Fixing hammer handle damage

[JHZR2]

This is my heavy Vaughan ball peen hammer that I had been using as a striking tool to get out the ball joints from steering knuckles in my w126 Mercedes.

You have to beat them out.

I was using the hammer to both beat it, but also put the round side on the ball joint and then struck the flat side with a heavy mallet. It’s just a way to keep control and fingers away…

And all of a sudden I saw some wood chips.

This happened:

It’s still a good hickory handle. I’d rather not pull it. Could it be filled with a wood filling epoxy? I have system three T-88. With or without sawdust (I don’t have hardwood dust or chips)?

 

[oldcodger]

Fill it with JB weld.

 

[wwillson]

I have fixed them by getting another, preferably steel, wedge and driving it in the void.

 

[Trav]

Fill it with JB weld.

+1 that would be they way I would do it. Time for one of these big nasty.

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[Astro14]

It’s hard to know the internal stresses or condition of the adjacent wood. I would replace it.

 

[facility1]

hold hammer with head faceing down (floor),,pound on the end wood handle to tighten up,as this will tighten up head to handle,,grind off excess wood wedge protruding from top of head

 

[spasm3]

Epoxy would probably work, for a while.

To me, it looks like the hammer has been in wet concrete or mortar at some point.
I think dry rot has started and the handle will fail at some point.

I would put a new handle on it.

 

[Vercingetorix]

 

[samven]

Get a piece of hardwood dowel 2x larger than the void and cut a flat side with a slight angle to create a wedge just bigger than the void. Put Yellow wood glue in the hole and on the dowel and drive it into the void until it stops. Let the glue dry for an hour or 2 and cut the stick out off. It will be stronger than the original wood and tight.

 

[Mickey D]

Replace the handle or set aside as a light duty hammer.