I kept getting torn up from the bare steel on my main hammer handle, real annoying. Some smiths say you just gotta tough it out and build calluses, others wrap the steel in leather or cord right away. I tried hockey tape and it was a total game changer, no more hot spots. What's your take, harden up or just pad it out?
Ever been stuck with a "tough" piece of gear that just broke in normal use? I learned the hard way that specs on paper don't mean anything if the thing fails when you need it. Now I always pick what actually works over what just sounds strong.