Battle of Gents

[Gregory of Sherwood Forest]

Center one.

Gorgeous. Love the top ferrule, though!

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Ron

None.

Hi Ron

While pretty, the mouldings do not offer any help - they need to be more than decoration. They need to assist in controlling the saw cut.

This is a push saw, and in my opinion there needs to be a substantial "stop" for the fingers/thumb against which to push. There is a stop on one of your pictures, but it is too far back, and this reduces the length of the handle too much. In general, the handle could be a little longer, about 1". The palm is aiding in pushing but too much pressure here will cause a RSI. Without a rest for the fingers, the work of sawing is taken up by the palm. So it is the blade end that needs attention. (If you are pulling the saw, I would argue for a substantially longer handle).

This handle on the Liogier banner will give you an idea of what I think is needed ..



Regards from Perth

Derek

[tim_leo]

Middle one. The ogee and bead detail is much more refined.

[PaulC]

Thank you Derek. Yes, form should follow function, and an excess of ornament often detracts. I prefer simple.

[Timberwolf]

Well...to me, the shape reminds me of an old kitchen spatula I had one time...It was like a "honey dipper"....sorry... I don't mean to be critical, I just don't care for all the fancy lathe work.{beads and coves}.....I had an ancient English gents saw once that had my ideal handle shape..It had a small "bump" forward, {like Stanley 750 chisels} but the portion that fit the palm of the hand was more "swollen"...It provided an excellent grip, and to me, brought out the beauty of the wood...I do like the lathe work on the ferrules very much...

EDIT...The handle shape in Derek's post is about what I had in mind...pretty traditional...

[MarvW]

Make one using a 6" piece of a broom handle.

I like the top one. It has your name on it.

[RonB1957]

They will all have my name on them. The brass ferrules can be changed. Straight of tapered, etc. "Have metal lathe, will turn."
So I turned a longer handle last night. Lengthening the handle with the same basic dia. ( constraint ) looses some of the curvature unfortunately. You can add a little more curve in the center but the back would have to decrease in dia. I may turn one of those when I get the time. Just don't care for this one. For now it is back to the world of flat. 7.25" by the way.

[Arlin Eastman]

Ron

All three look the same handle wise but the end where the tool goes is what is different and I like the flash of number 1. Number two looks nice and smooth also but number 3 looks like oak and a lot rougher grain wise and maybe splinter wise also. I know it is just the looks of splinters but will not impart them.

Arlin

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Ron

Modify #1 ... remove one ring and lengthen so ..



Regards from Perth

Derek

[RonB1957]

Well, I can't say that I care much for the longer back portion with out tapering it a little, but all things a work in progress. Time will tell. Thanks for all the thoughts.