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Thread: Wood Species for Monkey Wrench Handle

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
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    Wood Species for Monkey Wrench Handle

    I'm resurrecting my great Uncle's rusty, frozen monkey wrench. I've removed the rust with electrolysis and wire brushing. Its now unfrozen and functional, but needs a new wooden handle. I can't ID the wood species used for the original handle. See photos. Can anyone ID this wood type? What wood types would you recommend for the new handle. I suspect I won't be using this wrench much in the future, but you never know. It may just end up as wall decoration in my
    workshop. Thanks for your input.




    IMG_8576.jpgIMG_8575.jpg

  2. #2
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    If you can get Beech, it would make a nice scales for the handle. Ash, mahogany, rosewood (if you can get it). I guess the sky is the limit.

  3. #3
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    Hi Bob,

    One site thought it was desert iron wood. He didn't specify if this was the original wood. > http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/awl.htm

    This same person posted at another site that it was beech or birch. (this was from another forum and SMC TOS does not allow posting links to other forums)

    The original Perfect Handles used beechwood most often, and maple was substituted when the beech was in short supply. The German models used maple most often and only occasionally beech.
    I have used most common woods at one time or the other. Maple, walnut, cherry, pecan etc.
    But I do like the tools, and hold them in some esteem.
    So for my own favorite PH tools, I have used various rosewoods, ebonies, burls, figured woods, spalted woods....
    basically the finest woods the planet produces.
    My perfect handle Monkey Wrench is hiding somewhere and its handle is blackened with grease.

    Hope this is helpful.

    If you also have some hardwood from the same uncle you might use it or maybe another decorative wood.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    E TN, near Knoxville
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Deroeck View Post
    ... Can anyone ID this wood type? What wood types would you recommend for the new handle...
    Unfortunately, IDing any wood from a photo is iffy, and identifying old, darkened wood from a photo might be considered impossible.

    However, there is a good chance it can be identified. Look at the online Wood Database article on identifying wood. Section 7 shows some instructions for ID by examining end grain. (For old and very hard wood, soaking in water before shaving may help)
    Lower on that page are instructions of how to send a sample of the wood for ID by a government lab.

    JKJ

  5. #5
    For a monkey wrench, I'd be tempted to use Monkey Pod (that's a joke).

    Any wood would work. I'd look in my scrap pile and choose some.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  6. #6
    Poplar or basswood. It would be something common and fine grain.

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    Michiana
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    My Grandad had a couple of those. As I recall the scales were walnut. Deep chocolate brown.
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Hickory would be my guess and my choice. It was/is used for hammer handles.
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
    Go Navy!

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