I bought this hammer thinking it would be handy to keep close to the lathe.  It has a copper alloy head on one end to knock a drive spur in.  First time I used it the handle broke, dry rot?, but I thought I would put a handle on it someday.  Someday is over a year later but it is here and I decided to make one.  I thought this might be better done using offset turning and proceeded in that direction.  Got a piece of Hard Maple and went to town on it.

 

 

Couple hours later I had this.

 

 

This picture doesn't show it but I made a nice tight fit for the head and when I gave it one last turn of the handle in the wood vise while pressing it together

I ended up with this.

 

 

Perfect!!!!!!!!  Well tomorrow was another day.  I realized that I didn't need to mess with the off set turning so the next one went faster.  Got another blank marked out the handle shape and cut it on the band saw to rough it out.  I just cut the thin handle shape and let the wider shape form while turning.  There was some hand sculpting and sanding involved especially to fit the head.  I am happier with the second version and know full well I could have bought one.  I did this as an "I bet I could make a handle" idea and enjoyed the process.  Here is the rough sawn blank, both views.  It went on the lathe from here and was completely sculpted when I removed it.

 

 

 

 

Here is the finished product.  The copper end is replaceable and someday? I maw go to the metal lathe and make a brass end.

 

 

 

 

Nicely done Dan. Perseverance pays dividends!

From Steve's comment, I am reminded of a quote from the movie- "Outlaw Josey Wales" where Lone Watie says- Endeavor to persevere

 

You done good!

Beautiful end result. 

Spectacular, all around Dan.  Really like the job you did for the head of it.  There is probably a term for that other than hammer head, but not in my vocabulary today...

Great job. First handle was an experiment, second handle was for real.  LOL

You done good. I have replaced a few but the eye on all those was semi oval, one even had a point in one end of the mortise. So I have to use a rasp to finish the install.

Nice work there Dan. 

Nicely done ! That’s one of those cool tools worth preserving. 
Paul

 Geez, Dan, were you out of duct tape???

John

That hammer reminds me of the one I keep at my lathe. It was made by my father before 1950. He turned the head out of brass and whittled the handle. I keep it by my lathe and use it frequently. A great reminder of where my love of wood came from.

16 hours ago, Cal said:

There is probably a term for that other than hammer head

 

...Not that I'm aware of. 

1 hour ago, Ron Altier said:

That hammer reminds me of the one I keep at my lathe. It was made by my father before 1950. He turned the head out of brass and whittled the handle. I keep it by my lathe and use it frequently. A great reminder of where my love of wood came from.

 

2 hours ago, Masonsailor said:

Nicely done ! That’s one of those cool tools worth preserving. 
Paul

 

It seems that the older and odder tools are the more attractive the are.  They have to be usable of course.

50 minutes ago, HandyDan said:

 

 

It seems that the older and odder tools are the more attractive the are.  They have to be usable of course.

 

Or be able to be made usable again, probably why I prefer the old machines/tools.

Nice job on the handle Dan.