[Kleftiwallah]

Actually I was in married quarters when the big change came and from supplying everything the R.A.F. went to supplying nothing. They said anything you want on march out, take it! But that's by the by.

The handle shaft has broken. I'm trying to track down a replacement but not having much luck. All wood YD handle, but longer than the two footers I'm finding in garden centres and ironmongers. As I said all wood handle apart from a pin through the top and possibly two shaped bits at each end of the grip.

I live in North Wiltshire but I'm willing to go anywhere if they have a handle to this spec'. Any leads out there? No Googles   p  l  e  a  s  e,   been there. Cheers, Tony.

[arugula]

Tony, 28 inch Ash YD replacement handles are quite readily available online - Amazon, toolstation etc., but there is some metal in the Y section. If you couldn't source an all wood one, you could resort to one of these.

Like this one:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Faithfull-Handle-Straight-Taper-28IN/dp/B0001IWIN8


Edit to add link with picture.

[Kleftiwallah]

Thanks for the reply, however.  .  .  Dentons of Chippenham have these, metal too cold in winter and too short.  It seems that the modern forks have a join halfway up the shaft and so the handle is shorter.  I'm not tall by any means but I like a long fork - more leverage.    :blink: Cheers,   Tony.

[arugula]

Could you get somone to make you one?

[Kleftiwallah]

That is the thought that is starting to bud in my swede!  Having a good think on how to steam bend the handle section.   Cheers,    Tony.

[smud6ie]

What about fitting one of these onto a suitable diameter handle cut to the length you require?
If you have access to a wood,copse or over grown hedge you could faashion one out of ash.
My Sons favourite landscape rakes has a shaft I shaved from a small ash sapling  .
http://www.twwholesale.co.uk/product.php/section/6914/sn/U1950A
smud6ie

[grendel]

go to a tool hire shop that supplies the road gangs and they will have a wider range of handles than standard. also consider getting a local bodger (green wood worker) to make up a traditional Ash handle to your length.
maybe you can find a local bodger here:-
http://www.bodgers.org.uk/index.php
Grendel

[Rangerkris]

Someone here might be able to make you a handle, there a helpful bunch over there

http://www.bodgers.org.uk/bb/phpBB2/

[Kleftiwallah]

Thanks to all for taking the time to reply with those ideas.   Cheers,   Tony.

[Kleftiwallah]

Just got a good lead.  Mole Valley farmers.  Now don't all you lot rush off down there and clear them out before I get there tomorrow!     Cheers,    Tony.

[grendel]

I broke my fork a couple of weeks ago and found my local ironmongers stocks handles D and T - I figured for a longer handle I can take the T off that handle (which has more wood, and put the D from the other handle on - Job done. mind you I still have to get the wood out of the old fork yet. maybe a blowtorch to burn the wood away until it drops out.

Grendel

[Kleftiwallah]

Let down again    The girlie on the phone said they had all wooden fork handles in 'T' and 'D' type.   WRONG, wooden shaft surmounted by plastic 'D' handle.  Why do they lie?  Did they think that after driving 15 miles I would have bought 'something like it' ? ? ?

I did find a large long handle for my mattock and a large seggy (wedge).  Now a question, is it better to drive the wedge in with the grain or across the grain ?   Cheers,   Tony.

[grendel]

depends what you want my local ironmongers had these:-
which at least has a metal D (approx £10)
Grendel

[arugula]

I did find a large long handle for my mattock and a large seggy (wedge).  Now a question, is it better to drive the wedge in with the grain or across the grain ?   Cheers,   Tony.

Across the grain, I believe.... but you could google this or look on YouTube.....

depends what you want my local ironmongers had these:-
which at least has a metal D (approx £10)
Grendel

Grendel, they're the same as the ones I linked to at the top... no good for Tony...