Glossary of Terms
Anatomy of a Handle
Eye: Cross section size given when looking at the very end of the handle.
Wedge Slot / Kurf Cut: Slot cut in end of the handle to allow the driving of wood wedge to expand and wedge the handle in place. (steel wedge can be put in at a 45 or 90 degrees to the wood wedge).
Length: Total Length of Handle as we ship it. You will likely cut a little off the top once fitted to your tool.
Shoulder: Swell in handle just below the eye section that the head normally will seat down on. Keeps head from slipping down handle shaft.
Shaft: part of handle that is normally held in hand.
End knob or swell: Enlarged part of handle just before end that helps form a positive grip so your hand will not come off.
Attachment types:
Drive on handles generally take a wood wedge and head is driven on handle from the eye end.
Slip on eye handles generally do not take a wood wedge (no slot cut, no wedge included). The tool is dropped down over the hand grip end of the handle and seated into place by a compression friction fit. i.e. a rail road pick / mattock cutter. Adze etc.
Lengths given are the total length of the uninstalled handle as shipped.
White Hickory is: Sapwood.
Red / Brown Hickory is: Heart wood.
US Forest Service tests have shown no difference in strength between the two colors of hickory wood.
Our Wood Wedges are made from Tulip Poplar
Wax finish is a light coating of wax applied by tumbling handles in large barrel with wax.
Plain Sanded is just that. A handle that has been finish sanded, but no wax, lacquer or anything applied.
Lacquer finish is just that. It will give a handle some weather resistance.
Fire Hickory / Fire hardened Hickory has been Flame Charred just enough to lightly burn the surface of the wood.
Non-Slip Grip. Usually a textured Paint that will allow for better grip. Can be hard on bare skin.