Thread: Turning Leather Handles

This is what I stuffed the leather on.


Mallet_3755.jpgMallet_3756.jpg

Haven't tried turning leather (or anything woodwork related), but my father was a devotee of Estwing leather handled hammers, (chippy for 50 odd years), had three Estwing hammers in 40+ years between my being born and him retiring. One was damaged somehow so the peened heads at the end of the handle failed, causing the steel washer and a number of the leather washers to come off.

The shaft of the handle is an I beam forged integral with the head, and the leather washer void to fit over the shaft is definitely stamped, providing a tight fitting interface between the shaft and washer. I strongly suspect the the outer circumference is stamped very close to finished size at the same time, with minor fairing and correction by machine sanding once the hammer is assembled.

Personally I would not like to be offset turning a complete 24oz hammer to shape the handle. I accept that you are probably trying to achieve a concentric form, but I think that it would be easier to achieve by laying up the rings and spinning them against a linisher contact wheel. Sorry, can't help with bonding etc, assuming that you need it to be flexible.

Hi Dsel74
I have not turned leather but when I put leather lineing on this vice the plane would not look at it even when sharp enough to shave the hair off your arm. I ended up useng a chisel to pare the top down level with the wood. I suspect that to turn leather or machine it it is first infused with some sort of hardener. Epoxy or ca glue may work.
Regards
John

I agree that some form of hardener would probably be required.

I think the compressed washer handles are sanded rather than turned. Individual pieces are epoxied together and compressed. When dry they are trimmed to rough shape with a coping saw or similar then sanded on a belt sander to get the final shape.

Maybe its wrapped on

Google stacked leather handle eg https://www.brisa.fi/portal/index.ph...1&limitstart=2

Originally Posted by Pac man

Maybe its wrapped on

Google stacked leather handle eg https://www.brisa.fi/portal/index.ph...1&limitstart=2

That's exactly what I was looking for!

there have been a few turned leather pens, you might want to check out the penturners area of the forum

Stacked leather handles are ground to shape they can be glued or not glued, some are ground by hand normaly on a linishing belt
some are ground on cnc lathe's

This shows how they do it at Estwing.

Go to them 2:30 mark

http://youtu.be/2bMTZmOKgvA

love
nick

I've made a few fly rods. For the handles, I alternate cork rings with 3/8" neoprene foam. Like wet suit material only thicker. Roughly shaped, all buttered up with epozy and stacked. Off to the stationary belt sander. The soft neoprene foam sands like a dream. I'll bet that the best way to shape a rough leather handle is with some sort of power sander.
The neoprene is closed cell foam = can't soak up water. The rings deform to an anatomical grip. Plus, I can feel the rod flexing all the way past my hand to the reel seat. That's kind of cool.

Originally Posted by TreeClimberNick

This shows how they do it at Estwing.

Beat me to it, but anyway, I just realised after all this time that I've been calling the company EASTwing