White Ash for saw handle?

[Mike Baker 2]

Hi!
I have an old Warranted Superior handsaw I bought a while back. It came with a broken handle, but cost me a whole dollar.
I want/need to make a handle for it, but the only wood I have in a size suitable is white ash. I know I have read on here that generally you want a fairly close grained wood for this, but I'm assuming the ash should work, and as a bonus it takes stain well. Any negatives anyone can see from just going ahead and using it?

[Bruce Haugen]

No downside at all. If it works, you’re ahead. If it doesn’t work, you’ve gained the experience of making it plus you’re not out an expensive piece of wood.

[Jim Koepke]

Ditto

jtk

[Kees Heiden]

Never made a sawhandle from ash, so take this with a grain of salt.

Ash is plenty strong but has a very coarse grain. So it won't take detail as easy as beech or apple. Maybe even danger for breaking the tips of the horns?

But oak has been the prefered carving wood overhere for ages, and it also has a rather coarse grain. So, there you go, nothing is straightforward in woodworking!

[Jeff Heath]

Due to its structure, white ash has a high resistance to splitting. Because of this, it's an excellent choice, in that regard, to woods like cherry, apple, etc.....It's impact and splitting resistance are what made it the species of choice for baseball bats for a century. Now, maple is used, and bats are splitting all the time now.

It's open grain is what makes it a less desirable species for these tasks, as open grained woods tend to be a little rougher on the hands, as well as future hiding places for the build up of dirt and debris.

I wonder how a saw handle would feel if you filled the grain before putting it into service. I've never tried it.

I have been sawing (sawmill) thousands of board feet of ash lately, due to it's immense availability because of the EAB, and have stacks of 8/4 and 10/4, as well as 5/4 in the drying shed. I'm been using it a lot for utility cabinetry in my shop, as well as having a ton available for future workbench builders. I'm ready to start making a few tables out of it to see how it is received. Time will tell.

My next workbench is hanging on my shop wall, all 10/4 and 12/4.....:D

381028

[Mike Baker 2]

White Ash is a favorite wood to work for me, and bonus, to me it smells like Cheerios. :p
And I am definitely considering filling the grain, for the reasons you mention.
We will see how well it works out, I think.
Thanks.