Thread: Why buy when you can make? or why make when you can buy?

To me, the shape of a handle really doesn't matter. The first chisels I bought nearly 40 years ago were a set of Marples. At that time Tamworth did not have any from any tool supplier. Since then my chisel inventory has expanded. I have bought a mixture of chisels handled and unhandled.
For instance I have bought 4 detail chisel from Doug Thompson which were unhandled. The handles I made for them were based on the old Marples shape and the timber was River Oak, just to give the a "set like" appearance. These handles are fairly light requiring a sensitive feeling when used. At the other end of the scale I made a 1.5mm Parting tool that has no real shape other that circular, and I use this just as easily as the smaller "Marples"

In your case maybe you are looking for something that will make your chisels more uniform in shape in so doing making a personalised collection of turning tools

For me, I tend to buy handled where I can - purely because I enjoy working on projects that will finish up outside the shop more than working on tools.

Originally I didn't know which timber was suitable for handles. Now I am working mainly with Camphor Laurel and bowl blanks - neither of which make for a good handle.

I think it's a Process versus Product thing.

Folks that do things for a living like tradies, or folks that are focused on the product, will do whatever to get that product/task completed.
Others that really enjoy the "process" or "voyage" and stop and smell the wood shavings are likely to undertake activities that enhance that process.

For me it depends on time and availability of wood. If i'm not working on anything important I'll make it especially if I have an offcut from previous project that won't be reused for anything else.

The psychology behind this has me fascinated. Can anyone remember the last handle they bought and what the thought process was? What made you decide to buy and why that particular handle?
I have a bell ringing that there is something more to handle design than first appears, though I have no idea yet on what that may be.

For me it's simple. I buy a tool if I need one. If it's available cheaper because it's unhandled I'll get it unhandled, but that is not always the case.

If I make the tool or get it unhandled I'll turn a handle from whatever scrap wood I have at the time as the use of the tool is more important than its appearance.

I even have the ends of skews, gouges, roughing gouges, parting tools etc taped with different colours of insulation tape to make them easily picked out from the bench as I'm working.


Peter.

The handles I purchase get used with a variety of tools. Some tools don't get used enough to warrant a dedicated handle.

The handles I turn are purpose made and fixed to a particular tool.

And, I must admit, any fascination with spindle turning faded somewhere over the last 50yrs of turning.

Sent from my ZTE T84 using Tapatalk

Interesting question. I'm actually going to turn new handles for all my chisels when I get my shop set up, really hate the stock Narex handles. Much prefer the handles on the old Stanley chisels I have (on the left).

Hi Everyone,
Out of all my Turning Tools, there are only 2 Handles that came with the Buy.
The other 30+ I have Turned, in which all came from a Design
from Richard Raffan's 1st. Book " Turning Wood ".
I really like that Design & it fits my hand very well.
I also just use Aluminum Ferrals that come from A/ Chairs, & they polish up nicely.
Wood, well anything really, & most are 13in./330mm. long.
Having a small hand, mine are not very thick, maybe 25mm-1in. +
The handle ends are sq.but slightly rounded, but can write the Chisel Size on it, so I know which Chisel is which. All my Chisels hang down in my Carousel Holder.
Thatsmy2senctsworth.

I make my own because I like a particular shape. I really hate steel or alloy handles so when i needed to make a handle that was a quick change I copied this idea from John Jordan. Glued the brass insert into the wood handle and works like a dream. Not as bulky as a collet holder.
Rgds,
Crocy

I rarely buy a new handled tool if it has a cheaper unhandled version. Rarely is a handle "so good" that it justifies the price difference and I have better uses for the money. It only takes a few minutes to turn a new handle, after all.

On the other side of the coin, I'll rarely rehandle a newly acquired 2nd-hand chisel unless the existing handle is basically useless.

My tools aren't pretty and they aren't a matched set but they're quite functional.

Best of all, IMO, they all have individual characters and I can spot whatever tool I want to use at a moment's notice without needing to look closely enough to differentiate profiles.

My first few chisels (P&N) were handled. I bought them about the same time as the lathe. I needed handled chisels to learn to turn
since then I've bought unhandled for a couple of reasons.
1. I like my money to go as far as possible, so prefer to buy unhandled as they are generally cheaper
2. I like the handles a little longer and a little thicker than the stock standard P&N's
and
3. I'm at the stage of my woodworking that I like to use nice tools and my own made ones (mostly) look pretty good (IMHO)

I have rehandled a small number of chisels. This has only occurred when the original handles were too small. In fact I have recently been given a couple of Robert Sorby tools and I find their handles too small and they'll get the treatment sometime soon.

interesting that no one has mentioned in any of the posts on handle design any concern about oh&s, particularly when rsi type injuries from wrist through shoulder are well known. Are handle ergonomics a consideration when designing/turning your own handles? If anyone has found any information on ergonomic design I'd be keen to see it. Cheers Phil