I picked up a cheap set of chisels when I first started the workshop. The blades were decent enough, but the plastic handles were uncomfortable to grip and, honestly, a bit of an eyesore next to everything else on the bench. I’d been wanting to try wood turning (on a electric lathe) for a while, so this felt like a good first project — replace all the handles with something I made myself.
The first step was getting the old handles off. The plastic ones were moulded around a collar, so there was no clean way to remove them — I just destroyed them. Some sawing with a hack saw, a few twists with pliers and they came apart in pieces. The blades came out clean, which is all that matters.
For the wood, I picked up a raw blank from the hardware store. It’s a mixed hardwood carving block — light, tight-grained, and easy to work on the lathe. I wanted something pale and clean-looking to contrast with the dark steel blades.
I cut the blank into 2 individual handle lengths with the circular saw. You can see the fine ray fleck in the face grain here — it takes well to turning and sands up nicely. Each blank was a little oversized to give me room to shape them on the lathe.
Turning was the most satisfying part. I kept the profile simple — a gentle swell toward the middle for grip, tapered ends, and a small shoulder at the ferrule end to stop the blade from splitting the wood. The dust was everywhere, but the shape came together quickly once I found a rhythm. I turned six handles in one session.
The difference is immediately obvious. The handles are comfortable to hold, balanced, and actually look like they belong in a workshop. Once I’ve used them for a while I’ll oil them — probably linseed oil — but for now I’m leaving them raw to see how they feel in use.
It’s a simple project, but making something functional that I use often is its own kind of satisfaction.