The hammer is the cornerstone of the toolbox. It can pound nails, pry stuff open, remove old nails. It's sturdy and tough; it takes a licking and keeps on ticking. But every so often, the unthinkable occurs; the handle breaks, rendering it useless, and leaving man helpless and alone in a jungle of things needing to be hammered. So what to do? Toss it and get a new one? Not so fast. A replacement handle only costs about a third the price of a new hammer, and replacing a handle is easy. First saw off the old handle. Then lay the head upside down claws facing up. Use an electric drill to remove all wood from the eye. Next, slip the new handle into the head. It should be snug but not too tight. If it's too tight, trim it with a razor knife or sand it. Then saw off the excess on top of the head. Finally drive a wood shim into the groove on top of the handle. Then drive a metal wedge across the shim to finish the job. And that's the On The House tip for today.