Round vs Octagonal

Agent_H · Oct 19, 2017

Lapedog said:
If the octagonal handle is made so it is even in cross section, as in all sodes and angles the same length when looking at a 2d cross section, then I don't see how it will help mucj with feeling edge orientation.

An oval handle would be easy to tell which way the edge is by feel.

Maybe I am misunderstanding but they are not all equal in lengths in the axes I have/made octagonalized. Mine are "egg-shaped" with the side planes being longer - shaped like a traditional handle with slight angles where the curve of the egg would be.

If I follow your statement then you are asking/stating it would be essentially be something of a round (slede-type) handle with planes instead of arcs.
Have you used an octagonalized handle? They are still wider top to bottom.

I love oval shaped handles. I enjoy my "softened" octagonalized just as much.

Lapedog · Oct 19, 2017

Agent_H said:
Maybe I am misunderstanding but they are not all equal in lengths in the axes I have/made octagonalized. Mine are "egg-shaped" with the side planes being longer - shaped like a traditional handle with slight angles where the curve of the egg would be.

If I follow your statement then you are asking/stating it would be essentially be something of a round (slede-type) handle with planes instead of arcs.
Have you used an octagonalized handle? They are still wider top to bottom.

I love oval shaped handles. I enjoy my "softened" octagonalized just as much.

A handle shaped as yours wasn't what I was talking about. Of course that would be good for indexing the edge location by feel.

For some reason I was thinking like a straight handle with. An octagon that was even on all sides. Like for a pipe-hawk or even a hammer.

Kevin Houtzager · Oct 20, 2017

Kevin Houtzager · Oct 20, 2017

Agent_H · Oct 20, 2017

Lapedog said:
A handle shaped as yours wasn't what I was talking about. Of course that would be good for indexing the edge location by feel.

For some reason I was thinking like a straight handle with. An octagon that was even on all sides. Like for a pipe-hawk or even a hammer.

Right on. Maybe a similar approach to slip fit axes?
An older Plumb hammer I came across had octagonalizing but it was still not completely round. I've seen 36" sledge handles with octagonalization but they were done so just under the head and transitioned to oval shaped closer to the grip/swell end. They also looked user done and not factory - I could be mistaken on that last part though.

quinton · Oct 20, 2017

This Falls City DB has an original hybrid haft.

300Six · Oct 20, 2017

quinton said:
This Falls City DB has an original hybrid haft.

Interesting! Any chance that it was the original owner that did the octagon-izing?

Lapedog · Oct 20, 2017

What I was trying to say is a perfectly round Octagon is hardly better than a circle for feeling where the edge is. Distorted octagon shapes will help of course.

quinton · Oct 20, 2017

300Six said:
Interesting! Any chance that it was the original owner that did the octagon-izing?

I saw a catalog page that had the Falls City line pictured with the same hybrid haft. I'm pretty sure Steve Tall posted it awhile back. I'm positive it's original.

garry3 · Oct 20, 2017

quinton said:
This Falls City DB has an original hybrid haft.

All of the vintage octagon hafts I have had are like that. Even some octagon hammer handles turn to oval near the swell. It’s probably a more comfortable grip for most folks. Personally I just don’t care one way or the other and see no difference in their use.

schmittie · Oct 20, 2017

My thanks to all of you for sharing your opinions and experience. 3 300Six @Park Swan

Lapedog @serotina

Agent_H your thread was great and I really enjoyed it. I’m giving this a shot.

Square_peg said:
A drawknife is too much. You can't pick up the grain changes fast enough and end up tearing out the wood. A spoke shave is better and if you become 'tuned' to feel grain changes you can avoid catastrophic tear out.

Safer is removing bulk material with a coarse rasp followed by smoothing with a fine rasp. The best finish is made by the spoke shave but you can do quite well with a scraper (cabinet scraper, red devil, or even a piece of broken glass).

As usual, you are totally right @Square_peg
I just got a China version of a spoke shave (I’ve got to get a Stanley) and I see what you mean. Although I enjoy wood carving, I don’t believe my skill level and a draw knife would have produced any good results. The spoke shave is the way to go.

I have two House Handles I picked up at the local farm store and lots of modifying I want to do. Hopefully I’ll have something that resembles an octagon handle to share by months end.