What Is Going On Here?

[Jim Koepke]

Finding ferrules for tool handles is often difficult. One of the easy things to use is a copper pipe coupler. Often one couple can be used to make two ferules. They are also easy to shape on my anvil with a dome tool on the anvil:

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This handle used a full 1/2" coupler.

Yesterday at Lowes the 3/4" stop couples were at $1.27 each. The 1" slip couples were $5.59. That doesn't make sense to me. The slip couples do not have the pressed ring around them. This means another step in making them. The pressed in ring makes them easier to cut with a hack saw.

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The Lowes web site shows a different price but the 1" is still 3X the cost of the 3/4". My first thought is maybe the 1" were repriced before the 3/4". This was my reason for picking up four of them yesterday.

Should maybe pick up some 3/4" end caps. The also make good ferrules for tool handles.

jtk

[Tom M King]

Another possibility for ferrules are air hose ferrules. They aren't as thick as plumbing fittings, but probably would work fine. They're available in a bunch of different sizes. I'm not sure about different quantities. I have a bunch of different sizes, but I don't think any came in smaller packages. They're designed for crimping onto air hoses.

This one has a chart with the different sizes.

https://www.amazon.com/Interstate-Pneumatics-F7326-50-Fitting-Diameter/dp/B00ABZ39LQ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=19N3VLULNBL8J&keywords=air+hose+ferrules&qid=1638744266&sprefix=air+hose+ferrule%2Caps%2C171&sr=8-3

Search "air hose ferrules" on Amazon, and they do come in smaller packages.

[Andrew Seemann]

For whatever reason the slip ones are usually more expensive, although usually not that much more. I've often suspected it is a volume thing, the standard couplings get made and used by the million, but slips only get used rarely, where you can't move a pipe back an inch to get a standard one on, such as working on the middle of a pipe run where you can't get at the ends, and need to patch in a valve or tee. The lower sales volume might drive up the price, even if they potentially cost less to make (no guarantee there though).

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks for that Tom. One of my shop made marking knives uses a 1/4" tubing compression fitting for a ferrule. Couldn't find those in stainless steel, maybe keep looking as that would be classy.

Also looking at your link indicated a spell checker once led me astray on the spelling of ferrule.

A ferule is a flat ruler with a widened end, formerly used for punishing children, not something for a tool handle.

jtk

[roger wiegand]

I like to use gas compression fittings for ferrules. You can nicely turn and polish the brass ones with wood lathe tools so you'd never know it was a plumbing fixture! The added thickness lets you play with the shape a bit.

[John Lanciani]

I like using pex crimp rings (the copper ones), they are about 3 for a buck for 1/2" or 3/4", 2 for $1 if you need 1".