How To Replace A Sledgehammer Or Maul Handle (5 Tips)

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It is really simple to replace a broken or damaged sledgehammer or splitting maul handle. All you need to do it follow a few easy steps and you will be breaking concrete in no time. We give you 5 tips for how to replace a handle.
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[@ybatch4662]

Great tips. This is absolutely the best way to mount a sledge 100% As someone who worked for years in a stone quarry and has mounted hammers sometimes multiple times a day, I can tell you this method is the longest lasting and tightest way to do it. Hammering the bottom of the handle into the head will definitely create micro fractures in the grain that will most definitely split with hard use. Two tips I can add are: - always inspect the grain of the handle before you purchase it. Often times you can see spots where it will likely split or is already splitting. Look for very tight long grains that run the full length of the handle. - if you put the hammers through heavy abuse, wrap tape TIGHTLY just below the head and at the base of the handle. This helps to absorb shock and helps prevent delamination of the wood grain. Of all the hammers I used while splitting stone, the ones taped like this lasted the longest. Thanks again for posting the correct way to do this very old skill!

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Awesome! I appreciate it. Thank you for the tips.

[@user-jj7lo3sp2n]

Hey, what kind of tape you suggest? Electrical tape? Duct tape?

[@gweedomurray9923]

I mounted an 8 lb head to a new handle with your method and couldn't be happier with the result. I have a 10 lb head, picked up at a recycling depot and the new handle has been bought. Looking forward to a repeat experience. :-)

[@CountryLivingExperience]

That's awesome. Glad we could help.

[@gweedomurray9923]

@@CountryLivingExperience ~ :-)

[@johnfoster1918]

Very clear and easy to understand. Well presented

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Thank you. Glad it was helpful.

[@KeredYo]

Very helpful. Saved an ancient sledge this way.

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Awesome. Glad it helped!

[@patrickmurphy1218]

Good job . Straight and to the point

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Thank you

[@villapierre]

It's never gonna come off for decades. Great video.

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Thank you.

[@johnzeller9619]

Has anyone tried using glycol anti freeze , after all the work is done putting the hammer head to the handle , soak head in antifreeze, Preston, or something like that . The wood will swell with the antifreeze solution . Old logger's trick . Great video makes simple, anyone can do it. Repair don't throw away.

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Thank you

[@johnzeller9619]

Your welcome. Sometimes the old patient way , is the best way. However always be open to other possibilities. Thanks for the reply.

[@JRLSprague3]

Video starts at 1:30

[@notquagmire243]

Great video, straight to the point.

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Thank you.

[@Whetherman43]

Very clearly explained. Thanks!

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Glad it was helpful!

[@hahn449]

Nice video. Just for the guys asking about removal. If you have time you can place the broken head on or close to a heat source like a coal furnace or oil burner. I do this for a couple days and it helps dry out the broken handle making it a little easier to knock out.

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Thanks. We did a video on removing the old broken handle. Works fast. Here....kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYTXaIF4lK-fnKc

[@stroys7061]

Excellent video and technique.

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Thank you

[@RealEstateAdviceGuy]

great info, easy steps, thanks brother

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Thanks. Glad it helped.

[@TherapyWithRicardo]

Great video. I'm ready to get started on the project. Thanks!

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Thank you. Good luck with your project.

[@jmruggierojr]

Very helpful! TYVM

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ftswarbill]

Good stuff Sir. Cheers!

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Thank you kindly!

[@kerpatricklewis3084]

Great tip. Thank you.

[@CountryLivingExperience]

You're welcome.

[@armandoalaniz1683]

Great tip easy installation

[@CountryLivingExperience]

You’re welcome

[@brewers1568]

thank you well done

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Thank you.

[@scotthebert6129]

restoring tools. seed it properly. as tight as possible. just barely starts to go into the end of the head here, and that is actually fitting really, really nice. pound this down. if it's too tight, use a rasp and start removing some material. be very careful that you don't remove too much, because you always want a tight fit. just a few light passes on here will do the trick. insert the handle into the head itself as HARD as you can, then turn it down and stike this part. start the handle insertion into the head. that works perfect for me. you want that. that shows how tight it is. that's exactly what you're looking for. lubricate it as you're pounding it down. it wasn't a mega-tight fit, it is tight enough and that's gonna serve its purpose really, really well. you want that thing to be insanely tight in there, and that's what we've achieved. you want a fine-toothed saw blade here, and we've got one of our Japanese saws, and we're gonna cut that off just a little bit at the top of the head. moisturize that wood. check out our tool store. LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, LEAVE COMETS IN THE COMET SECTION BELOW!

[@troywarlick9343]

☄️ ☄️

[@masoncopic5071]

Great Great info

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Glad it was helpful!

[@masoncopic5071]

@@CountryLivingExperience yea I have a Warwood cross pein hammer and when I bought the handle from menards it had all the wedges you showed with it. However I still had a gap so I just taped the top and put epoxy down the 2 holes. (You should show how to do that!) Still I never would've gotten started without this.

[@rickattard2339]

Thank you for info great info..wondering when you order a handle from hardware store if it comes with wedge and steel wedge you put on top of sledgehammer head ..we have a lockdown here in canada and we just order by calling store...thank you

[@CountryLivingExperience]

You’re welcome. You usually have to buy the wedges separately.

[@rickattard2339]

@@CountryLivingExperience thank you for quick reply will order it aswll ..cheers

[@carolparrish194]

Do you have any videos for putting handles on shovels?

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Sorry, we don't at this time.

[@mikejoseph4720]

great job , buddy, about to try it (-:

[@CountryLivingExperience]

I appreciate it.

[@MyUnquenchableThirst]

I know with Axes, there's a top and bottom to the head because the eye is tapered. is this true with sledgehammers?

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Some are and some are not. It really depends on price point.

[@bengbeng6937]

wow, that's great, this tutorial is awesome. What if I want to change the handle with metal shaft/pipe, do you have video on this?

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Thank you. Adding a metal handle is something that we have not done. It would have to be welded on.

[@henrybose23]

Don't use metal handle, vibrations will kill u

[@9534alex]

Dont do it man it will brake you up

[@djkneecaps91]

That would destroy your wrists. Just the thought of a metal handle makes me cringe in pain

[@johnbelew477]

Great video - really helped me to do this - though after oiling the wooden wedge, it pops out as soon as it gets really tight, am I missing something? thanks

[@CountryLivingExperience]

You're welcome. I am not sure why it would pop out. I have never had that happen. I don't even understand how it could pop out.

[@johnbelew477]

@@CountryLivingExperience The wood wedge goes in pretty easily with about 1/2" remaining above the handle, and then with the last hard whack it jumps up, or even shoots across the room. I left it in over night to see if the fibers would compress, but still back to square one. I might try making a new wedge and see if not oiling it makes a difference. Otherwise I guess I'll try to keep the wedge down and use the metal wedges to keep it in place.

[@CountryLivingExperience]

That is an interesting issue I have not run into. Sorry.

[@blittlej]

Same thing happened to me - I’m not sure the oil on the wedge is such a great idea. I got it in long enough to then secure it with the metal wedge going across it, but I’m guessing a wedge with a greater angle is also more prone to pop out. If it keeps ejecting itself, maybe shaving the wedge down a bit so it’s tight but not super tight might help.

[@coleenburris6816]

We have 2 black Hathorn trees. We have been told the branches make wonderful tool handles. Have you ever made a handle from scratch?

[@CountryLivingExperience]

I have never made a handle from scratch. Maybe someday. I have always used hickory or oak and do not know how other trees hold up.

[@Leyland15554]

@@CountryLivingExperience just try with a old hatchet head and work the wood

[@Katya5cat]

One thing to remember is to make sure that the wood grIn goes with the hammer heads length and not across the hammer head.

[@garethifan1034]

I was interested to see the slot in the end of the handle. How did that come about - did you saw it in yourself? My new handle has none, so I suppose I'll have to saw a slot in to it. Any advice on this? To me, that's potentially the most important part of the job.

[@CountryLivingExperience]

All of them made and sold here have the slot. I have never found one without. Sorry.

[@BenTheDoonhamer]

I have the same issue. The handle I purchased has no slot. I'm thinking of returning it and getting one with a slot. What did you do?

[@kruppratte218]

Interesting video, I got a 20 Pound Sledge Hammer that has a broken handle & I was hoping to see how to remove it from the head, it's got a ring of steel in the center of the top of the handle instead of a straight wedge I I was hoping to see how that's supposed to be removed.

[@CountryLivingExperience]

I did another video prior to this on how to remove the head and restore it. Check out my channel video page and look about a month prior to this video release. Or...here is the link to it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYTXaIF4lK-fnKc

[@twistedenjoyment]

Several holes with Thin drill bits followed by hammering with a cold chisel

[@kenhiggins1807]

I use a cordless drill with a old bit to drill out holes anywhere I can. Then use a flat punch or big bolt to tap out the wedge and old wood.

[@ZE308AC]

Restorage the love

[@rtz549]

Just epoxied a fiberglass handle to an old 14lb head. Good to go.

[@lilapa7]

Can I use the same handle?

[@CountryLivingExperience]

What do you mean?

[@BenTheDoonhamer]

I bought a sledgehammer handler but it has no place for the wooden wedge. Could I just use a metal wedge or should I saw into the handle and also buy a wooden wedge?

[@CountryLivingExperience]

I would return the handle and get one that has the slot then use the wedge. That is the correct way to do it.

[@BenTheDoonhamer]

@@CountryLivingExperience Thanks for the swift response. Trouble is I can't find any on amazon UK that have the slot.

[@CountryLivingExperience]

@@BenTheDoonhamer Sorry brother. There may be some old school vids out there about how to saw the slot so that the handle retains its strength.

[@BenTheDoonhamer]

@@CountryLivingExperience Thanks bro. I'll keep looking and if that fails I'll saw my own slot. Peace

[@rubenvarela4077]

So if breaks the handle is no good?

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Correct

[@gweedomurray9923]

Did my 10 pounder yesterday. :-)

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Sweet

[@davidarwood6264]

I tap it in to get a good start. Then i take a mallet and hit the handle. I don't think it makes a difference how it's done if your handle is the correct size for the eye of the head.

[@notquagmire243]

I would however disagree with the amount of curled wood when seating the head. You stated that we want to see some curling. In my opinion the head should seat as far as possible without any curling wood.

[@CountryLivingExperience]

I respectfully disagree. I learned from old timers and Wranglerstar does it this way too. If you are curling the tiniest bit of wood you know it it tight and seated all the way around.

[@old_iron_axe_and_tool]

The curl is the beginning point of weakness, it will break there. " Rooster" the guy who designs tools for council tools, has explained the concept in detail. Wrangler Star is notorious for regurgitating incorrect information also.

[@TheSkaBouncer]

Where's the handle varnish prep video?

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Here is the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKjLnaB3a5acq7c

[@Asertix357]

If only it was as simple as all that. I tried to do this today and I wound up with the handle sitting at a weird angle in the head. It's not straight at all. Now I need to cut it off and start over from the beginning.

[@dovetailblues]

This is one of those skills that takes a few try’s to figure it out. It’s not hard but it’s not easy until you get some practice. My first time hafting an axe did not go well it was loose and sloppy, but after some more attempts it really came out great. Good luck on your future hefting adventures.

[@timothykrebs5319]

In the real world most likely you can't find a handle the fits.This is good if you find one that 100% your shape/size

[@CountryLivingExperience]

It was easy to find and I live a long way out in the countryside. They are very standardized sizes.

[@Nate_K111]

Isn't the head upside down?

[@CountryLivingExperience]

no

[@twestcase]

I found something online that said if one side of the hole is beveled, the beveled side goes away from the handle. That way when you install the wood wedge and metal wedges they expand the wood to fill the beveled area so the handle won’t pull out.

[@jasonscott4525]

I think the head is upside down or whoever put the previous handle on was upside down. When you watch part one of the video on cleaning this head, you can see the 8lbs mark on the opposite side of the wedge. Generally with most sledges and mauls, the etching/marking of the head are on the side of the handle, not the wedge side.

[@johnboyd3660]

@@jasonscott4525 You are 100% right he put the head on upside down. The makers marks and weight are always on the handle side ALWAYS. That's why the bevel faces the handle so it fits the curve properly.

[@cedarpoplar]

Man!, I am respectful n all. But when things are running hot and you got to make that piece of metal stick to the wood; cut a piece off, grab any shrap metal you can find, and make it snug. I have been so so frustrated I even tried wrapping wire around it. 😂🤣🤣. Ja, ja, ja... sorry 😁

[@roidelababylonetoto8552]

the head is on the wrong way the writing should be on the bottom I think

[@CountryLivingExperience]

It is on correctly.

[@Wolf-wf6yx]

No it's not, you put the hammerhead on upside down and that's why you're getting the curling wood on the handle side when you tap the handle in.

[@greenbudzzz]

I think that head was upside down. I've never seen a sledge where you'd want the weight or makers mark facing up.

[@snap-off5383]

Fiberglass and epoxy.

[@declanclarke2572]

That dosent work at all

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Hahahhaha