Older tools are apt to have traditional wooden handles fashioned from hickory.
The main problem with wooden handles is that with rough use, they can crack, split or break. The only way to salvage the tool is by replacing the handle. Replacing a hammer handle is not a difficult task, but first you must remove the old handle. Begin by sawing off the damaged handle just below the base of the hammerhead. If this piece is firmly wedged in and proves difficult to punch out, use a power drill to bore out as much wood as possible, then punch out the rest.