It's odd how preferences vary!
When used for light or heavy chopping, I don't really mind what shape handles are. For the sort of tappy-tappy light mallet work used when, say, cleaning up dovetails, I often grip the chisel by the blade to have more control over positioning of the cutting edge, and when doing whack-whack stuff, anything you can get hold of, really. I do now have a preference when paring - I like a chisel with smooth, rounded handle surfaces and a large, flat top to spread the load over my palm (or shoulder, sometimes). The domed end on some chisel handle styles digs in uncomfortably. That said, for smaller chisels - say 1/2" and below - it doesn't really matter much as long as the chisel's sharp! Thus, my favourites tend to be close to carver pattern (Ashley Iles b/e chisels are about spot-on for me), or the old bog-standard turned beech ones. I've not tried the 18th century tapered octagonal pattern, but they look very usable.
