Garden tools are among the most-used tools, at least for a person who actually maintains a garden. So it is always a sad day when you discover your trusty tool has gotten its handle broken! Before you think of saying a tearful goodbye to your favorite shovel, hoe, or rake, know that there is a way to fix the wooden handle in an easy way that will seriously cost much less compared to buying a replacement for the entire tool.


Step 1. Check if the handle length is long enough to survive having the broken part cut off. For example, many garden tools come with very long handles, and if the damage is only close to the end, you can simply cut off the damaged portion and round it off. But if you deem the handle totally unusable, it is time to replace the handle.

Step 2. Head over to the local hardware store and buy a replacement handle. In order to be sure you get the correct size, it would be best to bring the whole tool with you. You might be considering actually keeping the broken handle and just repairing it, but the risk of injury is high and it would be better to discard the handle but keep the working end. This is why you need a new handle.

Step 3. Use a bench vise to clamp the tool blade in place.

Step 4. With the tool held in place, try to get the handle out by wriggling it out. If that doesn’t work, you can split the broken wooden handle with an electric drill and pick up the broken pieces. If the handle is held in place with a rivet, file off the head and drive it through with a punch or hammer. If it is wedged in, use a punch, inserted through the hole at the bottom, and pound it with a hammer. If it is held in place with a metal screw, just remove the screw. A little WD-40 usually helps make the removal much easier.

Step 5. Spray some more WD-40 to the inside of the metal housing where you will be sliding the handle in. This protects both the wood and the metal, and it will also make inserting the handle much easier.

Step 6. Put the new handle in. If there is a problem with the fit, you can simply file some of the wood to adjust the size. Hold the tool by the working end and tap the handle on the ground to make it slide into the hasp.

Step 7. If there is a rivet hole, drill through it into the new handle. Use a galvanized wood screw to hold it in place. Pick a screw that is slightly shorter than the hasp diameter.