Sanding Garden Tool Handles

Caryc

Well-known Member
I have about a dozen garden tools like shovels hoes and others of the like. They have been sitting outside for years. Most of them have wooden handles. If you use them with bare hands, you immediately get hands full of little splinters, small enough that one can't see them but they really irritate the hands. Even some of the tools with fiberglass handles do the same thing.

Any way, I'm try to figure a way to sand those handles to get rid of all that weather caused stuff. I have a jaw horse to hold the tools in. I was thinking of taking a sanding belt and cutting it so I can hold it by each end and running it up and down on the handles. That just seems like a lot of work and time. Anybody got any better ideas?
 
As already mentioned, I've used sanding sponges with good results. Another thing I've done is use fine (000 or 0000) steel wool. My go-to finish for tool handles is boiled linseed oil--unlike most finishes that go on the surface, linseed oil soaks in and cures, strengthening the wood and giving it more resistance to wear and weathering. I typically thin the first coat 50/50 with turpentine and then put on a couple more when that's dry. It's a bit more work in the short run but the longevity you gain is worth it, and it's a simple matter to put on another coat when needed.
 
(quoted from post at 18:17:25 05/03/22) As already mentioned, I've used sanding sponges with good results. Another thing I've done is use fine (000 or 0000) steel wool. My go-to finish for tool handles is boiled linseed oil--unlike most finishes that go on the surface, linseed oil soaks in and cures, strengthening the wood and giving it more resistance to wear and weathering. I typically thin the first coat 50/50 with turpentine and then put on a couple more when that's dry. It's a bit more work in the short run but the longevity you gain is worth it, and it's a simple matter to put on another coat when needed.

I used boiled linseed oil the first time I did it many years ago and will use it again this time. But this time I'll keep the tools in the shed.
 
A trick I remember from back in high school shop class, sand it down, glue down
any separations, major splinters.

Once it's smooth, (180 grit) and no loose splinters, dampen the surface with
water. That will raise the grain, give it a fuzzy feeling when it dries. Then
sand it again. Repeat until it stops fuzzing up, usually about 3 times.

Then coat it with at least 2 coats of boiled linseed oil. You can even clean up
the metal and use boiled linseed oil on the metal.
 
Certainly agree with boiled linseed oil , it's kept my garden tool handles , especially the shovels in good condition for forty years now.
As far a fibre glass handles go I've gotten really good results by simply painting them with clear solvent based polyurethane . It seals the fibres , smooths down the handle and protects from water and UV. I have also used it on fibre glass ladders when the gel coat breaks down a little ( not enough to cause structural weakness though ) , it stops small fibres sticking into your hands .

This post was edited by Charles in Aus. on 05/04/2022 at 12:30 am.
 


I did a shovel handle just a few weeks ago. I did it pretty much like anything else. I started with something like 120 just held in my hand. That made short work of the ridges. I then went to probably 240, which smoothed the roughness of the 120 down to where it was smooth to the touch. It took just a few minutes.
 
Every spring they said my Grandpa would take a thick piece of broken glass and smooth up all his handles on plows and stuff.
 
Id think if you stored your garden tools inside of your shed instead of outside that you wouldnt have the need to sand down the handles. Wingnut
 
(quoted from post at 14:01:57 05/04/22) Id think if you stored your garden tools inside of your shed instead of outside that you wouldnt have the need to sand down the handles. Wingnut
hy was this the ninth reply?
 
(quoted from post at 08:24:35 05/04/22)
(quoted from post at 14:01:57 05/04/22) Id think if you stored your garden tools inside of your shed instead of outside that you wouldnt have the need to sand down the handles. Wingnut
hy was this the ninth reply?

Why? Because when a guy comes here asking how to do something, most people here try to offer help. Coming back with a snide answer like that is not helping my current situation at all.

I thank all you guys that did try to help. If you other guys re read my second post from the top, you will see that I said I will keep the tools in the shed once I fix the handles, so your comments about that are just snide remarks and not meant as anything in the "help" catagory. So, I do not thank you.
 
Well I sanded them until smooth , then I used

gorilla glue thinned out , and used it

like stain , a couple coats to fill the

larger gaps
 
(quoted from post at 18:25:28 05/04/22) Well I sanded them until smooth , then I used

gorilla glue thinned out , and used it

like stain , a couple coats to fill the

larger gaps

Hmmm...now that's interesting. But I really don't care about any gaps. I just don't like those invisible splinters.
 

I got all my tool handles done. I used 60 grit sanding sponges. It's like those things were made for the job. I did all 11 handles with one sponge. Also in the picture you see my Jaw Horse. I think this thing is the handiest thing I ever bought for myself. When you put something in it's jaws, just one push on that bottom pedal and it's held securely in whatever position you put it in. The top jaw on the thing can be turned around so it can hold a 36" wide piece of plywood or other item.

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