Thread: Chisel Handles

My handles tend to change shape depending on how I use the tool. Many of my gouges, for example, have a whopping great mushroom on the end because I cup them in the palm of my hand rather than grip them in the normal manner.

Most are downright fugly... a lump of galv pipe welded onto the chisel has more aesthetic appeal.

But they're comfortable for me to hold and use for long periods and that is the important thing.

Originally Posted by Ozkaban

............. I didn't drill the centre hole out quite large enough and have managed to jam the chisel most of the way in . I guess I'll find a way of getting it back out, enlarging the hole by 0.5mm and having another go...Dave

Dave, try drilling a 1 or 1.5mm diameter hole in the handle above the end of the gouge to vent out the trapped air. Then give the back of the handle a few more whacks with the biggest wooden mallet you've got (without the steel being supported by anything) and you may be pleasently surprised how much further the tool disappears into the handle. Of course the hole needs to be deep enough in the first place .
If you want, you could then fill the small hole with a bit of superglue covered with sawdust and sandpapered smooth...near enough invisible.

Cheers

Hi, I picked up a beaut piece of pacific ebony at the Working with Wood exhibition in Sydney last month, perfect for a Thompson gouge handle!! It's about 45mm (1.75") square and about 450mm (18") long (too cold to go out and measure in the shed just at the moment...), looks lovely almost jet black with some figuring shining through...and it was very reasonably priced (from memory anout seven or eight bucks) and environmentaly harvested .

Hi Ozkaban, Dave,
Have a look at Richard Raffan's Book, " Turning Wood " In the back is a rather nice Handle, so much so that all of my handles are almost like that.
Find an old Aluminum Chair, & cut it into 1in. - 25 - 30mm. & use that as your ferrules. You can turn them very easily to sq. them & polish them with a bit of Steel Wool.
I took my Book to Office Works, & blew up the handle picture to 13in. - 335mm. on A3, & just copied the the handle on the Lathe. Worked a treat.
As for Wood, there must be heaps around, Roadside, Friendly Farmer, Botanical Gardens Workers Site, Tree Loppers, & Other Woodies. Hope this helps a little.
Regards,
issatree.

Here's a link to the tool makers handle suggestion

I tend to make all mine different, its an easy way to recognise them in the rack. As for wood I have some fine grain hardwood dunno what sort but it makes good handles. I rarely polish them just finish them with EEE and leave them at that. Fairly utilitarian in style not quite as fancy as most turners, If I can find the camera will put a pic up tomorrow, oops its tomorrow already .

I seat the tang or shank in the handle by first pushing it in as far as it will go and then doing a controlled drop of the handle end onto a carpet square on the concrete floor.

Ozkaban, have you tried holding your steel shaft in a vice and pulling on the handle, tapping the ferrule in the same direction with a mallet if nec.?

For anybody who has ordered a 5/8" tool, I have a 5/8" P&N drill bit with a 1/2" shank.

Let me know if you would like to borrow it as they are not cheap to buy for just one or 2 holes.

It will only cost a couple of dollars to post it around & if we have a few takers, I'll make a list & it can be forwarded on to the next person as each finishes with it.

I already have one taker & the bit is on the way to Brissy today.

<!-- / icon and title --> <!-- message --> Anybody who wants to get in line to borrow the 5/8" drill bit, send me a PM with your
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Originally Posted by rsser

Ozkaban, have you tried holding your steel shaft in a vice and pulling on the handle, tapping the ferrule in the same direction with a mallet if nec.?

Will do this - I haven't been very persuasive with it yet...

Originally Posted by GoGuppy

Dave, try drilling a 1 or 1.5mm diameter hole in the handle above the end of the gouge to vent out the trapped air. Then give the back of the handle a few more whacks with the biggest wooden mallet you've got (without the steel being supported by anything) and you may be pleasently surprised how much further the tool disappears into the handle. Of course the hole needs to be deep enough in the first place .

...and I'll do this if the above doesn't work

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

My handles tend to change shape depending on how I use the tool. Many of my gouges, for example, have a whopping great mushroom on the end because I cup them in the palm of my hand rather than grip them in the normal manner.

Most are downright fugly... a lump of galv pipe welded onto the chisel has more aesthetic appeal.

But they're comfortable for me to hold and use for long periods and that is the important thing.

would like to see pics - my goal with this thread was to get ideas of different handles to try, not just the standard one that I made...

Originally Posted by hughie

I tend to make all mine different, its an easy way to recognise them in the rack. As for wood I have some fine grain hardwood dunno what sort but it makes good handles. I rarely polish them just finish them with EEE and leave them at that. Fairly utilitarian in style not quite as fancy as most turners, If I can find the camera will put a pic up tomorrow, oops its tomorrow already .

I agree about making them all different - at least part of the reason for buying them unhandled. I only polished it 'cos I was having fun, probably wouldn't normally bother. Would like to see pics.

Cheers,
Dave

Here you go, heres a selection of my handles. I have a few more they are mainly branded so they are production handles.

I have also several tools waiting handles, this all hinges on when the shed is built of which is due to start in a few weeks.

Hi hughie, thanks for the piccie of the handles. Like you, I also have a line up of bare tools that would like a handle. You've provided some good ideas there. I particularly like the beaded ones...

Gazing at my pile of wood, the bits I have in handle sizes are red gum, jarrah, blackwood, murbu and ash. Did someone (Maybe Wouldwood, ) mention that ash was pretty good for handles cos it was springy? (Only got one bit of that though. ) Blackwood wouldn't be so good would it? And Merbu would prolly make my hands black. I think I've got some Wattle branches too that might be dry enough by now. . Would slightly green be alright as it will shrink onto the shank? If so, I've also got yellow box and silky oak.

Originally Posted by tea lady

Did someone (Maybe Wouldwood, ) mention that ash was pretty good for handles cos it was springy?

Most European tools (be they chisels, hammers or axes) are handled with Ash.

Nice collection of tools and Handles there Hughie. I like the variety - especially the beading on the handles. Very nice

TL, I reckon pretty much any decent hardwood would do. The annoying thing is that most timber places sell 50mm DAR, meaning it's closer to 38mm square, which is too small for my hands. Getting rough sawn hardwood is harder (without buying fancy varieties from a decent timber merchant ), which is why I liked these garden stakes... Suppose I should look for something better though!

Cheers,
Dave