Handles

[Bill Blasic]

Since I have not been able to go down to the shop because I have been dealing with low blood pressure and light headedness (I owe two pieces out there and they will get there) so I have been spending twice as much time on the computer and my 13+ hard drives. I ran across the pics from an article I wrote. Thought it might be interesting to see who owns what.

 

[Bill Blasic]

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[Bill Blasic]

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[Donna Banfield]

HannesTools handles, (bright green), Trent Bosch, very early Glaser. I've made my own wood handles as well but rarely use the gouges in them.

 

[Doug Freeman]

I make my own handles out of wood. I use them where the tool needs removed for sharpening, shop made hollowing/insert scraper/Hunter copy/misc, or a longer handle was needed, 2” spindle rougher. Some use Cindy Drozda’s tool adapter, others use a copper pipe ferrule.

 

[Dean Center]

I make my own handles out of wood. I use them where the tool needs removed for sharpening, shop made hollowing/insert scraper/Hunter copy/misc, or a longer handle was needed, 2” spindle rougher. Some use Cindy Drozda’s tool adapter, others use a copper pipe ferrule.

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Doug, I'm very curious about the handles that have tape or knurling on the butt end. Do those grippier areas actually work? Do you think their presence helps remind you to grasp them there for max stability?

 

[hughie]

I make alot of my own, very similar to the Monster variety, generally much longer.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Michael Hosaluk

Middle: Sorby Sovereign and Sorby mini
Bottom: McNaughton

Top: Hannes Tool
Middle: Glaser

Top: Easy Wood Tools

Top: Sorby
Bottom: stick (could be Ellsworth organic handle)

Purple handle: Trent Bosch

 

[Bill Alston]

I too make my own tool handles. These are some of mine. I either make my own Stainless Steel or Alloy ferrules or use ER Collet Chucks.
The most comfortable by far, is the Cork one fifth from the right.

 

[Doug Freeman]

Doug, I'm very curious about the handles that have tape or knurling on the butt end. Do those grippier areas actually work? Do you think their presence helps remind you to grasp them there for max stability?

Yes they do work for me. I found plain wood too slick. I do put finish on all of them to seal them so liquids dont absorb, 1-1 poly/ms, soak in for ~20 min wipe off.

I’m using hockey tape. It gives a higher friction coef vs the wood without being sticky, and the very slight “cushion” helps grip also. It helps some while making a cut, but actually is more helpful as I handle the tool. Sometimes I would switch hands, or go to store the tool, and the slick wood would slide through my hand. Several hit the concrete with edges. Thankfully I never cut myself. The tape near the ferrule helps when using a short grip, when handling the tool, and I store most tools tip down in pvc pipe - some a just a bit small and either stick or fall through, the tape prevents that.

The knurling works but IMO not as well as the tape, and is more time consuming to do. With use the knurling can get worn and be more slick. I’ve put tape over some of the knurling. The tape isn’t perfect - it collects dust (not a big deal to me) and the edges will shed threads some (minor pita). Only been using the tape a couple of years. When it comes time to remove it and put new on it may be another pita. Hockey tape has some pretty strong adhesive. It does have some stretch and lays down well on gentle curves.

I have some gaffer’s tape as well but it suffers the same issues and is a lot more expensive. I considered racket grip tape but the stuff I found was way too soft.

 

[Ted Pelfrey]

Love my Thompson handles!

 

[John Grace]

Doug, I'm very curious about the handles that have tape or knurling on the butt end. Do those grippier areas actually work? Do you think their presence helps remind you to grasp them there for max stability?

I have to add some texturing to my handles...it's easier on my arthritis.

 

[Stan Pressner]

I love Stuart Batty and D-Way handles

 

[Darryl Fective]

I only have wood handles, but I noticed Carter & Son are missing in your photos. Never used one, but their shape is pretty easy to spot. Maybe your article was before?

 

[John Redding]

I use D-Way for some stuff, but most of mine are wood turned on my lathe. Many are David Ellsworth style with a triangle at the end I hold - I can’t recommend that style enough for a “soft” grip.

I also have some McNaughton handles, but they don’t get used much.

 

[John K Jordan]

I like the Thompsons too - have one engraved "Custom made for..." oh rats, the laser engraver messed up. Doesn't matter, it's a treasure!

But my favorites are wooden handles I turn to the shape I like, made to the length that fits the use, textured in some way for a better grip, no two exactly alike.

These handles are hanging out with some Hunter tool friends.


JKJ

 

[Adrian Wilson]

I like the Thompsons too - have one engraved "Custom made for..." oh rats, the laser engraver messed up. Doesn't matter, it's a treasure!

But my favorites are wooden handles I turn to the shape I like, made to the length that fits the use, textured in some way for a better grip, no two exactly alike.

These handles are hanging out with some Hunter tool friends.
View attachment 83126

JKJ

I have seen these posted before; I love the decoration.

 

[Bill Blasic]

I only have wood handles, but I noticed Carter & Son are missing in your photos. Never used one, but their shape is pretty easy to spot. Maybe your article was before?

Yes it was before but they would not have been included anyway and there are those that know why, end of discussion.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

LOve the Thompson handle as it is also an easy traveler. My skews are in walnut handles made in the style of insertion as Doug once had on his site. I use copper ferrels on my handles until I recently started turning Collets in aluminum . I prefer handles that allow removing the tool. The pics are old but except for Thompson show a general picture of my tools.

 

[Steve Tiedman]

I don't like metal handles, and I've tried Thompson and Glaser tools with metal handles. Cold to the touch (aluminum is a heat sink), vibration (unless shot-filled), general ergonomics... Wood is good.

Here are 5 new hickory and maple handles. They're all different from each other, I loosely balance the size and heft of the handle to the tool. But I also texture them up at the ferrule end. This texturing is simply the tip of a 3/8" spindle gouge bumped into the spinning wood just before sanding. I only sanded at about 150 or so, then one coat of Tried & True. I did not want a glassy smooth surface.

 

[Neil S]

Up until handless tools became available I just used the tool with the handle they came with, but progressively replaced the handles on my bowl gouges with longer fixed wood ones. My preference with bowl gouges is for long and light handles, however, long handles are awkward to sharpen with if the the gouges are fixed in them, so progressively replaced most of the fixed wooden handles with removable handles. As a result I have ended up with quite a collection of defunct wooden handles...

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And, in their place I ended up with a hotch podge of removable handles, some custom made with set screws and others with quick release fittings. The nearest I have to a set of handles are the Simon Hope quick release handles, some of which I have also 'customised'...



One of the advantages that I find with those handles is their readily changeable colour-coded 'collets' to use with my different gouge sizes. They are also made of aluminium that makes them lighter, which I prefer.

I've also progressively adopted thinner handles than usually provided by handle suppliers, thus the broom stick inserts in the above and the thin light aluminium handles in the below...



So, as you can see, my tool and handle racks would not win any beauty contests, but I am the only one who gets to see that and as long as they do the job I don't care about that.

 

[hughie]

Mine tend to be somewhat basic of late, the only aspect I pay attention is adequate length and a comfortable grip. A mix of steel and hollow wood handles, havent bothered to remove the wooden propriety handles as they seem long enough. I do have one monster handle with an equally long retracting rod, of 20mm chrome steel x 600 rod with a handle of 700mm+ It takes most of my bigger gouges.

 

[Dean Center]

I don't like metal handles, and I've tried Thompson and Glaser tools with metal handles. Cold to the touch (aluminum is a heat sink), vibration (unless shot-filled), general ergonomics... Wood is good.

I agree with the sentiment. I really wanted to use my Thompson handle in my cool shop, and found a vinyl tube slipped over the gouge made it comfortable in temp and grip, though it sacrificed the anti-roll flats.

 

[Sam Force]

Unlike some others, I prefer a thicker handle. I feel they are more comfortable. 1 oak, 1 mahogany and the middle one from an ornamental tree my parents had. After my dad passed away and the mowing became my job I took the tree out. Hated mowing under it, needless to say my mom was not pleased. The other 2 came from pallet wood. Not sure why the 1 had an orange streak through it. My thoughts are probably a nail in the wood

 

[Bill Alston]

I’ve seen a number of different wraps used on handles to improve grip or comfort. Co-hesive tape, handlebar grip, tennis racket grip etc.

 

[Steve Tiedman]

I’ve seen a number of different wraps used on handles to improve grip or comfort. Co-hesive tape, handlebar grip, tennis racket grip etc.

And jute twine/epoxy whipping (wrap), like this fella shows in this short video. It will not leave you wanting a more gripable surface. Hemp twine and similar natural rope products would work, too.

View: https://youtu.be/58iEO_qpMlE?si=cBX8pozwjHnfEtyO


Others do similar with paracord. Also search how to tape a hockey stick handle. Rob Cosman shows how to do it on his woodworking utoob site, too, for tool handles.