Vibration damper for hand-operated striking tools

A striking tool comprising:

• a handle having a first end and a second end;
• a vibration damping core having a top end, an opposing bottom end and a passage extending into said bottom end, said vibration damping core located on said first end of said handle so that said first end of said handle is located in said passage through said vibration damping core, said vibration damping core having a draft such that an outer dimension of said vibration damping core is greater at said top end than said bottom end;
• a head having a top end and a bottom end and a passage therethrough from said first end to said second end, said head located on said vibration damping core such that at least a portion of said vibration damping core is located in said passage through said head and wherein at least a portion of said bottom end of said vibration damping core extends downwardly below a bottom of said head, wherein a dimension of said passage through said head at said top end is smaller than said outer dimension of said vibration damping core at said top end thereof, preventing said head from passing over said vibration damping core from said bottom towards said top thereof;
• and
• an overstrike sleeve defining a passage, said overstrike sleeve located on said handle adjacent to said head and over said portion of said vibration damping core which extends below said bottom of said head, said overstrike sleeve connected to said vibration damping core by at least one connector comprising a pin extending through an aperture in said overstrike sleeve and engaging a slot in an exterior surface of said vibration damping core.