WIP hammer handle for Japanese gennou hammer

[SteveMP]

Picked up this blacksmith forged gennou head and grabbed one of the premade handles that they sold. But after seeing some traditional hammer handles made by the user the traditional way, I would like to try making one myself after reading Stan Covington’s series on how traditional craftsmen would make their own handle to fit their body and ergonomics:

The Japanese Gennou & Handle Part 1 – Introduction

I do think a carpenter needs a good hammer to bang in the nail. Oliver Reed Introduction This is the first in a series of articles about the Japanese gennou hammer in general (written 玄翁 in Chinese…

covingtonandsons.com

Currently on the steps where i picked up a board of 6/4 curly tiger maple and cut to rough general size. It is surfaced 2 sides already which is a good starting spot. But have never made a hammer or axe handle before so this should be interesting. Basically on this step of Stan Covington’s multi-part series on making your handle:

The Japanese Gennou & Handle Part 18 – Wood Selection

Stanley “Stan the Man” Musial, one of baseball’s greatest players and most consistent hitters. Used to be that bats had thick handles and a big barrel. Then they found it’s not th…

covingtonandsons.com

Got my workout ripping this 6/4 maple board, took about 10 minutes to rip this thing.





Now its time to square up all the sides

 

[Woodbloke]

I was tempted by the huge array of hammer heads I saw in Tokyo at Inoue Hamono. Having the breaking strain of a Kit-Kat, I was sorely tempted but alas, common sense and my spending limit on the CC prevailed - Rob

Edit - all the hammers that customers could play with had bespoke, home made handles of various shapes and curves

 

[SteveMP]

I was tempted by the huge array of hammer heads I saw in Tokyo at Inoue Hamono. Having the breaking strain of a Kit-Kat, I was sorely tempted but alas, common sense and my spending limit on the CC prevailed - Rob

Edit - all the hammers that customers could play with had bespoke, home made handles of various shapes and curves

That is on my bucket list for sure. If we can ever get to Japan that will be one of the first places on my list, I'll have to explain to my wife of course why a tool store is on the top of my list instead of temples etc haha

 

[Woodbloke]

That is on my bucket list for sure. If we can ever get to Japan that will be one of the first places on my list, I'll have to explain to my wife of course why a tool store is on the top of my list instead of temples etc haha

Easy to find as well once you know how to navigate the Tokyo Metro and Google Maps is your best friend - Rob

 

[SteveMP]

Easy to find as well once you know how to navigate the Tokyo Metro and Google Maps is your best friend - Rob

I also order a lot of tools from this place in Tokyo, as they have great shipping etc. Would love to visit in person, even though I have probably spent $2,000 there already: https://shop.kurashige-tools.com/en-us

 

[Woodbloke]

Nice online shop with some pretty fancy tools and packaging to boot...which you pay for! At Inoue Hamono all their kit is specifically for the professional Japanese chippies, who aren't interested in a fancy box, labels or posh woods for chisel handles. What they do demand is top quality, work a day gear at a reasonable price and a posh box will find it's way into the nearest skip on the way home. The chisels I bought are very plain and were supplied in a very ordinary, cheap cardboard box. They are however, very good! - Rob

 

[SteveMP]

Nice online shop with some pretty fancy tools and packaging to boot...which you pay for! At Inoue Hamono all their kit is specifically for the professional Japanese chippies, who aren't interested in a fancy box, labels or posh woods for chisel handles. What they do demand is top quality, work a day gear at a reasonable price and a posh box will find it's way into the nearest skip on the way home. The chisels I bought are very plain and were supplied in a very ordinary, cheap cardboard box. They are however, very good! - Rob

they have those as well if you browse around and sort low-to-high price etc. I have bought several chisels for $30-50 each, and even some nice saws for $25 etc

 

[GaryR]

Stan's instructions are excellent. I've made a couple of handles using his guide. And I found his prediction true that the first handle will be OK but the third one you make will be the one you want.

 

[derekcohen]

A couple of mine, all with my custom handles. Tenryuu gennou heads in 225gm and 375gm ...



I also have a shortened 225 gm with a two-way handle, for my travel tool box, for both chisel use (steel end) and plane setting (UHMW end). The lower gennou is a 115 gm I use for plane setting in the workshop ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[SteveMP]

Stan's instructions are excellent. I've made a couple of handles using his guide. And I found his prediction true that the first handle will be OK but the third one you make will be the one you want.

I kind of feel like most of my stuff is like that. Why i usually do a practice run on most new projects

 

[SteveMP]

A couple of mine, all with my custom handles. Tenryuu gennou heads in 225gm and 375gm ...



I also have a shortened 225 gm with a two-way handle, for my travel tool box, for both chisel use (steel end) and plane setting (UHMW end). The lower gennou is a 115 gm I use for plane setting in the workshop ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

Those are all beautiful Derek, thank you for sharing. Is the darker wood Jarrah? How did you attach the UHMW and is that copper? I am on my phone and hard to tell exactly on the bottom one.

 

[derekcohen]

Hi Steve

The dark handle is West Australian SheOak. The light handle is USA Hard Marple. The very hard handle is some type of Ebony.

What looks like brass (on the small genno) is leather. The UHMW is attached with epoxy (into a face ground keyed with a grinder).

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[SteveMP]

Hi Steve

The dark handle is West Australian SheOak. The light handle is USA Hard Marple. The very hard handle is some type of Ebony.

What looks like brass (on the small genno) is leather. The UHMW is attached with epoxy (into a face ground keyed with a grinder).

Regards from Perth

Derek

Interesting, thank you. The UHMW is a great idea, i have a japanese wooden mallet but its large and clunky. I like the compactness of the metal with somethimg protective

 

[GaryR]

Both handles are Australian river red gum. The bottom one is my daily user. The upper one is too heavy for most furniture work and the handle is a little short, but I drag it out now and then when something needs bashing.

 

[SteveMP]

Both handles are Australian river red gum. The bottom one is my daily user. The upper one is too heavy for most furniture work and the handle is a little short, but I drag it out now and then when something needs bashing.
View attachment 58188

Wow those are gorgeous! Thank you for sharing! Always interesting to see woods that aren’t available here. Curious what weight they are? Mine is a 375gm but considering something a little lighter like 300

 

[GaryR]

If I recall the heavy one is 350 or 375 and lighter one is about 260-280 but I might be wrong. I got the river red gum from Cook Woods in Klamath falls when I was ordering something else and they said I could get free shipping if ordered x amount more. A block of the river red gum was about the right price so I clicked on it.

 

[SteveMP]

If I recall the heavy one is 350 or 375 and lighter one is about 260-280 but I might be wrong. I got the river red gum from Cook Woods in Klamath falls when I was ordering something else and they said I could get free shipping if ordered x amount more. A block of the river red gum was about the right price so I clicked on it.

Oh dang, i just drove through Klamath Falls last month