Rustic Tool Handles

Cool. I can’t help but wander off in thought to BBQ tool handles.

-- Doug, woodworking in Alabama

Those are some nice looking handles that you have created. They certainly give the tools a unique look and feel. I can well understand why your customers are fond of them.

Thanks for the post.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

looking good never thought of that.I take it you don’t turn and did this from neccesity if so good things sometimes come this way like you did.Alistair

-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease

Hi Randy,

Great job of combining materials into functional art. I’m going to have to see if I can locate some hickory down here in Houston. That’s a nice sycamore stump you salvaged. Ike left me one or two sycamores too.

-- Jim

Those are too cool.

-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.

Pretty nice, & it don’t take very long to make them.

We don’t have Hickory around here, but Maple should work fine.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Doug:
I’ve got you covered. I’ve made many sets of rustic handles for BBQ tools. They make great gifts and I use them at the BBQ pit.

Scott:
Thanks for the comments. I like to find gnarly pieces of wood for really unique handles.

Alistair:
I don’t turn in the modern sense, but I can whittle like a lathe when I need to.

Jim:
Ike left me a loot of raw materials for my rustic crafting.
Besides sycamore, I’ve got cherry, maple, hackberry, mulberry, cottonwood and poplar to clean and glean.

Brian:
It’s cool to extend your favorite woodworking genre with making your own tools. I go rustic.

Dick:
Although bark-on hickory is my favorite for tool handles, I use any local or found wood that will make nice handles. We have several natural species of maple around here including: sugar maples silver maple and box elder. Sometimes I do a little carving and burning to dress up my handles. To me, rustic tools for a rustic wood crafter makes a lot of sense. A friend of mine turns Shaker pegs and sometimes uses them for file and rasp handles.

-- Randy, Rustic Artisan (sixth generation) - "I am a seeker, not a follower."

I am sorry I missed to see your project earlier. I really repent how I missed such a unique work. I am fond of making rustic handles and collected many twigs from local trees for this purpose. Your project has motivated me to make a few handles and I will try them soon. You said you handcarve the ends of the twigs for socket tools. Which tools you use for carving and do you use any glue for the final fit?
Sharad

-- patanjali

Hi Sharad:

Thank you for the kind comments.

For socket tools, I cut a tapered tenon with hand tools, such as a rasp, whittling knife and a little course sandpaper. I test the taper and fit frequently by gently inserting and twisting the handle. The metal of the socket will leave telltale slick spots on the tenon that I can use to guide my whittling. If I need additional “witness” marks, I will rub a soft lead pencil on the metal inside the socket.

I generally don’t use glue, just a friction fit. However, if I need a little glue I use hide glue. That way I can break the adhesion by using hot water.

My favorite whittling knife is made from a broken boning knife from my father. He was a chef. The knife had good steel so I ground it to shape, sharpened and honed it for use as a carving knife. This has been my favorite wood carving knife for about ten years.

-- Randy, Rustic Artisan (sixth generation) - "I am a seeker, not a follower."

Randy, thank you very much for revealing all the details for my questions so nicely.
Sharad

-- patanjali