oak or osage, but I think they would be excelant material for it.
My old 5 pound keen kutter double bit is one of my favorite chopping and splitting tools. It's overal length is 40 inches, I usualy express haft length as the distance from the side of the head closest to my hand to the end of the handle. Most everyone uses the total length of the haft before it is mounted so a 36 inch handle often comes out as a 35 inch overall tool length.

 

[El Quachito]

I'd definitely go for an Amish handle if I lived there.

Usually I go to a regional big box hardware store in my area that carries handles for everything with about 5 to 10 of each I just pick the best one, and if I am lucky I find one there that is far above the rest.

I have tried House before and I found another outfit Tennessee just the other day. Both are online.

 

[zogger]

I like my Fiskar splitting axe X27 or whatever it's called, but I love my old Keen Kutter for cutting wood. It's a 4 1/2 lb razor blade mounted on a 32" piece of American hickory and it's been around for over 100 years. It's just a fine tool and I appreciate a fine tool.

if I had something like that, ya, I would like it too. I don't have any old heirloom quality stuff, but I did get in an involved swap that blackjack ace bowie knife I will keep, call it a future heirloom.

For buying new today though, syn handles and whatever steel is there is OK, as long as you can sharpen it, especially for cheap bucks. I consider my original fiskars supersplitter to have paid for itself after one session using it. I was that impressed with it after swinging my anvil on a stick for years.

If I could get a Tom Clark made "buster" I would like one of those though, for sure.

 

[woodchuck357]

If I could get a Tom Clark made "buster" I would like one of those though, for sure.

Get something like this, weld a couple of inches of steel onto the poll, grind it smooth and you have "buster".
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Tru...110?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ae12ddca6

 

[zogger]

Get something like this, weld a couple of inches of steel onto the poll, grind it smooth and you have "buster".
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Tru...110?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ae12ddca6

That's an idea I might do sometime, although I would have to farm out the welding part.

 

[mn woodcutter]

I make a lot of my own handles and have tried many grain orentations and haven't noticed any great difference in strength. Some say sap wood is best, others are very sure heart wood makes stronger hafts, but I have found the grain orentation mostly effects warping of the haft and the number of rings per inch has the most effect on strength. Faster growing wood is stromger. So the fewer rings per inch the stronger.
I avoid handles that have both heart and sap wood.
I use white and post oak often also. I haven't made a haft from live oak or osage, but I think they would be excelant material for it.
My old 5 pound keen kutter double bit is one of my favorite chopping and splitting tools. It's overal length is 40 inches, I usualy express haft length as the distance from the side of the head closest to my hand to the end of the handle. Most everyone uses the total length of the haft before it is mounted so a 36 inch handle often comes out as a 35 inch overall tool length.

Have you ever tried Elm for a handle? I've always wondered how that would do. I know the ridiculously expensive Autine axe company uses Elm.

 

[Spotted Owl]

Hammer handles we get spare vaughn handles. Seem to hold up best. Axe or maul, find a good piece of galv pipe, beat the heck out of it so it will fit in the head, a bit out the top and a weld top and bottom. Haven't busted one of them yet. Good think wall pipe and it won't bend when you miss either.

Works for us.



Owl

 

[Stihlcuttingwood]

Hammer handles we get spare vaughn handles. Seem to hold up best. Axe or maul, find a good piece of galv pipe, beat the heck out of it so it will fit in the head, a bit out the top and a weld top and bottom. Haven't busted one of them yet. Good think wall pipe and it won't bend when you miss either.

Works for us.



Owl

over strike is not what I'm dealing with I bought new handles split 3 swings the handle splits in two pieces right with the grain

 

[Spotted Owl]

Not with steel.

Shoot some of that sticky, nasty spray foam up and down the handle if you get vibration, that technique won't eliminate.

Around my parts, finding a good long lived wood handle is next to impossible. The factory handles I have gotten with the heads are just a matter of time. Council have lasted longest, maybe try them for replacement wood handles.



Owl

 

[woodchuck357]

That's an idea I might do sometime, although I would have to farm out the welding part.

Came across this, It's very close to buster already.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NICE-VTG-OL...741?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3399f63995

 

[woodchuck357]

All handles need close inspection. Often knocking one aginst another will reveal otherwise hidden defects by the way the vibrations feel.