Wood handle with overmold and method of manufacture
The disclosed and claimed concept provides for an overmold that is applied to substantially all of the exposed portions of a wood handle for a tool.
1. A sledge hammer comprising:
an elongated wood member having a first end, a medial portion and a second end;
an overmold applied to substantially all of said medial portion and said second end, wherein the first end has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than the medial portion immediately adjacent the first end such that a transition between the first end and the medial portion is a flange that extends generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the wood member;
wherein said overmold has an outer surface, said overmold outer surface being substantially smooth;
wherein said overmold has a thickness of between about 0.1 inch and 0.2 inch;
wherein said overmold is not applied to said wood member first end;
wherein said wood member first end is structured to be disposed within a tool head eye of a tool head having an eye;
wherein said wood member second end has an end face extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said wood member;
wherein said wood member second end face includes a bore hole;
wherein said wood member is hickory;
wherein said overmold is polypropylene;
wherein a moisture content of the elongated wood member is between eight and ten percent; and
a sledge hammer tool head connected to the first end of the elongated wood member;
wherein a plurality of openings is formed through the overmold in the medial portion; and
wherein the overmold is not applied to the bore hole of the wood member second end face.
2. The sledge hammer of claim 1 wherein the flange is oriented adjacent the sledge hammer tool head.
3. The sledge hammer of claim 1 wherein the sledge hammer tool head is in contact with the flange.