hammer shaft replacement advice

[johnny]

I finally broke the shaft of my beloved old claw hammer .It is 53 years old this year, bought for my first job on building work in 1968 and there hasn't been a day in the past 50 years that I haven't used it for something or other. I've already told swmbo that it must be buried with me
At 25oz or 685gms it is a heavy hammer to wield all day long but there is nothing it wasn't capable of including hacking off s&c render with a bolster decades before pneumatic hammer chisels were available to builders.

Anyway enough nostalia ...........could I ask the best way to repair this hammer. The original shaft was 13" however all the replacement shafts I have seen for sale are for a much lighter head ie 13-16oz ..........365-465 gms this means that the shaft head will not have enough thickness to fill the hammer head eye which measures 25 x 15 mm . Would it be better to buy a 400mm (16") shaft and cut it down ??
Which wood would you recommend ? beech or hickory . The Kennedy Hickory shafts are good quality but rather expensive .
The 35oz (1Kg) ball pein I bought off ebay also needs a new 16' handle

 

[MARK.B.]

You could always make your own to fit, a lot more work but it would be worth the effort

 

[johnny]

You could always make your own to fit, a lot more work but it would be worth the effort

you cannot be serious ?.(McEnroe voice )...... It would take me half a week and i can think of a raft of urgent jobs that need doing more than making a hammer handle.

Decided to buy a Kennedy handle and hope it fits the eye .

 

[JobandKnock]

Hickory is better than ash and far better than beech for hammer handles. I still use a hickory handled hammer at work (albeit a modern, titanium head jobbie) and it definitely feeds less vibration back into my aching old shoulder than the ash handled Warringtons I have at home

If you are replacing the handle hopefully you'll be able to adjust the new handle with a block plane and chisel. One question, though, does your original handle have straight wedges or a ring type? When you replace the old handle you may struggle to get the old wedge(s) out without fsmaging/destroying them so it's as well to know where you can get replacements

 

[--Tom--]

Worth using timber wedges in both directions to fill the eye, and leave them proud so can be snugged up if the handle shrinks at all

 

[johnny]

thank you tom & JobandKnock that is very helpful.

I have never replaced a hammer handle before so I thought I ought to consult the experts first before making a complete cockup of the job.
The eye is square and it has 2x straight wedges which I'll try to salvage. it seems fitting to conserve them at least and the hammer will see me out now .
I have really missed the hammer for the past few months since it broke, especially now that I am part way through removing and replacing our garden decking. It will be good to have my old friend back again