# So boring... another first wa handle thread



## ian (Aug 6, 2020)

This is my pathetic attempt to copy one of @bryan03’s awesome burnt oak handles. It’s also my first woodworking project since I was a kid. The grain doesn’t pop as much as in a Raquin handle, you could fit Arkansas into the tang slot, and there are probably 1 million other reasons why it’s worse, but I’m reasonably happy with it.



Here is everything I used to make it! The handle is in the middle.







(Edit: I forgot to include the small drill I used for the initial holes for the tang slot, and a couple small needle files. Oh well, I’m not taking that picture again.)

Thanks to @Carl Kotte and @Dendrobatez for their advice, and to some other chatty KKFers as well.


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## Carl Kotte (Aug 6, 2020)

You call that pathetic? I’ll show you pathetic!

Great job Ian!


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## ma_sha1 (Aug 6, 2020)

A wisemen once sad, 50% of the success is getting it started, great job!


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## birdsfan (Aug 6, 2020)

I think that came out great! It is even more impressive considering the tools that you used! Practically hand crafted


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## Tim Rowland (Aug 6, 2020)

Shoot man, it looks great especially considering the tools you had for the project. Make a few more and I bet they will be perfect. 
The next time I make a batch of handle broaches I will send you one and it will help you out with the tang slot.


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## M1k3 (Aug 6, 2020)

Good job! Whenever I get around to doing mine, I hope it turns out just as good!


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## Dendrobatez (Aug 6, 2020)

Looking great, the only other advice I can give is that you can never have enough clamps


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## panda (Aug 6, 2020)

you forgot the monkey wrench


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## ian (Aug 6, 2020)

Tim Rowland said:


> The next time I make a batch of handle broaches I will send you one and it will help you out with the tang slot.



I will totally take you upon that. I didn’t even know what a broach was until @Dendrobatez mentioned it to me.


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## inferno (Aug 7, 2020)

good tools for handles are: extra long drills 2,5-4mm, very thin chisel, needle rasp, needle files, small reciprocating saw blades. this is all you need really.

first you drill 2-3 holes to depth, then connect the holes up top to make a slot. then try doing the same down the hole.


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## Carl Kotte (Aug 7, 2020)

With his first attempt @ian has already managed to surpass me. I’m so offended I don’t know what to say. The only thing I have that Ian doesn’t is a handle plant. Today I harvested some ripe fruit:


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## ian (Aug 7, 2020)

Those are sweet! I am intimidated by your use of glue and different woods/metals. Super nice.


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## Carl Kotte (Aug 7, 2020)

ian said:


> Those are sweet! I am intimidated by your use of glue and different woods/metals. Super nice.


Don’t flatter me! I’m navelludd


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## Carl Kotte (Aug 7, 2020)

And I never use metals. With my primitive gear I’m afraid that would spell trouble.


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## ian (Aug 7, 2020)

Carl Kotte said:


> Don’t flatter me! I’m navelludd



When I woke up today, I never imagined that I would soon know the Swedish word for navel lint. I imagine there's some subtlety to your use of it that I'm missing though.


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## ModRQC (Aug 7, 2020)

Both of you suck and you should therefore send me all those messed up handles. I'll happily get rid of these for you. A token of appreciation for two faithful KKF members.


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## ModRQC (Aug 7, 2020)

... (fingers crossed) ...


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## Carl Kotte (Aug 7, 2020)

ian said:


> When I woke up today, I never imagined that I would soon know the Swedish word for navel lint. I imagine there's some subtlety to your use of it that I'm missing though.


Not really! In fact I just had an apparent (in fact incorrect) memory that ’ludd’ could be used in American English too. But checking my sources, I realize I was wrong, again. And now I’m even more offended and ashamed.


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## Carl Kotte (Aug 7, 2020)

ModRQC said:


> ... (fingers crossed) ...


GLWS!


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## ModRQC (Aug 7, 2020)

Goddamit! Now I'll have to think of another scheme.

Good work guys, Carl I think you are quite getting there. Can't wait to have a Custom Kotte on one of my Wa.


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## ModRQC (Aug 7, 2020)

Color, finish and texture looks awesome to me @ian


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## birdsfan (Aug 7, 2020)

I can tell you first hand, Ian, that metal sucks. That last one i did with the brass plate has contributed to my hair loss


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## Dendrobatez (Aug 7, 2020)

birdsfan said:


> I can tell you first hand, Ian, that metal sucks. That last one i did with the brass plate has contributed to my hair loss



Yes, especially as spacers. I like doing brass ferrules but its still not fun to do


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## gregfisk (Aug 8, 2020)

My handles aren’t wa style but I do use a lot of metal. The trick to getting everything to bond I’ve found is to drill holes in the pieces so the glue has something to hold onto.
All of your handles look great by the way.


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## ian (Nov 11, 2020)

Btw, I finally got around to installing this handle (and making my first instagram post...)


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## McMan (Nov 11, 2020)

ian said:


> Btw, I finally got around to installing this handle (and making my first instagram post...)



Looks nice! I like that the octo has a little verticality to it. Looks comfy.


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## ian (Nov 11, 2020)

McMan said:


> Looks nice! I like that the octo has a little verticality to it. Looks comfy.



Thx, I like the verticality and taper. It feel quite nice in use. Happy with every part of it except the Grand Canyon sized tang hole. I would have also liked a little more texture after the burn, but it's pretty good as is.


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## Carl Kotte (Nov 11, 2020)

ian said:


> Thx, I like the verticality and taper. It feel quite nice in use. Happy with every part of it except the Grand Canyon sized tang hole. I would have also liked a little more texture after the burn, but it's pretty good as is.


Learn to love the hole!


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## coxhaus (Aug 29, 2021)

So, does anybody use a lathe to turn handles? Sanding can be done but it would be so much faster to use a lathe. Turn like a 3-foot piece or a length so when you take into account for all the sawing you end up with a bunch of round handles. This is 1 wood working tool I don't have. My shop is full.


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## gregfisk (Aug 29, 2021)

I built a small lathe but only use it to finish sand and polish my handles. IMO, unless you want your handles perfectly round the lathe doesn’t help that much. I use a 6x48” belt sander to grind my handles into shape. They are oval shaped with a good amount of taper so the lathe works well for sanding them smooth. Once you get into any other shape, I think you’re better off sanding on a belt. I take my square handle and start by grinding off the edges. Basically the same way you would make a wa handle. Then I just roll the handle while sanding it into the shape I want. I haven’t found a faster way to do it.


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## icanhaschzbrgr (Aug 30, 2021)

coxhaus said:


> So, does anybody use a lathe to turn handles? Sanding can be done but it would be so much faster to use a lathe. Turn like a 3-foot piece or a length so when you take into account for all the sawing you end up with a bunch of round handles. This is 1 wood working tool I don't have. My shop is full.


I've seen Robin Dalman used his lathe pretty effectively. But not for sanding. Hi used lathe to mimic classic Japanese handles with horn ferrules. Putting a groove on the wooden piece and drilling horn. Not sure if such construction can be made without lathe.


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## M1k3 (Aug 30, 2021)

coxhaus said:


> So, does anybody use a lathe to turn handles? Sanding can be done but it would be so much faster to use a lathe. Turn like a 3-foot piece or a length so when you take into account for all the sawing you end up with a bunch of round handles. This is 1 wood working tool I don't have. My shop is full.


Curious how one would make an octagon handle on a lathe? And heart shape also.


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## Matus (Aug 30, 2021)

I recall that Robin was not making the octagonal shape with a lathe, but the shape of the handle that you then push into the ferule of the handle. The handle itself is then shaped with a belt grinder.

In Japan then do use a special lathe like tool to make the D-shaped handles. Probably the reason why these appear to be more common than the octagonal ones. But we would need someone like @JBroida to chime in to get a clearer picture.


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## ian (Aug 30, 2021)

Matus said:


> I recall that Robin was not making the octagonal shape with a lathe, but the shape of the handle that you then push into the ferule of the handle. The handle itself is then shaped with a belt grinder.
> 
> In Japan then do use a special lathe like tool to make the D-shaped handles. Probably the reason why these appear to be more common than the octagonal ones. But we would need someone like @JBroida to chime in to get a clearer picture.



You thinking of this? Seems more like a tool to make it easier to turn the handle than a real lathe. Super cool tho. I love the powered rotating plane-like thing too.


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## Matus (Aug 30, 2021)

Yeah, that is probably the one. Apparently my recollection was only partially correct.


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## Delat (Aug 31, 2021)

@ian Just noticed this thread. I had the exact same torch and wanted to give you a heads-up that mine caught on fire the last time I used it. Fortunately I was right next to the stove so I dropped it into a pot and put the lid on until it went out.

I had noticed once or twice that fuel was running out faster than I expected, so it probably had a slow leak initially that turned into a significant leak later. The entire head burst into flame, but I was still able to hold it by the base while I got a pot out.

So a heads-up that if you ever feel like, “huh, I thought I filled this up recently and now it’s low” then that’s a sign to toss it.


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## ian (Aug 31, 2021)

Delat said:


> @ian Just noticed this thread. I had the exact same torch and wanted to give you a heads-up that mine caught on fire the last time I used it. Fortunately I was right next to the stove so I dropped it into a pot and put the lid on until it went out.
> 
> I had noticed once or twice that fuel was running out faster than I expected, so it probably had a slow leak initially that turned into a significant leak later. The entire head burst into flame, but I was still able to hold it by the base while I got a pot out.
> 
> So a heads-up that if you ever feel like, “huh, I thought I filled this up recently and now it’s low” then that’s a sign to toss it.



Yikes, that’s scary. No problems with mine so far. But I appreciate the heads up


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## cotedupy (Sep 1, 2021)

You certainly wouldn't be able to produce an octagonal, heart-shape, &c. handle just on lathe. Stuff from a lathe has total axial symmetry - you could do round, round and tapered, round and wavy, but looked at from the end... it's going to be a circle.

Though I think @coxhaus knew that; he was suggesting it as a quick way for material removal if working from something larger. You could for instance take a cylinder of wood from a lathe and then shape it from there.

TBH I doubt it'd be any faster, certainly not if you have something like a band saw, or even an electric plane. And trying to do something like an even, slim, 3ft long cylinder of wood on a lathe is going to be next to impossible by hand I'd have thought. You could do one handle's worth at a time, but not something that length. Also you can't turn all types of wood - depending on the grain some of it would just rip apart.

[I'm not an expert here; these are just guesses, so could be wrong. I do have a friend who is a woodturner, and have tried it a couple of times... not as easy as it looks!]


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## matchplay18 (Sep 17, 2021)

I like what you have achieved. Nothing like getting the creative juices flowing. And that sense of accomplishment. I remember making my first W/A handle almost 30 years ago. Not to overdramatize I still remember the passion the trial and error. Each idea and piece of wood will take you on it's own journey. Your definitely on the right path nice work. If you can find a mentor or at the very least some good advice. You can save yourself some hardship and evolve your craft. Keep the spirit.


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