There are maybe three "preferred" woods for handles:
Ash
Hickory
White Oak
GTO69RA4 wrote:
>
> Are there any woods that you guys prefer for handsaw handles? I got a great big
> two-man crosscut (logging) saw, and I need to replace the rear handle.
> Appearence isn't important. Oak seems cheap and hard.
>
> GTO(John)
I'm sure beech is real fine wood, but that's not found in
our area(SE N.C.) Most tool companies in our area have used
ash for many years as the preferred handle.
I think this whole thing is strickly regional. They used what
was local.
Fred the Red Shirt wrote:
>
> Pat Barber <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> > There are maybe three "preferred" woods for handles:
> >
> > Ash
> > Hickory
> > White Oak
> >
>
> I think beech was used more often than those three.
That'd be striking and prying tools where long grain gives resilience.
For crosscut handles you just want something that wears evenly and won't
splinter. Makes short grain stuff like maple and beech about ideal. Up our
neck of the woods yellow birch or hop-hornbeam seem to be the choices for
replacements.
"Pat Barber" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> There are maybe three "preferred" woods for handles:
>
> Ash
> Hickory
> White Oak
>
>
> GTO69RA4 wrote:
> >
> > Are there any woods that you guys prefer for handsaw handles? I got a
great big
> > two-man crosscut (logging) saw, and I need to replace the rear handle.
> > Appearence isn't important. Oak seems cheap and hard.
> >
> > GTO(John)
"There is nothing like good piece of hickory!" Clint Eastwood in High
Planes Drifter.
Isn't hickory the wood traditionally used in shovel, axe and other large
handtools?
DexAZ
"GTO69RA4" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Are there any woods that you guys prefer for handsaw handles? I got a
great big
> two-man crosscut (logging) saw, and I need to replace the rear handle.
> Appearence isn't important. Oak seems cheap and hard.
>
> GTO(John)
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> Are there any woods that you guys prefer for handsaw handles? I got a great big
> two-man crosscut (logging) saw, and I need to replace the rear handle.
> Appearence isn't important. Oak seems cheap and hard.
>
Apple has traditionally been the wood used for handsaws by Disston and
others.
--
Where ARE those Iraqi WMDs?
Oak splits too easily. Ash and hickory were the preferred although
they did use willow in the old scythes. I had some elm onetime that
had dried and I couldn't split it. it was the only thing I couldn't
split.
On 14 Oct 2003 04:47:17 GMT, [email protected] (GTO69RA4) wrote:
>Are there any woods that you guys prefer for handsaw handles? I got a great big
>two-man crosscut (logging) saw, and I need to replace the rear handle.
>Appearence isn't important. Oak seems cheap and hard.
>
>GTO(John)
Pat Barber <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> There are maybe three "preferred" woods for handles:
>
> Ash
> Hickory
> White Oak
>
I think beech was used more often than those three.
Because a saw tote in use will put a bending moment accross the short
grain it is traditional to use a wood that has an interlocking grain
or at least resists splitting fairly well.
Applewood, which I have read was actually hawthorne (crabapple) was
preferred early in the 19th century. Hawthorne doesn't get very
big, so I suspect the switch to beech was motivated by an inadequate
supply. I think real applewood is fine too, however.
The Independence Tool Company used curly maple. Rosewood has
also been used on high-end saws--don't drop one on a cement floor!
OH! I just remembered, you are talking about a two-man crosscut
saw, right? SO the handle will be be staight piece without any
serious short grain problems.
--
FF
>
> GTO69RA4 wrote:
> >
> > Are there any woods that you guys prefer for handsaw handles? I got a great big
> > two-man crosscut (logging) saw, and I need to replace the rear handle.
> > Appearence isn't important. Oak seems cheap and hard.
> >
> > GTO(John)
Thanks to everyone for suggestions. I'll see what looks good locally.
For Fred: This is a two-man saw, but it's the kind with a little helper handle
on the end. Same general design as your average hand saw.
GTO(John)
>I think beech was used more often than those three.
>
>Because a saw tote in use will put a bending moment accross the short
>grain it is traditional to use a wood that has an interlocking grain
>or at least resists splitting fairly well.
>
>Applewood, which I have read was actually hawthorne (crabapple) was
>preferred early in the 19th century. Hawthorne doesn't get very
>big, so I suspect the switch to beech was motivated by an inadequate
>supply. I think real applewood is fine too, however.
>
>The Independence Tool Company used curly maple. Rosewood has
>also been used on high-end saws--don't drop one on a cement floor!
>
>OH! I just remembered, you are talking about a two-man crosscut
>saw, right? SO the handle will be be staight piece without any
>serious short grain problems.
>
>--
>
>FF
On Tue, 14 Oct 2003 10:48:08 -0500, Lawrence A. Ramsey
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I had some elm onetime that
>had dried and I couldn't split it. it was the only thing I couldn't
>split.
Elm is the nearest thing to tropical interlocked grain that you get in
a temperate tree. As a large beam, oak is stronger. But for small
areas, nothing touches elm. It was used for Windsor chair bases
because other timbers would split out on the short grain areas around
the leg mortices.
--
Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (GTO69RA4) wrote:
> Are there any woods that you guys prefer for handsaw handles? I got a great
> big
> two-man crosscut (logging) saw, and I need to replace the rear handle.
> Appearence isn't important. Oak seems cheap and hard.
Cherry. Or maybe traditional, Apple.
--
Owen Lowe and his Fly-by-Night Copper Company
Offering a shim for the Porter-Cable 557 type 2 fence design.
<http://www.flybynightcoppercompany.com>
<http://www.easystreet.com/~onlnlowe/index.html>