On 11 Dec 2006 17:23:17 -0800, "Jack" wrote:


mm wrote:
What would you recommend to refinish a hammer handle?

I have an old ball peen hammer whose owner got it very dirty, with oil
even. Although I'm not complaining. He had the hammer for 20 to 50
years, and I got it free after he didn't need it anymore. I cleaned
all that off with a wire wheel. I'm thinking just rubbing in some
linseed oil would make it nice. What do you think?


It would be my opinion that linseed oil would be the thing as it is
recommended for wood more than anything else usually.. If you want to
spend the time you can give it a "French finis" with that. Takes a lot
of rubbing though. But no other finish will equal it.

I had in mind to spend about 5 minutes on this.

That's one of the things I like about linseed oil.

I really didnt' expect such diverse answers. Thank you all.

I can't buy a aerosol can of polyurethane for just one handle, but I
have a can of glossy and a can of matte. I noticed when I had a
polyurethane coating on my floor, that it wore off where there was a
lot of traffic. I was surprised, because I had never seen any wear on
hardwood finishes that were used before polyU. What did they use
before that existed. Like in the 40's and 50's.

But it would hard to put near as much wear on a hammer handle as I did
on the floor, walking on it over and over each day.

I have some good wax too, but the smiley scares me.

Bob, I do think the linseed oil will feel better. I go to a class
where they cover the table with something like what plastic grocery
bags are made of. I can't stand the feel and I have to lift that up
and rest my arms on the next layer, which is vinyl cloth. I think it
would be similar hear.

I do plan to use the hammer, but not that often since I have another
ball peen hammer. Maybe I'll give that away and keep the one I'm
finishing, but even then I won't use it that much.

This is not what most people would want to display, but maybe I'll
display it anyhow when I'm not using it. I don't have a big fish to
hang on my wall.

Too late about the wire wheel, but I think EAsy Off would have taken
more time than I wanted to devote.

I have to decide what to do. Thanks again.