"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
ups.com...
can you please advise on the correct way to fit a new hickory shaft
to a sledge hammer

I wouldn't myself. I much prefer glass reinforced plastic handles.
The only wooden shafts I have are on a set of tools that I use for
smithing in a museum, where the look is more important.

That sounds interesting - tell us more?

Not a lot to tell, especially as I've not had time to do it for a while now.
I simply turn up on the odd weekend and run the forge, which is one of the
exhibits, doing simple smithing that looks impressive and doesn't take more
than a few minutes, so that people can actually see something happening
while they wait - creating a twisted rope effect in a steel bar is a good
standby. There is probably as much showmanship as smithing required, as well
as having the patience to answer the same questions at frequent intervals
throughout the day.

Colin Bignell