Snapped a cross-peen handle in the middle of a demo yesterday

I was showing a new guy how to draw out a tenon at a workshop in Austin, and my hammer head just flew off after the third hit. The hickory handle had a hidden crack near the eye that I missed during my morning check. Turned a 5 minute demo into a 20 minute hunt for a loose head rolling under benches. Anyone else ever have a handle fail at the worst possible time?

2 comments

2 Comments

pat_park10d ago

Yeah that happened to me once and I used to think a good handle could last forever if you just kept it dry and oiled. Then I was out on a job framing a shed in the middle of July, my old cross peen had been with me for like eight years. I swung down on a timber and the head went spinning into a pile of scrap lumber, couldn't find it for ten minutes. That's when I realized even the best hickory hides internal checks and you can't catch every flaw no matter how careful you are, especially with heavy use and heat changes. Now I check the handle every morning and tap the head to listen for any dead spots, but I also keep a spare handle in my truck just in case. It changed how I look at trusting gear that looks fine on the outside.

black.amy10d agoMost Upvoted

Eight years is a good run for any handle though.