Handsaw handle replacement

[MikeW]

Hey everyone,

Ever feel your late-model Disston #4 handle sucks? Or whatever brand?

Mine is terrible after a couple minutes of use. So a bit of wood and some time changes things.

I drew out the shape of a saw I do like the feel of, a Fulton backsaw, onto a wood blank. From there, cut the shape the handle with a BS and cut the hand hole with a coping saw.

When you layout for the holes, lay the blade on the blank oriented properly, mark the holes and drill them using an 1/8" bit. Then drill from the largest to smallest diameters. Meaning, use an auger or forstner for the heads, then the appropriate size bit for the through holes for the bolts and nuts on their respective sides of the handle.

Some more marking and drilling for the back's mortise, a bit of paring out the mortise and a whole lot of rasping gets you the result below--or better!

Take care, Mike

 

[Bean]

Nice Mike

Bean

 

[DaveL]

No Bean I think you mean nice handle!

Mike you are so good at shaping these that you make it look easy, but you must have very good hand / eye coordination to get those curves to flow like that. =D>

 

[Alf]

Mmm, very nice. See, here am I havering over maybe, say, just trying a kit, right? You know, just thinking about it, doesn't mean anything... And then I see your handles and I think "dammit, what's the point of that? You want the whole package you dope." You're not helping me at all, Mike. [-X :lol:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

Very nice mike. I must admit ot hating the handle on one of my saws so might just have to make one

 

[MikeW]

Thank you for the kind words, Everyone.

Tony, have a go. For me, it was almost an embarrising epiphany as I was using the #4. It's not like I don't have plenty of wood and patterns or examples from which to make a new one!

Alf, it's just wood and [a lot of] rasping... :lol:

Take care, Mike