I have been wrapping my hammer handles (right below the head) with electrician’s tape for years. This wrapping strengthens the weakest spot in the handle. Recently, a friend from Washington state sent me a piece of heat-shrink tubing that is far superior to electrical tape. The product he sent is made by 3M (MDT-1500 Medium Density Tubing with 1-1/2 in. inside dia.) and is available at stores that sell electrical goods both wholesale and retail. It comes in many sizes, so you might want to fit it to other wooden-handle tools.
As shown in the drawing, I cut a 4-in. section from the tubing and slipped it over the handle and about 1/2 in. onto the head of the hammer. It shrinks at 250°F, so it’s easy to shrink the tubing with a heat gun or a propane torch. The tubing has an adhesive on the inside that adheres strongly to the handle.
I took my freshly encased hammer to a job site and tested it by beating the handle on the edge of a 2x joist. After many licks, I hit that joist with all my strength and finally did crack the handle. But the tubing held on, and I could still drive nails. Either I had an exceptionally strong handle, I’m getting weak, or this tubing works.
Larry Haun, Coos Bay, OR
