Using a die grinder, make sure the hole in the hammer has an hour glass shape to it.
I use two or three small steel wedges rather than one or two big ones.
havent had a lose handle for years. Cheap Diamod driving hammer has been used on every horse for sixteen years.

G,day
I fit up my hammers very tight from the start. I,ll buy any hammer handle and shape it up with a rasp, and then get a hack saw and cut 20mm form the top (hammer head end) down, for the wedge. Then I press the handle into the head real hard , until the handle itself is bending. Then put it in the vise, head up, and smash in the wedge all the way. then dress up the excess wood that sticks out from the head. I like to use aluminum wedges because it makes it easier to drill out the old handle when needed. I don,t use glue or such. It usually lasts many years.
Cheers

JB Weld works really well with hammer handles. Coat the handle in JB Weld, then spike and wedge it, then place some more JB Weld on the top and bottom of the hammer. Let it dry and sand of the excess. Works good on driving hammers, as well as rounding hammers.

Funny this post about this time of the year? Last night I soaked three hammers in about three inches of old anti freeze, washed them this morning before loading in truck and they were tight all day and did alot of hot shoeing today.:)They stayed tight as drum.

Hi all,

What I found was is that the inside of the hammer heads are really roughly forged and if you clean them up with a dremel (straight not hour glass)
then custom fit the handle they stay tight forever.

Kevin