Reliable source for axe handles?

P

pinnah

Joined
Jul 28, 2011
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Can't find any locally.

Afraid of buying junk site unseen.

Suggestions?

I'm looking for a 18" to 20" handle for a 1.5lb head, btw.
 
Hand selecting blanks is all you can do many times.

You could try starting with a rectangular blank. If you want it done right, that is a direct route.
 
If you can't look through a bunch of handles yourself, you might want to try Omaha knife. They get domestic AA grade handles, then grade them again into 3 categories, and price them accordingly. They also have Gransfors handles.
 
Not an option for everyone of course, but I like my local big-box hardware store for the reason that they stock about 10 of each handle and I can pick the best. But I would say the best from there may not cut for some people depending on what you want.
 
Folks here seem to run hot and cold in opinions and on experience with "House Handle USA" (mail order) goods but they do have an amazing selection of tool handles on their website and their prices are low enough that you can order 3 of each and not take a monetary beating. Or (if I understand correctly) you can physically phone them and pay a little bit extra ($2.50?) for 'hand-picked'. Their handles are made on site (these guys are not brokers) and have been for about 70 years so you'd expect they'd know what they were doing!
Like you I increasingly so have had difficulty finding decent handles. If you've got time and patience it pays to befriend the managers of a few hardware stores and specifically ask them to call you when their annual shipment comes in. That way you can poke around amongst a dozen or two and grab the one(s) that you like.
When I come across a nice handle nowadays I immediately buy it because the unforeseen future day I break one guaranteed there will be nothing useful to be found anywhere. And I personally hate to devote time and effort on a hang already knowing that the new handle was inferior or flawed to begin with.
 
House Handles looks nice, in my opinion. I am getting ready to give them a try and order a few. Somewhere it said you can request them without laquer also.
 
I've ordered quite a few from House Handles. You can select "AA" grade which is their best grade and is only a couple of bucks more than their "FH" grade which is their second-rate grade. For $2 more, they will hand pick the handle. You don't have to call them, just annotate it in the notes when you place your order.

They will provide you one with no lacquer for 50 cents extra, but I think that they start with a lacquered handle and sand it off (instead of simply sending you one that has never had lacquer on it). I think this because on the handles I've ordered with no lacquer, there are still occassionally tiny sections in the grain that seem to have lacquer in them. Still, it's far easier to start with a 99% lacquer free handle than to try to sand it all off yourself. A very good investment for 50 cents. Again, just annotate it in the notes that that is what you want.

I generally order several at a time and there are always at least one or two awesome ones. Even the ones that are not 100% awesome are still plenty good enough if I ever get an axe head that I don't plan on using.
 
Might do us good (quality-wise) if we all started to mention that we were members of bladeforums. The majority of folks wouldn't know a 'beauty' handle from a 'dog' version and if I were a conscientious production line 'picker', and knew what sort of customer I was picking for and set AA+ versions aside, word would get out at no advertising cost to them, on where to shop.
I've never bought handles sight unseen but the criterion for 'good', better and best' is not that difficult to define and it wouldn't bother me to pay double for a 'beauty'. I'd also love to see these guys run some other types of wood through their lathe or maybe even offer to run blanks that are sent in. Reason I say that is making your own is pretty much a day's work and rarely cost-effective unless it's a true 'one-off'.
 
Kansan said:
I've ordered quite a few from House Handles. You can select "AA" grade which is their best grade and is only a couple of bucks more than their "FH" grade which is their second-rate grade. For $2 more, they will hand pick the handle. You don't have to call them, just annotate it in the notes when you place your order.

They will provide you one with no lacquer for 50 cents extra, but I think that they start with a lacquered handle and sand it off (instead of simply sending you one that has never had lacquer on it). I think this because on the handles I've ordered with no lacquer, there are still occassionally tiny sections in the grain that seem to have lacquer in them. Still, it's far easier to start with a 99% lacquer free handle than to try to sand it all off yourself. A very good investment for 50 cents. Again, just annotate it in the notes that that is what you want.

I generally order several at a time and there are always at least one or two awesome ones. Even the ones that are not 100% awesome are still plenty good enough if I ever get an axe head that I don't plan on using.
Click to expand...

Agreed on all points. I've been happy with all the handles I've received so far, and I always spec no lacquer as well. Way less work than sanding it yourself.
 
300Six said:
Might do us good (quality-wise) if we all started to mention that we were members of bladeforums. The majority of folks wouldn't know a 'beauty' handle from a 'dog' version and if I were a conscientious production line 'picker', and knew what sort of customer I was picking for and set AA+ versions aside, word would get out at no advertising cost to them, on where to shop.
Click to expand...

I live about 4 hours away from House Handle and one of these days I'll drive down to see their operation and to pick out my own "hand select" handles. I would love to talk with them about what us axe nuts are looking for when we order a hand picked handle, but I'd hate for it to come off as pretentious having some "kid" walk in and tell them their business.
 
Bridger,
Tell 'em you are Old Jim's great grandson and they will listen up! ;)

I have an order inbound, asked for some made from all heartwood if possible. Excited to see what I get. I always have one or two that do not make the cut and usually order 10 or so at a time. But those odds are far better than what I see in hardware stores and cheaper to boot. I have noticed that if you find a Link/Seymour Industries wax coated handle in a hardware store, they seem to be much nicer.

I have gotten a few from HH in the past that had a twist and a couple that had spiral grooves, almost like the machine switched off but blade did not retract? But I find uses for all of them and still consider them a bargain.
Bill
 
I just talked to one of the guys from House via e-mail a couple days ago (he replied to my e-mail over the weekend). I think it may be worth saying when you order, that you are in fact an axe enthusiast and would like certain features. The past few times I ordered I told them I don't care if I get heart wood or sap wood, I just don't want a mixture and that's what they've done. Their handles often have kinda goofy swells and so I ask for large ones specifically so that I can shape them to my liking. The guy I talked to said that they will sell you board blanks ($4.00) AND they will sell rough "first pass" handles right off the lathe (this is why I e-mailed them in the first place) - you are then free to finish them however you like. He said they would cost the same as other handles - didn't specify if that meant AA, or AA+handpicked or what. I am of the opinion that a flawless handle for $10.00 would be a great value by 2014 consumer standards. I'm with 300six on this matter; if a hand picked AA handle runs $10, I am happy to pay $20 if I know it's going to be great. They are aware that there are axe enthusiasts looking for nice handles. It may be annoying to them if we keep asking for a thousand different features and nit pick them to death, but they are the ones offering the service so they will either lose business or raise their prices to the point that they are good with delivering flawless grade handles (or deliver on the service straight up as is). In the mean time, the only problem I've found with them has been that I sometimes get a little twist or bend toward the swell. You might specify that you want arrow straight.

I've only used about a dozen of their handles or so on various tools (hammers, hatchets, axes), but I appreciate having someone offer a service where I can get a good handle for what I consider very little money because I have no other way to get them where I live. In fact, there is a hardware store in my town that has some AA grade handles from House. Most of them don't interest me. Additionally House is the only place I know of that makes 28, 30, and 32 inch handles for full size axes. I'd place an order this second if another company suddenly came into existence doing the same thing, but until that time, this is where I'm at.

ETA: Looks like Imalterna beat me to it and we share similar experiences. Good post.
 
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I would love it if they would add 32" options to their full sized straight single bit actions. For now I pick local made or hardware store "hand pick" fat 36"s and cut/slim.

I think HH is doing better than nearly anyone else at producing quality for $$ spent. I have not tried the Council replacement handles but some folks really like those.

City of the south= Charleston?
I keep thinking I am going to submit and order and they are going to scream. They do leave themselves open to requests and I have no issue paying extra for those. Maybe one day they will accept custome splits and turn them ;) I have a log drying in the woods that should make soem beautiful splits when I get back to it.

Bill
 
I agree. I just hung an axe for a friend on a 36" straight handle just because I wasn't sure if he'd want the 30 or not and I feel like it's just too long. I feel that way about 36 inch handles anyway. I'm not tall or big. I know it may seem like splitting hairs to others, but for a full size axe that someone may use for felling, it's a nice medium between power and length.

"cityofthesouth" is a long boring story but I'm from Kansas.
 
cityofthesouth said:
...the only problem I've found with them has been that I sometimes get a little twist or bend toward the swell. You might specify that you want arrow straight.
Click to expand...

I agree on this point. Sometimes the swell seems to not be in the exact center even though the handle in general is straight. It sounds like you've been far more specific in your requests - I'll have to try that next time I order something. Boy, are they in for it :)
 
If you are ever in the vicinity of Roaring River State Park in MO, take the time to drive up west of Cassville and visit House Handle. They're a cool bunch. I was going there one time to pick up and order and found a nice little hatchet in a junk store in Nevada, MO. One of the guys took the hatchet and scrounged around until he found a handle that would fit it.
 
However; 'we' should not get overly anal retentive about specifics (wood cross grain is concentric and only appears to 'straighten-out' if/when the parent tree is really big) unless it just happens to be a mill-run 200 year old tree that was on the saw table when the order went in, and in fact something multi-use like a Pulaski can really use a bit of sideways strength best derived from a middle-age tree anyway.
 
Bridger said:
I live about 4 hours away from House Handle and one of these days I'll drive down to see their operation and to pick out my own "hand select" handles. I would love to talk with them about what us axe nuts are looking for when we order a hand picked handle, but I'd hate for it to come off as pretentious having some "kid" walk in and tell them their business.
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Good angle! None of this is rocket science in today's world but if both parties (buyer/seller) are 'tuned' to the same station then the outcome is gonna be far better.
 
Kansan said:
I agree on this point. Sometimes the swell seems to not be in the exact center even though the handle in general is straight. It sounds like you've been far more specific in your requests - I'll have to try that next time I order something. Boy, are they in for it :)
Click to expand...

haha, this will be a good thread to post experiences. But "handpicked" is handpicked. I think it was mentioned that we could easily create criteria for a "good" handle or ... "handpicked", as it were.
 
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