The hammer is the most versatile tool that every one of us have in our homes and having a good handle is the most important factor. Hammer handles are often made from one of three different materials: steel, fiberglass, or wood.
One factor that gives hammer wood handles an edge over other materials is its ability to muffle vibrations and absorb shocks. Wood handles have grown highly popular among traditionalists and are still a favorite among the majority of construction professionals and DIY craftsmen, despite the fact that each material has its fair share of benefits and drawbacks.
To find the best wood for a hammer handle, you need to research well and analyze what suits your needs the most which we have done for you.
Best Wooden Handles: Our Top Picks
These wooden handles have been well-researched and categorized for you to suit all your needs. If you are out of time, just check out from below list.
- Best Overall: Seymour 423-19 16-Inch Oval Eye Handle
- Best on Budget: TRUPER MG-MD-4 Replacement Handles
- Best for 2 to 4lb Hammers: Vaughan Replacement Handles
- Best Hickory Wood Handle: Seymour LK-480-19 10-1/2-Inch
- Best for Ball Peen Hammer: Seymour 403-19 12-Inch Handle
- Best For Heavy Hammers: True Temper 2002400 Replacement Handle
What To Look For When Buying Wooden Hammer Handles
To find the best wooden handles for your hammer, you need to research well and analyze what suits your needs the most. Out of so many factors, these are some of the factors that you must look into while purchasing.
- Type of Wood: Not every type of wood is suitable for making a hammer handle. Woods like Hickory, Oakwood, Yellow Birch, and Walnut are great woods because they are heavy wood and has an incredible strength that allows them to absorb massive shocks without either cracking or splitting.
- Handle Length: Typically, handles range in size from 14 to 18 inches. The longer the handle, the greater amount of force you can apply on strikes but you will have lesser control on a long handle. The handle length is completely a personal choice depending on the work you perform.
- Grip: The hammer handle should have a very good grip so that the hammer does not slip out of your hand while using it. A soft grip provides comfort but can wear out easily while a hard grip can cause discomfort.
- Weight: Most hammer heads weigh anywhere between 16 and 22 ounces. How heavy a hammer should be depends on how you use it, how often you use it, and your strength.
Best Wooden Handles For Your Hammer: Complete Review
If you want a wooden handle that is strong enough with a good grip, absorbs shock and vibration, and have a decent life, then here are the 6 best hammer handles that are worth checking out.
Seymour 423-19 16-Inch Oval Eye Handle: Best Overall
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Features
- American Hickory Wood
- Oval shaped
- For 3 to 4 lb hammers
- Shock absorbing
The Seymour 16-inch oval eye handle is made up of American Hickory wood with Clear lacquer and Fire finish.
The handle weights 0.5 pounds and is great for hammers weighing 3 to 4 pounds because of the great shock absorbing power it has.
The oval shape of the wood provides a very good grip on your hands allowing you to work with great comfort which is otherwise not possible in circular-shaped wood.
TRUPER MG-MD-4 Replacement Handles: Best On Budget
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Features
- Value for money
- 6.7 ounces
- Sturdy
- Polished finish
The TRUPER MG-MD-4 handle weighs 6.7 ounces with a length of 32 cm. This is a perfect handle that will fit any type of hammer weighing about 2-6 pounds.
The wood is polished and has very good feedback from customers. The specification it provides at this price range is the best in the market.
Vaughan Replacement Handles: For 2 to 4lb Hammers
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Features
- Brown in colour
- German style
- Weighs 0.01 pounds
- For 2 to 4-lb hammers
The Vaughan handle is an amazing piece of brown German-style wood weighing 0.01 pounds that is perfect for hammers weighing 2 to 4 lb.
The wood is very sturdy and comes with a metal wedge making installation very easy.
Seymour LK-480-19 Hammer Handle: Best Hickory Wood
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Features
- Hickory wood
- For 2 to 4-pound hammers
- 10.5″ length
- Weighs 4 ounces
- Oval Shape
The Seymour LK-48-19 is made of good quality white Hickory wood. It has good weight, is tough, and has straight grains which makes it perfect for hammers weighing 2-4 pounds.
The handle is fire finished, buffed, and sealed with a clear waterproof sealer which makes it resistant to dust and moisture and increases durability.
Seymour 403-19 12-Inch Handle: Best for Ball Peen Hammer
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Features
- Round shape
- 12-inch length
- Pull handle
- Shock absorbing
The Seymour handle has a length of 12-inch and is pull type. This shape of the wood makes it perfect for a Ball Peen Hammer.
The handle is 3.2 ounces and is perfect for ball peen hammers weighing 8-12 ounce. It comes with a metal wedge and after inserting the metal wedge, you are good to go.
True Temper 2002400 Replacemen Handle: Best for Heavy Hammers
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Features
- Hickory wood
- 1.75 pounds
- Good grain orientation
- Value for money
The True Tamper Handle is made up of strong hardwood, hickory wood having a length of 36-inch which makes it perfect to be used for sledge hammers.
It is perfect for sledges weighing about 20-24 pounds. The handle allows the user to distribute force and precision at a proper working posture.
The width of the handle is 1.63 inches which give you a good grip and control over your hammer.
Conclusion
If you are looking for wooden hammer handles, there are so many options to try. The motive of this article was to make you aware of the multiple options and guide you through the best ways possible.
In the end, we don’t want to leave you confused. So, you can follow these simple steps.
- Do your research before you jump into installing the handle.
- Check the length and diameter of the handle and make sure they will fit into the eye of the hammerhead.
- After inserting the handle, make sure you fill all the holes and empty spaces and finally secure it with a metal wedge.
- Finally, rub oil into the wood to give a good finish and make it waterproof.
What do you think? Which one is your favorite?
FAQ: Best Wooden Handles For Your Hammer
Selecting the best wooden handle is quite difficult unless you are an expert.
We found people searching for similar questions on the Internet, so we piled up these answers to arrange a quick solution.
1. Which Kind Of Wood Is Best For Hammer Handles?
Ans: There are many types of woods that make good handles. But for ages, Hickory Wood has been thought of as the best wood for handles.
This is because Hickory wood is quite heavy with straight grains and highly shock resistant with good durability
2. What Length is Best For Hammer Handle?
Ans: The length of the handle completely depends on the user. A longer handle builds high momentum while swinging and gives a strong blow. While short handles are better for finishing work.
3. What Types of Oils are Best For Coating Wooden Hammer handles?
Ans: It is important to finish the handle with a coat of oil to repel them from moisture, and dust and to keep the handle from getting dry and brittle. Linseed oil is best for this purpose while coconut or walnut oils will work as well.
4. Can You Increase The Strength of The Wood By Heat Treatment?
Ans: You can definitely increase the hardness of the wood by heat treating wood to temperatures between 150 and 250°C.
Heating the wood causes the grain in the wood to get aligned in a single direction, thus increasing the overall strength.