File from the end of the handle down about an inch, several strokes with the coarse flat side of the rasp.  Turn the handle over to the other edge and file the same.  Turn the handle so the flat side of the handle is up and file an equal amount.  Flip it over and repeat.  Try to take an equal amount off of each side.  Try the head, if too tight, file a little more with the fine side of the rasp.  Try head and rasp some more, until the head start on.

Stick the handle in the head and give it a several good raps on a solid workbench edge to seat the head on the handle as far as it will go.

At the point it stops, take a pencil and mark around the head.  Put the head back in the vise between wooden jaws and drive out the handle with stick and hammer.  Don’t file any more yet where you have just filed  Use the rasp below the mark you made and remove about the same amount all around about another ½” to an 1” or so.  Try the head on again and rap on the workbench as far as it will go this time.  Pencil mark all around at this new location.  Drive off again.  At this point you will notice dark streaks or slick spots on the end you previously filed.  Using the fine side of the rasp, take several strokes at these spots to remove, but no more.  As you get close to the shoulder use the fine side of the rasp either the half round or the flat side.  It may be easier at the shoulder to file across grain, but the head will cover all the rough marks anyway.  Keep rasping and retrying the head until it touches the shoulder.  It may only touch on two sides.  Drive the head off a little and take the Swiss Pattern file and take a little shoulder off of the high sides, until all four seat together.

Fitting the head to the handle is the most work involved in the whole procedure, so take your time to get a good fit.  It’s a lot of work the first time you do it, but it gets easier the second time around.

A lot of flea market dealers carry wooden wedges.  Try to pick out wedges that are only about ¼” or less wide at the top.  Some wedges are about 3/8”, and they will stop driving in the slot before they get very far.  These thinner wedges do a better job.  After the hammer head is completely seated on the handle, most wooden wedges come wider than the eye in the top of the hammer head. The wedge slot in the handle once it is on the head is squeezed fairly tight.  Take a small flat screwdriver and insert into the side of the handle slot to open it a bit.  Insert the wedge, tapping down to top of the eye.  With the wedge up against the pall end of the head, put a mark on the other end about 1/16” wider than the eye.

Mark a line the length of the wedge with a pencil and take a pocket knife or cutter and split off at the marked line.  Save the little splinter, they are handy when you need just a small piece to fill a hole in the end of the handle.

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