On 7/25/2011 2:13 PM, Jim Elbrecht wrote:
On Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:22:10 +0000 (UTC),
wrote:

On Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:03:59 -0400, Jim Elbrecht wrote:

Long term they are cheaper than wood. But they *are* heavier

Why?

I'm guessing they last longer than the wood hickory handles do?

Is that the reason?

Or that the head stays on longer?

Both. They take 100 times the abuse that a wood handle will-- and
leaving it out in the weather won't affect them. The head will rust
off before the plastic complains.

And the heads are epoxied in so they are permanent. If you managed
to break one, or cut it up with your chainsaw, or something, the only
way you'll remove the rest of the handle is with a torch.

But don't run out and buy plastic for all your weapons. Try one-- I
can live with its *very* different feel, but I can see where some
folks don't like them.

All my shovels, axes, heavy hammers and sledges now have plastic. [one
of the plastic shovel handles is on its 3rd shovel and I'm looking for
another broken handled shovel at a garage sale]

Jim

I'll second that. My mother and grandmother could simply not be
convinced to put their wood-handled tools away after playing in the
garden. Being the dutiful son/grandson, I was always the one who got
tapped to turn the garden beds in the spring. (What's a roto-tiller?).
After about the third time of having the damn shovel handle snap on me,
the lightbulb went off, and I bought them new shovels with fiberglas
handles.

All my old man's nagging got to me. Even now, living alone, I can't bear
to NOT rinse the shovels and metal-ended tools off before I put them
away in the shed.

--
aem sends...