[AT] Pitchforks - new vs. old.

[Phil Auten]

I sure miss my True Temper "Rocket" claw hammer! It disappeared somewhere
the last time I painted the house back in '00. It was absolutely the best 
hammer
I ever owned, including the Plumb that I got for free. My dad had the same 
hammer
back when I was a kid, he won it in a sales contest back about 1952. I bought
mine because I couldn't destroy his, no matter what I did with (read to) it.

Phil

At 02:54 PM 3/25/05, you wrote:

>Subject: RE: [AT] Pitchforks - new vs. old.
>
>
>>I just went through the "handle problem" a couple of weeks ago, Farmer.
>>I was only looking for a hammer handle to replace the one that broke on
>>my favorite cross peen machinist's hammer, but I couldn't find any
>>carried by the local retailers.  I complained about the situation with
>>my cousins out in Colorado, and they kind of blinked in disbelief.  Ace
>>Hardware stores west of the Mississippi (or at least in the high plains)
>>carry a full range of replacement handles for everything under the sun.
>>Not only was I able to buy a handle out in Wray, Colorado, but it was
>>sized specifically for the hammer that I was working with.  But you're
>>right -- the price was more than the cost of a new hammer, if you want
>>to call the stuff that's currently available a "hammer."  The new stuff
>>sure doesn't have the quality of the old True Temper brand from several
>>decades ago.
>>
>>Larry
>
>Larry,
>
>You reminded me of an overdue project for when I can get back to the shop. 
>The box of handles is getting low.  It's time to make another batch.  With 
>the duplicator on the wood lathe it's relatively easy (although not 
>profitable) to make nice handles in strange woods.  I like walnut... they 
>become nicer looking with use.  I make them in a wide variety of lengths 
>and sizes so I can usually pick one that is suitable.
>
>Most "hammers" today are better referred to as "beatin' irons".  :-)
>
>True Temper certainly set a high standard.  As far as I know, there hasn't 
>been any other shovel, for example, any where near the quality of their 
>forged ones.  Any other just seems like stamped sheet metal and makes more 
>work of the job... even worse than the cheap pitchforks do.
>
>George Willer