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Looking good, Justin. It's so much fun to take a log and turn it into something so refined. In my opinion, American beech really deserves a closer look than most people give it. When plainsawn it can be a little, well, plain. But when it's quartersawn just right, those flecks can look beautiful. For finish, I really like TruOil. The picture below is air-dried American beech, with several coats of TruOil. I lightly steel wool between coats to knock off any dust. No sealer or anything else was used on this. Applied by hand, and any excess wiped off with a cloth. It's best, however, to put it on very lightly, especially on the second and third coats. It's almost impossible to put it on too thinly, and if you wipe it off after it becomes tacky, you get a lot of lint in it. Dom, I believe that the handle you show was one that I posted. It came off of a Richardson saw plate, but it turned out that the handle was not original to the saw. Just a side note, and it doesn't really matter. 
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Very nice approach - following your idea, I would likely bore out the nut holes before bandsawing the outline too. Why didn't I think of that?
In Japan, there's probably a WoodNet equivalent where they're debating about Western chisels being a lot like Japanese plumbers. - AHill
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I'm with you 100% on the virtues of quartersawn beech - it is a beautiful and underappreciated wood. Sounds like I will be getting some Tru-Oil to finish my handle. I've heard of it, but never used it. What kind of finish is it, exactly? The finish on your handle turned out beautifully. Heck, the whole thing is gorgeous. I'm very happy with my handle, but it's nowhere near on the same level of refinement as that handle. I have the most difficulty around the lamb's tongue. How do you get into those tight corners to shape them so precisely? Oh, and you should be expecting to ship an order of sawnuts to Mississippi here shortly. I tried to make my own out of some random brass stock that I found in the plumbing department, and I now see the value in the sawnuts that you offer  More on that experience to come 
"If I had eight hours to cut down a tree, I'd spend six hours sharpening my axe."
My Woodworking Blog: A Riving Home
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I think that TruOil is a lot like Danish oil. Its texture and smell reminds me of Watco Danish oil finish.
I think that you can still get that big bottle of Truoil on Amazon.com for about $12
See ya around,
Dominic
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Don't you love it when you ask someone what time it is and to prove how smart they are, they tell you how to build a watch?
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The description on the bottle says it is based on linseed oil. I use a slitting file to define the shape, and then just use sandpaper to refine and smooth it all out.
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You wouldn't say that if a juju man had messed with your mojo. Kizar 7-19-13
But when an outsider threatens our President, and a miserable camel humping piece of pig turd at that, Charlie D. 2/3/15
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Count me in as another fan of QS beech, and the london pattern handles as well. And they only improve with age when the wood becomes darker.
Beautifull handle Isaac.
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I haven't made any Saw Handles yet, but am, however i have used Tru - Oil ( used on Gun Stocks ) on refinishing a couple old ones I have and that makes a great finish. I think you will like it, and Amazon is where I bought my bottle.
Steve
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See ya around,
Dominic
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Don't you love it when you ask someone what time it is and to prove how smart they are, they tell you how to build a watch?
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Great thread!
I'd love to be able to try this someday.
Thanks for all the pointers.
...Naval Aviators, that had balz made of brass and the size of bowling balls, getting shot off the deck at night, in heavy seas, hoping that when they leave the deck that the ship is pointed towards the sky and not the water.
AD1 T. O. Cronkhite
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