I have quite a few old forks and spades with broken handles in the shed and have often thought about trying renovate them. Some have sentimental value. The old heads might be worn but they have a superb quality about them which you can't find now.
Has anyone tried fixing new handles? Is it a simple DIY job? The few replacement handles that I've found in garden centres are of such poor quality that it doesn't even seem worth trying to fit them. Where can you get top quality handles and new rivets? How do you fit the rivets - just hammer them in hard maybe?
Thanks for any help.

John

Hi John
This really makes me smile as I know which programme you are referring to when you named this post.

We rescued a "womans" fork from the local tip a few months ago, it is a really nice fork but needs a new handle, I am not sure where we will get a good quality small fork handle from which does not cost a fortune as the fork did not cost us anything.

Hi John,
Last year I was faced with the same problem of five assorted spades and forks all needing new handles.
I found some really decent ones in the Countrywide Store in Craven Arms and a small search reveals that there is one store in Gloucester which I believe is not that far from you.
Countrywide Store.
171 Westgate Street,
Gloucester,GL1 2RR
Tel: 01452 526881
In particular I bought the ones with an aluminium handle.
You will need the one with a tapered shaft.
I always use 3" or 4" nails as rivets and they generally suffice.
The jobs is not rocket science but you must make sure that the handle lines up with the implement before you finally fit the handle. The way to get the final thrust is to hit the implement on the ground. Then when you are sure that everything is as it should be drill the hole for the rivet and the job is done.
Hope this helps.
JB.

First obtain your replacement handle,mark a dot in the centre of the shaft (the bit that goes into the business end). Using a spoke shave or draw knife but be careful of the latter, it can be a bit OOOOPS too much taken off.

With the handle in a vice produce a cone to fit the head keeping the dot in the centre (take off wood evenly all round), hopefully there is a bit of rust inside the female portion of the head and this will tell you where it's wearing so take a shaving off there, carry on doing this till the handle touches the head as much as possible and goes as far down the orifice as possible.

Insert the handle into the head and bang it down (handle downwards onto a folded bit of material then drill a small hole through the existing holes in the head, hopefully it will emerge from 't' other side. Get a close fitting nail, drive through and cut off with an equal length of nail protruding as the nail is round, support the nail head on the striker plate on the vice and pean over the other end. File down any burrs and rough bits.

Bingo, job done. Cheers, Tony.

I have had the same fork for 40 years , Only had to replace the handle twice and the prongs once .....

This company list replacement handles amongst the many lines they stock.

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/uk-tools-direc ... 4340.l2563

The important thing is don't be tempted to remove the broken bit of old handle by burning, it spoils the steel.

Many thanks to you all for your helpful replies.
I'll try Countrywide in Gloucester JB as you suggest. I don't go to Glos very often but I have to go to the GRH in couple of weeks for a pacemaker check so I'll call in at Countrywide while I'm there.

John