Lee Valley hammers

[Reinis Kanders]

I have bought three hammers from LV over the last 1/2 year and all of them have loose handles.:eek: Two Warrington pattern and one claw hammer. They must store them in very dry warehouse. I am mentioning it because I thought it was a norm nowadays, but just got a plane vanilla Grace brass hammer via Amazon and that one was tight. Grace brass hammer is nice btw.
I am sure I could just return them, but have not bothered to call LV and I already drilled hanging holes in the handles.

[bridger berdel]

my guess is that LV stores them in a higher humidity environment than your shop. when they get to you they shrink and become loose.




I have bought three hammers from LV over the last 1/2 year and all of them have loose handles.:eek: Two Warrington pattern and one claw hammer. They must store them in very dry warehouse. I am mentioning it because I thought it was a norm nowadays, but just got a plane vanilla Grace brass hammer via Amazon and that one was tight. Grace brass hammer is nice btw.
I am sure I could just return them, but have not bothered to call LV and I already drilled hanging holes in the handles.

[Tom Vanzant]

Maybe drilling the hanging holes caused a release of internal stress that loosened the handle/head fit? ��

[george wilson]

Drilling a hole in the far end of the handle is not going to cause the handles to loosen!

Drive in an extra steel wedge and simply tighten the head. No biggie. Wood moves.

[Tom Vanzant]

George.....joking!

[Reinis Kanders]

They were lose from the day one though so LV facility is drier than china. I guess these will be my summer hammers:)
There is no space for any extra wedges either, these hammers have steel hoop like things driven in them. I tried to drive them deeper, but failed to make it better. One of them even have two of those hoops. I will most likely end up re-handling them at some point, but I use them only occasionally so instead I am just complaining on the interweb:)

[Lee Reep]

LV has great customer service. I'd call them and ask, and maybe get them replaced.

[george wilson]

Try soaking the hammers head down in linseed oil for a few days. Hopefully the handles ARE NOT VARNISHED. If so,it'll keep the oil from getting in,though it might get around the edges of the handle and soak in. That will sink into the wood and swell it. Should be a good fix. Dry the heads off well and wait several days for the oil to harden.

[Peter Pedisich]

I bought a plane adjusting hammer from LV a couple of years back and the head was loose when I received it, sure enough after several weeks in my Long Island shop it was perfectly tight, and has been that way ever since. Maybe it's by design, make them with super dry wood and no matter where they ship to they're bound to tighten up... pure speculation of course.

[Reinis Kanders]

Thanks for the advise. I think I will try soaking in the linseed oil. I almost ordered something called Behlen Swel-Lock, but I already have the oil so will try that first. Handles are actually heavily coated in some sort of plasticky dark red and thick finish.

[Christopher Charles]

I have the LV plane adjusting hammer and the only thing I don't like about it is that the head and handle were heavily varnished. Haven't gotten around to stripping and probably won't. Not loose though. You may need to sand at least the top end grain prior to soaking to get it to work.

Good luck.

C

[george wilson]

I wish they would not varnish handles! Hopefully the varnish was not done before assembly,so will not be down in the hole. If they were dipped,varnish may be in the hole.

They also make it impossible to expand the handle with those ring shaped wedges. You could only drill little holes around the ring,and drive in some brads larger than the holes. And,that may not even work!

I think Asian oak is ugly anyway. I'd probably saw the blasted handles off,punch out the wood in the hole,and make new handles. Too bad to have to do that.

[Mike Holbrook]

I have had a similar issue with a couple of the LV hammers I have. Like George I am not a fan of the heavily varnished handles. I needed a 16 oz and did not have one. I bought a different hammer style that I am liking very much. It doesn't hurt that it has my name on it either. Replacing the handle on this hammer should be: a simpler process, not as picky on exact fit, not as critical of the wood expanding or contracting. Not sure how hard it will be to make another handle for it but I think the design should hold up as the head should actually protect the handle too:

308009

The price on these hammers is about what I found home stores and tool stores wanted for a good hammer. I ordered mine directly from Douglas Tool because Amazon tends to be out of stock. Handle kits are readily available, easy to install, relatively good not overly finished wood (nice piece of Hickory I think). With my drawknife and spokeshave collection I might just make a new handle if I ever need one, but I think the metal edge will protect it. Good simple design I think.

[Michael Ray Smith]

LV has great customer service. I'd call them and ask, and maybe get them replaced.

+1. If nothing else, they'd appreciate the feedback.

[Andrew Bell]

I also had a LV warrington with a loose head but that was when delivered to Australia - found the smallest hammer wedge I could and drove it behind the circular wedge and has been firm ever since