Turning Tool Handles

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karlkuehn

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I've been working on some handles as I get a chance for the new blades that I got. It's been a lot of fun, and while it takes a little more time than just buying handles, you can give each of your tools their own 'personality'.

I was torn as to whether or not to make the handle profiles match or color code them somehow or sit back and plan them all out for six months, and when it came down to it, I had to ask myself why I keep trying to build structure into things. Just my natural personality type to try to organize stuff.

In the end, I just said phooey and I'm having a blast making each one unique. I get to play with and practice different things on each one, and they'll be easier to tell apart when every thing's covered in sawdust. :D

So far I've finished three of them...er...almost, still waiting on lead shot for the back-end weight on the big one. The small ones are heavy enough to balance the way they are, I think. I've been playing with 'rustic-ifying' a couple of them - nothing says 'Master Craftsman' like a bunch of razor-sharp beat up old tools in my box, right? [:p]

These are a 1" skew ('straightener out', to the layperson), a 1/2" skew and a 1/4" spindle gouge ('Digger'?); all are Patience & Nicholson from CSUSA.

1" Skew - Curly, spalted fiddleback maple
Polished brass 1 1/4" ferrule, CA/BLO and straight CA finish. The wood on this one talks plenty loud for itself, so I didn't do anything fancy to it.
ToolHandle2_1.jpg

ToolHandle2_2.jpg


1/4" Spindle Gouge - Box Elder
Polished brass 1" ferrule, dyed on the lathe with Transtint then CA/BLO and straight CA finish. Added a couple of beads, wrapped the middle part in hemp cord, soaked the hemp in CA and sanded flush.
ToolHandle1_1.jpg

ToolHandle1_2.jpg


1/2" Skew - Two-tone heart/sap reclaimed heart pine
Polished brass 1" ferrule with a couple of turned grooves. Did some wood burned viney leafy things, turned in some detail lines, added a kabobber to the back end, a little green dye and then weathered the handle a little with a dirty buffing wheel. :D
ToolHandle3_1.jpg

ToolHandle3_2.jpg
 
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MarkHix

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Those are pretty cool. Now, if we could just get your wife to return the favor by placing them in your next garage sale:D next to the whirly-handled-cheese grater.
 

karlkuehn

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Originally posted by MarkHix

Those are pretty cool. Now, if we could just get your wife to return the favor by placing them in your next garage sale:D next to the whirly-handled-cheese grater.

LOL...I'd immediately let her know that I desperately need those tools to continue making money, and it's going to cost me at least $800 to replace them, but since I've got to place a CSUSA order anyways...I'll forgive her. But she owes me one! [}:)][:p]
 

mrcook4570

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Excellent handles! They're almost too pretty to use.

Btw, you should trademark that kabobber name before one of the turning tool manufacturers claims it as their own [:eek:)]
 

karlkuehn

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Originally posted by mrcook4570

Excellent handles! They're almost too pretty to use.

Btw, you should trademark that kabobber name before one of the turning tool manufacturers claims it as their own [:eek:)]

Well, the committee is still out on what the final name will be, there's about a 50/50 split between kabobbers and bodingles. The way things run around this joint, it'll probably be in deliberation for the next two months and somebody will snatch up both names! hehehe:D[:p]
 

GoodTurns

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Originally posted by karlkuehn
... wrapped the middle part in hemp cord, soaked the hemp in CA and sanded flush.

explains at least a bit of the creativity we see in his blanks;)

Beautiful handles, Karl! Hopefully they will help you keep a grip on things!

(sorry)
 

karlkuehn

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Originally posted by GoodTurns

Originally posted by karlkuehn
... wrapped the middle part in hemp cord, soaked the hemp in CA and sanded flush.

explains at least a bit of the creativity we see in his blanks;)

Beautiful handles, Karl! Hopefully they will help you keep a grip on things!

(sorry)

Heh...believe me, I don't even want to try to imagine what I'd be coming up with if I was using 'hemp' for design inspiration. Now that I think about it, I'd probably just give up and go fishin'. [8D]

Speaking of handles, Mr. Piper...I was hoping that I'd have seen some of yours on here before now! I waited as long as I could, but I got tired of turning without handles! heh.

That tiger maple I sent you is from the same piece that I got the 1" skew handle from, and I can't wait to see what you do with it! Please tell me you didn't do anything as foolish as actually make stoppers or pens out of it! hehe[:p]
 

Woodlvr

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Feb 2, 2006
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Midvale, Ut,
Great Job Karl. Those are nice looking handles. How soon before you will be turning handles and selling them?[}:)][:p];)
 

thewishman

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Reynoldsburg, Ohio, USA.
Beautiful handles, Karl. Those would sure make it easy to tell if I was grabbing my rounder or my straightener outer. Do you have plans for a hacksaw handle yet?

Chris
 

Tanner

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May 17, 2006
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Peoria, Arizona, USA.
WOW! Those are beautiful!!

Originally posted by thewishman

Beautiful handles, Karl. Those would sure make it easy to tell if I was grabbing my rounder or my straightener outer. Do you have plans for a hacksaw handle yet?

Chris

Chris, I was laughing pretty good at this. I saw that video too. Hilarious!!
 

Dan_F

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Nov 8, 2007
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Spokane, WA, USA.
Karl---Those handles are superbly done. I don't think I could have brought myself to use that maple on the first one though. I made most of my own tool handles as well, for my Thompson tools. I made each on mine different, for the same reason as you, wanted to be able to recognize them from a distance. Mine aren't as fancy as yours though. It was good experience to get me familiar with turning. My starter set was from Harbor Freight.

Dan
 
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