Timber for saw handles?

[Sawdust Maker]

Mornin' all

I expect that I'll be making a couple of saw handles in the near future (well three actually)
and I was wondering what aussie timbers might be good or best suited for doing so

I've some Jarrah, Silky Oak, and Ironbark in requisite sizes
Requisite sizes being about 140 mm x 160 mm x 23 mm
So what are your favourite woods for saw handles?

The handles will look something like this one (but in a nicer timber!) (photo borrowed from the interweb)

saw handle 2.jpg

any other tips and or hints will be greatly received

[IanW]

Nick - I'm not overly keen on most Eucalypts for handles, because the grain is a bit coarse. There are a few, like River Red Gum (E. camaldulensis) that can be ok if you strike the right bits, but it's hard to get a fine finish on it:

R Red Gum.jpg

Jarrah is marginal, but still too coarse for my likings. Some Ironbark is fine-grained, but usually a beast to work. Silky oak is a little on the soft & brittle side, IMO, and you risk losing those fancy twirly bits if it ever takes a trip to the floor, which can happen in the best of families. I've made SO handles for others, & they turned out ok, but I did warn them about potential breakage.

Cardwellia.jpg

My choices are for woods that take a high polish, particularly if they are figured & you want to show that off. The She-oaks are among my favourites, not too hard to work with & polish up rather well.

This is Forest oak 15 tpi carcase & D_T.jpg

Rock oak: Rock oak.jpg

And Lace she-oak: Lace s-oak.jpg

Other woods I've used include Qld Maple (good if you can find finely-figured bits) & Qld Walnut:

Qld Walnut.jpg

Here's a fancy pair, in ringed Gidgee: RG saws2 red.jpg

Of the Acacias I've tried, Blackwood is probably closest in density to the traditional handle woods such as Apple & Beech, and can be really striking if you get hold of a finely fiddlebacked piece. It's also one of the easier-worked woods I've mentioned!

Cheers,

[RayG]

I'd agree pretty much with Ian, I've used Jarrah and West Australian She Oak with good results, my favourite is Walnut, takes finish nicely, and holds detail well...

I did make one out of Huon Pine once, but it shattered after getting flipped into the wall when getting buffed on a wheel...

For Australian timbers I'd go with She Oak. If I had some Gidgee... I'd be tempted...

Regards
Ray

[pmcgee]

Depending on how long you want to wait ...

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f132/apple-tree-168767/
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/milling-apple-tree-tool-handles-171720/

[johnnyrsa]

I'm busy making a couple handles from bubinga, will post pics when I'm finished.
I'm still trying to get my hands on some african walnut..

Here's a nice link which might help you a bit: Spruce Mill Woodworks: Making Saw Handles

[Sawdust Maker]

Thanks everyone for your responses

Ian

Some really special looking handles there
That gidgee is gorgeous - is the grain in one a mirror or the grain in the second - you seem to have sapwood at the bottom of one and at the top of the other?

I've a piece of Qld walnut but probably not enough

but better still you've reminded me that I've a nice piece of she oak
and I like the other oaks you've got there

Ray

She oak as well - must be a conspiracy!
I'd thought of huon but had decided that it would be too soft

Paul

Not sure I want to wait that long but then again with some of my projects I buy the stuff and then it sits awhile until I get all keen again.

John

Thanks for the link - very interesting

[IanW]

.......That gidgee is gorgeous - is the grain in one a mirror or the grain in the second - you seem to have sapwood at the bottom of one and at the top of the other?.....

Well spotted, Nick. It's not true sapwood, actually, the sapwood was pale cream & quite featureless. The piece I cut the handles from got progressively paler from heart to the outside, as you can see. I would have preferred to have the lighter wood at the top on both, but I only had one chunk wide enough, and the only way I could get both handles out of it was to reverse the templates. Light normally comes from above, & it seems to me more 'natural' to have the darker wood towards the bottom. I would have done them both this way if only the blank had been about 40mm longer. I hadn't thought of them as 'mirror images' before - that makes me feel better about it, thanks!

Cheers,

[pmcgee]

I would have preferred to have the lighter wood at the top on both

Just personally, I like one with the lighter wood at the tail.
Paul
... and all the rest!

[Sawdust Maker]

Ok

As you can see I have started the handles

Saw handles_7047.jpg

Glued the templates to the plank of sheoak, just used some spray adhesive
I deliberately glued one face down as I was trying to avoid some borer damage in the plank. In hindsight I really should have printed out a mirror image of the template. I thought more of the image would bleed through the paper from the application of the glue, but alas, not to be

saw handles_7141.jpg

Drilled out all the tight radiuses using forstner bits

saw handles_7143.jpg

Cut away most of the waste on the bandsaw at the local mens shed. Received a lot of questions - as in what are you making etc


Since the last photo I have sanded to the lines using a bobbin sander
next step is to drill the hols for the saw nuts etc. (I'll need to make myself a split nut driver as well at some stage)
Back slot and blade slot about now as well, me thinks

Then to get to with the rasps and files and sandpaper and whatever else lends itself to handshaping wood, angle grinder perhaps?


Ian
just a quick question if I may?

what finish do you usually use on your handles?

[wheelinround]

Looking good Nick

A mini router would soon have those edges rounded over

[IanW]

......Ian just a quick question if I may?

what finish do you usually use on your handles?

Nick, I use Shellawax. I know it's meant to be applied to objects spinning on a lathe, but if you rub on a coat or two as if French polishing, then buff it with a cloth wheel at sufficient speed to generate a bit of heat, you get a very impressive finish with very little effort. It's also instantaneous, no waiting involved, just buff, assemble, saw.... I used to use Danish oil & wax with lots of rubbing & polishing. That gave a nice finish too, & it's marginally more durable, perhaps, but lots more work, too. Shellawax gives a better finish for less effort, so that puts it well in front in my view.

Yep, I reckon it's a good idea to do the spine & blade slot & drill the holes for bolts & nuts as early as possible in the process. It's the trickiest part, & you need to get it spot-on, or your blade will not fit well. Messing it up after you've invested a lot of effort & time shaping it is very discouraging!

I prefer rasps, files & sandpaper for shaping - much easier to control & less likely to end in disaster than using any powered tools. I 'finger-gauge a set of pencil lines so I can keep it symmetrical, it's exceedingly easy to lose track if you don't have something to guide you. I covered my handle-making method (rather briefly) in the AWR article.

Cheers,

[Sawdust Maker]

Ian

Thanks

Shellawax - too easy

yep I can't see my self using any power tools from here on in (except for the saw nut holes)
I'll dig out your article

thanks again

[Clinton1]

I'm (slowly) making a handle from brushbox at the moment, there is a bit of figure in the b/b, and I think it will come up nicely with a wax finish.
My trouble is that I'm trying to 'scale up' dimensions from the original handles to the new ones so as to fit my oversized hand properly. I was suprised how nicely b/b comes up straight off a rasp.

[IanW]

I'm (slowly) making a handle from brushbox at the moment, there is a bit of figure in the b/b, and I think it will come up nicely with a wax finish.
My trouble is that I'm trying to 'scale up' dimensions from the original handles to the new ones so as to fit my oversized hand properly. I was suprised how nicely b/b comes up straight off a rasp.

Clinton, I haven't tried BB, but it is a relatively fine-grained wood, & should take a nice finish. I've been on the lookout for some with a tight figure to try for handles, but everything I've come across so far wasn't suitable for saw handles. I like a small 'repeat' so that there will be enough visible on grips & cheeks to have the full impact. Been looking out for some suitable bits to try making 2 inch bench screws from it, too, which I reckon it should handle very well.

When making handles for bigger fists I've found it doesn't take much change to make a very noticeable difference. Most hands I've measured fall in the range of 80-105mm across the palm, so if you take commercial grips as being right for an average hand (i.e. ~90-95mm), you should only need to increase grip length by a few mm unless you are truly outsized. Easing the sweep of the 'horns' a little (particularly the bottom horn at the front of the grip), also frees up hand-room. As well as lengthening the grip, you can make the grip feel more fulsome for large hands by making it wider. Just a few mm of extra width makes more difference than you might expect. You can also make them thicker, but that means the whole handle will be thicker, which may make the handle look clumsy & out of proportion. You also need to consider overall weight, which becomes significant when using our denser hardwoods, because they can get a bit too hefty, and 'unbalance' the saw. You also have to take note where the bottom of a handle will end up, relative to the tooth line. If below, or too close to, the line of the teeth, it will get in the way on some types of saw, though not a problem with others....

Cheers,

[hiroller]

Hi Ian,

Out of interest, how fine do you sand your handles before the Shellawax?
Do you have any preferred sanding technique?