How do you treat your handles?

[Kingfisher]

I suppose some of the problem with modern shovel, hoe, rake etc wooden handles is the type of wood. I picked up a concrete hoe I bought last year and was miffed that it was so cracked up I doubt even treating it with something now will make it last much longer. I'll admit some times my stuff gets left out in the sun and rain. It seems that I've bought some tools at garage sales that the older they are the better they are compared to some of the junk they peddle today. What's your experience been? Any tips you can share? Thanks in advance.

 

[Nesikep]

I was cursing up a storm the other day while burning... the rake handle was full of slivers, I must have gotten 10 of them... spent most of the evening trying to find them all.... I ran sandpaper over it a while and it helped... I haven't tried it yet, but I'm thinking engine oil might work, but you also might want to wear gloves after you put it on :S

 

[branguscowgirl]

I feel like I am buying new handles around here all the time! Post hole diggers are the worst. Forget replacing them with those metal ones, they are even worse! You are absolutely right about the "older" stuff lasting better. It really was a lot better wood I guess. My care taker is a stickler about putting all tools away, so it is not the weathering for us. He picks up stuff I am using and puts it away even if I run in the house for a drink of water!

 

[Kingfisher]

I feel like I am buying new handles around here all the time! Post hole diggers are the worst. Forget replacing them with those metal ones, they are even worse! You are absolutely right about the "older" stuff lasting better. It really was a lot better wood I guess. My care taker is a stickler about putting all tools away, so it is not the weathering for us. He picks up stuff I am using and puts it away even if I run in the house for a drink of water!

You just reminded me.....I had a post hole digger down a hole awhile back and backed over it. Now I have a matching pair of sticks! I prefer steel handle hole diggers other than they can get pretty hot here in the summer time!

 

[kenny thomas]

I use linseed oil on my fire tools and tools at home also. Makes them last forever.

 

[Kingfisher]

I use linseed oil on my fire tools and tools at home also. Makes them last forever.

Yea well that's what's on that hoe I have....it peeled off. No telling how old the linseed was though. I figured that stuff lasted forever too! ;(

 

[kenny thomas]

Real linseed oil just soaks in. There should not be anything to peal off.

 

[regolith]

Wrap with plastic tape if they get splintery.
Can't remember if I've oiled any in the past but some are twelve years old and outside half of the time and still are fine.

Those spare handles can be useful - I've got one that the rake head simply rusted off. Was cleaning the house gutters and there's a blocked up piece down the end that I couldn't get at because the ground wasn't level enough to set a ladder on. Put the ladder on stable ground and that there rake handle neatly reached over and lifted out all the mud and weed

 

[skyhightree1]

I suppose some of the problem with modern shovel, hoe, rake etc wooden handles is the type of wood. I picked up a concrete hoe I bought last year and was miffed that it was so cracked up I doubt even treating it with something now will make it last much longer. I'll admit some times my stuff gets left out in the sun and rain. It seems that I've bought some tools at garage sales that the older they are the better they are compared to some of the junk they peddle today. What's your experience been? Any tips you can share? Thanks in advance.

this may be the solution for you
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=90236

 

[Limomike]

I dont do anything to the handles on my tools.. just use em, wear em out, get another handle if it breaks, or another tool. If the handle gets too old and splintery ( like my old pic ax ) then I use gloves when working with it. But at my age.. I have learned to use gloves when doing most any chores now..

 

[novatech]

I am terrible about not putting up shovels rakes etc. They will usually sit out where the rain and sun take their toll. For leaf rakes I replace the handle with electrical conduit. I do the same on any other garden tool I have neglected. For those that only wood handles will work I repair them before they break off. I drill holes at a steep angle into the wood inside the metal parts. I then fill will epoxy. Epoxy will soak into the rotted wood. Then I paint the rest of the handle with polyurethane.
Since I started buying Kobalt tools I have not had the problem. Don't waste your money on fiberglass handles.

 

[Rajela]

I treat them all the same. I never discriminate against any handle.

 

[greybeard]

Me too, meaning I abuse them all equally.
But broken posthole digger handles work great as attitude adjusters on cows that want to get a little too pushy.
(actually, 2 pair of my diggers have handles of unequal lengths. One handle will break, and I just drill new hole a little further up, making one handle 8" shorter than the other.)

 

[houstoncutter]

I use linseed oil on my fire tools and tools at home also. Makes them last forever.

Ditto on the linseed oil, but it's getting harder to find it