fiberglass handled tools

[fordson major]

had a nice fire in the wood stove last night!!! digging a short trench last week yielded two shovel handles, a sledge hammer handle and a regular hammers handle added too this was a sledge hammer handle my wife broke at work!! whats been your experience with non wooden handles on tools? we did get fiberglass handled sledges, hers sits out in her work truck, mine sometimes gets put in the shed!!

[Wolf mom]

Not a "tool" person, but I do have a fiberglass handle on one rake & one shovel that I've had for at least 3 years. They are outside most of the year except the winter & have had no problem with them. Not like wood handles that splinter & break.

If you're thinking about getting them, I'd say go for it!

[fantasymaker]

Lovey fiberglass handled tools ! One thing I specially like is they dont absorb grease.
But my faverite tools are still a wooden handled framing hammer and a spatula.

[Ed Norman]

One of our fiberglas shovels has a thin rubber cap on the end of the tube. It wore out and now there is a sharp edged blister maker there. The other has a very thick rubber cap and no problems.

I bought a sledge with a cream colored plastic handle at a pawn shop 20 years ago. I can't break it. It isn't fiberglas but it is tough.

[Scrounger]

I'll never have another fiberglass handled tool again, if I can help it! I've had shovels, rakes, hammers, etc. EVERY ONE OF THEM has broken in short order. Nothing like the good old fashioned WOOD handles. I haven't broken a wood handle in years. Besides, you can buy 2-3 wood handled tools for the cost of one fiberglass handled one (around here, anyhow). For light duty tools, they MIGHT be ok, but for real work it takes a real tool - wood.

[Wayne02]

Love the fiberglass handled tools. So far they seem to last longer than properly treated and maintained wood handles. They also seem less prone to fracture from impacts. This may be because the fiberglass has a bit of give in it before finally fracturing.

One downside may be replacement cost, but I don't know about that as all the ones we own having been going strong. It may be that they don't even offer fiberglass replacement handles? Or, more likely, the cost of a replacement handle would be only slightly less expensive than a whole new tool...

[Farmerwilly2]

Oiled wood handle can't be beat for rootin and diggin.

[MELOC]

i don't like fiberglass handles. i hate the flex. it seems to make each task just a tad harder. i don't like the splinters of fiberglass getting into my hands or arm either. when those handles fail, it is ugly.

too many of the wood handled tools are not properly made. someone on this forum explained it well. the handles need to be oriented properly with respect to the grain of the wood. you want to look down at your shovel handle and see the lines of the grain and have the circles on the side of the handle. if that is reversed, the handle will flew and break.

[MELOC]

i do like the composit handle on my splitting maul. i have broken many wooden handles on mauls and axes. the composite handle has a plastic collar just below the head that keeps a missed strike from damaging the handle.

[swamp man]

As a landscaper,I've used 'em all,and my crew and I really put them to the test.
Hands,down,the fiber glass handles are much,much more durable.Just like with the wood handles,though,there's "high end" tools,and "low end" tools.

[SoINgirl]

Every fiberglass handled tool that we have had my husband has broken and some of the wooden handled ones too, but not like the fiberglass ones.

[Darren]

You can't beat a fiberglass handled duckbill hammer for breaking down split rims. The fiberglass absorbs the shock if you hit the ring. Wood will transmit the shock to your hands. Other than that, I'll go with wood.

[Quint]

I've replaced a couple of my handles with steel pipe. Makes a good handle. Heavy but good.

I've broken both wood and fiberglass. The fiber breaks less and it is the cheaper ones that break the most. The fiberglass ones I've had break can break quite badly when they do. One of the handles made some simply wicked, long, lance like splinters that buried themselves deep in my delicate person.

I've had some old antique wood shovels and axes and such that I've used for years and have never broken but I've bought brand new high dollar shovels and broken them in a matter of hours. I think it is the quality of the wood being used as much as anything.

[michiganfarmer]

Originally Posted by Darren

You can't beat a fiberglass handled duckbill hammer for breaking down split rims. The fiberglass absorbs the shock if you hit the ring. Wood will transmit the shock to your hands. Other than that, I'll go with wood.

been there, done that brother! I worked in a heavy tire shop for almost 3 years. Its a pretty neat occupation.

[Darren]

Originally Posted by michiganfarmer

been there, done that brother! I worked in a heavy tire shop for almost 3 years. Its a pretty neat occupation.

I help out in a local garage. We get the 24" military tires and rims to both demount and mount from a local rebuild facility. Other than that, I don't do much with tires. Last week we got 51 tires to mount. It can keep you busy for awhile.

[fordson major]

thanks every one! i forgot to mention that one of the biggest killers of tool handles is the fact that they get dipped in "organic" material, even washing it off it soaks in for a time! have a buddy welded up some pipe tool handles, if i could cushion the handle some how, they would last! his have been on for 20+ years now!

[Thoughthound]

Broken both. Fiberglass lasts longer.