Hot weather and hammer handles

The spell of hot and dry weather has caused the handles on my stone carving hammers and mallets to become loose.  The wood dries out and shrinks just enough to cause the iron mallet head to slip and move about.  It doesn’t help with carving!

It is something that happens over time with hammers and mallets occasionally, just wear and tear.  Usually it is sufficient to drive a steel (or slither of wood) hammer wedge into the top, tightening the handle again.  There are already two (part of the mallet manufacture) and not much space for more, so I left my mallet in the beck overnight and this morning all is mended and the head fixed solid and tight.  It feels lovely, heavier and cool.