Your favorite handle? Stuart Batty Handle?

[Steve Mathews]

My go to and favorite handle is one made by Stuart Batty that was purchased at Woodworkers Emporium years ago. It's made out of some composite material (carbon fiber?) that is comfortable to hold in warm/cold weather and has ribs along the length to prevent it from rolling. Gouges are held in place with an ER collet. The gouges are easy to remove for sharpening. The only downside is sawdust prevents it from closing sometimes and has to be blown out with compressed air. Unfortunately these are no longer made. What's your favorite handle?

[allen thunem]

i recall when he tried to get that tool line up and running in boulder years ago.
I had hopes of attending the school he was going to open when his venture took off. Sadly it went south in a big way and in a big hurry.

[Edward Weber]

I prefer to make my own from wood.
I find that too many retail handles are either too short or too small in diameter for my liking
I use a dense wood (Macaucauba, Hormigo) that has a Janka rating of 2700. It resists denting and dinging from being set in the ways from time to time.
Hormigo Handles (600 x 400).jpg

[David Propst]

The handle you describe was a hybrid made by Woodworker's Emporium with the Robust ER Collett head and a Batty body. I have several.

[Steve Mathews]

The handle you describe was a hybrid made by Woodworker's Emporium with the Robust ER Collett head and a Batty body. I have several.

This is a sad reminder of the Woodworker's Emporium closing. Stuart Batty apparently offers the same handle body but with a Taper Lock head. I may try one of those when he offers bowl and spindle gouges again. According to a response from his website they will available within a few months. I may also try one of the Robust heads for ER collets and make my own handle. I like the feel of wood handles but no so much the roundness.

[Richard Coers]

The tri-lobe by Hannes Tool

[Steve Mathews]

The tri-lobe by Hannes Tool

Interesting 3-sided handle. Not sure how that would feel in my hand.

[Brian Deakin]

I have the Stuart Batty handles
I find the ability to remove the handle from the tool for sharpening and simply using the tool without the handle is extremely useful

Additionally Stuart has relaunched his range of tools and handles

https://stuartbattytools.com

Stuart also has a a number of useful videos and articles on his web site

https://stuartbattytools.com/free-videos-%26-articles

[Richard Coers]

Interesting 3-sided handle. Not sure how that would feel in my hand.

I just told you, it's my favorite after 39 years of turning. You can register your thumb in a valley between lobes and you get a better grip with less effort.

[Neil Strong]

Stuart Batty apparently offers the same handle body but with a Taper Lock head. I may try one of those when he offers bowl and spindle gouges again. According to a response from his website they will available within a few months.

His gouges have been 'Coming Soon'... for a long time.

Depending on the price, the replaceable 15V gouges will be a nice option.

But, I wouldn't be holding my breath on when they will be available!

[Matt Fawkner]

You are lucky in the US having two manufacturers who make great handles: Carter & Son; and Doug Thompson. I have both. While they require Allen keys to change lathe tools, I understand that Carters are looking into a more modern approach. Perhaps there are other Members who can update what I have said.

[John Kananis]

For aftermarket handles, I have a Carter and sons (which I'm not using - don't care for the feel of it) and a oneway, which is similar to the old Stuart Batty handles (I think) but with Allen screws holding the shaft in place.

I've added quite a few tools lately and I think the handles would have put me way over budget. I have 7 more to make on top of the 8 or so already done. They're far from perfect (skills are still improving) but I made them from scraps of kiln dried walnut (which I don't use in anything "serious") that I had laying around a long time. I'll make better ones at some point... regardless I'm enjoying making them and the practice is always a good thing.

[Kevin Jenness]

I like wood handles. I don't have a problem with sharpening tools in their handles, but there's no reason why you can't use a thick collar drilled and tapped for grub screws on a removable wood handle.

[Edward Weber]

I like wood handles. I don't have a problem with sharpening tools in their handles, but there's no reason why you can't use a thick collar drilled and tapped for grub screws on a removable wood handle.

Kevin, they make grub screw ferrules and ER-32 collets specifically for this purpose to make your own. As well as other connection types

[Neil Strong]

Kevin, they make grub screw ferrules and ER-32 collets specifically for this purpose to make your own. As well as other connection types

I had some of the Thompson grub screw handles and only kept one of them for my 3/4" gouges, but found for me that the smaller sizes were too thick for the gouge size and too cold in winter.

Of the ready-made quick release type handle I quite like the Simon Hope system...

https://www.oliverswoodturning.co.uk...lease-handles/

If you prefer to make your own handles from wood, or whatever, I have used the Clewes quick release heads made for him by Doug Thompson and they are OK'ish...

https://jimmyclewes.com/product/jimm...t-screw-units/

The grub screw fitting made by Oneway that is designed to screw onto a wooden handle is another option that I have used. I like them because, like the Clewes fitting, they don't add more weight than necessary to the handle and are also well priced...

https://oneway.ca/products-category/...Lok%20Ferrules