PSA: Discovered something the hard way today. DO NOT do this at home.

[sniper]

When one has made a tool handle and is putting the tool into the handle, make sure you have the grain running perpendicular to the tool rest. I had one heck of a catch (read pants changing OH SHIRT catch) that caused my cherry handle to split All of a sudden I realized my hands were holding 2 separate pieces.

The tool was a square carbide cutter that a local guy made for me. The tang is only about 3", which didn't help with this situation.

I'm ok, but it left me shaking pretty good for a while. At least I didn't get hurt but it seemed like an eternity to find the kill switch (it was right next to my left hand).

Steve

[Steve K]

sniper said:

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When one has made a tool handle and is putting the tool into the handle, make sure you have the grain running perpendicular to the tool rest. I had one heck of a catch (read pants changing OH SHIRT catch) that caused my cherry handle to split All of a sudden I realized my hands were holding 2 separate pieces.

The tool was a square carbide cutter that a local guy made for me. The tang is only about 3", which didn't help with this situation.

I'm ok, but it left me shaking pretty good for a while. At least I didn't get hurt but it seemed like an eternity to find the kill switch (it was right next to my left hand).

Steve

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Nothing about this makes sense to me. Were you pressing the tool into the handle? At any rate. cherry would be about my last choice for a tool handle. Much prefer a long grain wood like ash, hickory, or white oak.

[AHill]

Ferrule?

[MKepke]

Pictures would help us understand what happened.

I managed to bend a toolrest AND the shaft of a 1/2" bowl gouge during the same event (cheap steel in both). But the handle is fine :-)

-Mark

[skizzo]

I think he's talking about two different events -- making the tool vs. using it when it broke. When making the tool handle and installing the steel, he's saying be sure the grain orientation of the handle is perpendicular to the ground or tool rest in its normal user position. He had a handle with grain orientation that was parallel to the tool rest and when he got a big catch during use, it snapped in half along the length of the grain. It's similar to baseball players who are told to be sure to have the label (wide grain) facing upwards at point of impact during a swing -- much less likely to crack.

I never would have thought about that myself, so thanks for the PSA.

[Steve K]

skizzo said:

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I think he's talking about two different events -- making the tool vs. using it when it broke. When making the tool handle and installing the steel, he's saying be sure the grain orientation of the handle is perpendicular to the ground or tool rest in its normal user position. He had a handle with grain orientation that was parallel to the tool rest and when he got a big catch during use, it snapped in half along the length of the grain. It's similar to baseball players who are told to be sure to have the label (wide grain) facing upwards at point of impact during a swing -- much less likely to crack.

I never would have thought about that myself, so thanks for the PSA.

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OMG, seriously?! The very idea of that is so foreign to me I would never have figured it out.

[skizzo]

Yeah, I'm not sure if that's what he means, tho. For most of my tools, there is not "typical" orientation when presented to the wood, as they often rotate through close to 180-degrees depending on the cut.

[Arlin Eastman]

Steve

I would not hesitate about using Cherry for a tool handle just as long as it was long grain and with a Ferrell on the end.

Arlin

[Rodneywt1180b]

Sounds to me the handle broke due to a short grain situation. Ideally a wooden handle should be made from a straight grained piece of wood with no knots and the grain running all the way from one end to the other instead of side to side or diagonally.
Rodney

[sniper]

skizzo said:

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I think he's talking about two different events -- making the tool vs. using it when it broke. When making the tool handle and installing the steel, he's saying be sure the grain orientation of the handle is perpendicular to the ground or tool rest in its normal user position. He had a handle with grain orientation that was parallel to the tool rest and when he got a big catch during use, it snapped in half along the length of the grain. It's similar to baseball players who are told to be sure to have the label (wide grain) facing upwards at point of impact during a swing -- much less likely to crack.

I never would have thought about that myself, so thanks for the PSA.

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Bill, thanks for explaining it better than me. The baseball bat is a great example of what happened. I measured the tang this morning and it's only 2". The ferrule was still on the tang, with bits of wood coming out from it. The handle split, causing the tang to break out.

Anyway, I've started making a longer (18" vs 13") and a little larger diameter handle, at least around the tang, out of Ash (that's what I was told it is). Not sure how I like the grain, I'll see how well I can sand it smooth. The grain almost looks like pine. That cherry felt very good in my hand but, alas, it was my last piece of 8/4 cherry. If the Ash doesn't work, I'll may try Walnut. I've got plenty of Maple, but I've already done that.