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I Forge Iron

Hand made tool handles


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I've done it for special tools.  Tools used: cross cut saw and axe---felling tree. Sledge and wedge---splitting billets, dry storage---seasoning with melted wax soaked ends. Carving axe, drawknife and spoke shave---shaping billet into handle. Rasps, broken glass and sandpaper---smoothing handle.

When available Bader belt grinder with 36 grit belt to shape into handle after rough shaping with carving axe.

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I trace a handle that feels good to me, or a standard style onto heavy card stock/ posterboard to make a template. Trace onto the wood, cut it out on a bandsaw, leaving the line. Then I shape it with drawknife, spokeshave, rasp, 1/2 round file, sandpaper and scrape with a knife. Any one of those tools, some of them or all of them, depending on how goofy the grain is and what I feel like at the time. Sometimes I might also use a angle grinder with a flap disc or even my 2x 72. Whatever mood I'm in.

Steve

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I made 2 different handles recently. For a tomahawk: I used a chunk of hickory from broken axe handle, cut to size with a miter saw. I was struggling with a cheap store-bought drawknife so used a wood chisel and brass hammer and formed a rough shape; refined with a small 1" belt sander: 36 grit, 60 grit, finished with 120 grit. I did the same for the second handle on a machete, but that was with a chunk of white oak salvaged from an old bed frame. I posted them on the forum the other day if you would like to see the pictures.

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2 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

If I did traditional woodworking I'd definitely have one---or more!  Since I do general blacksmithing I don't have enough room in the shop for all my metalworking tools!

 Yes i know what you mean about not having enough space. I dont even have a shop so I do all of my smithing outside

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