Jim and Mark,
I notice that Mark has the square of the handle parallel to the head faces, while on one of Jims, the square is 45 degrees to the head faces. Would the corner of the square facing forward act to eventually split the head? It would seem that it would apply a concentration of stress at the leading point where as a handle with the square facing forward would seem to spread force over an entire square face?
Brad

Some of the heads, I've made, have split quickly and fallen off. Some have lasted for years. I never worried about the end of the handles as the round over bit just gives it a small curve there and it doesn't seem to make a big difference.

Yeah, I dunno if it makes any difference because by the time the head strikes anything, there shouldn't be much pressure on the handle, and the handle has very little momentum. It's mostly the momentum of the head itself...

i like to use apple and a ash handle. I make a jig so a hole is drilled stright. then the handle goes through the hole from bottom side. However since i broke my last one, i been to busy to make a new one so i been useing a sledge and block of wood
matt

Last week I cut 3 pieces of hickory for handles. I managed to get 3 pieces with pretty straight grain. They have marbling, but no knots. Not sure if I got any sapwood or not. Hard for me to tell. I had my table saw outside and was sawing some stock from a white oak slab, so I cut these from a 2"x8" chunk of hickory at the same time. Haven't had a chance to cut the pine stock for the heads yet. I'll cut them from some reclaim I have. I'll snap a pic when I can.

My new favorite type of commander.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMx1fmz4a0g

Nice, Tim. Do you let them dry first, or do you just chop them out of the tree and go for it?

Use them as they are, they are now dry and lighter. Saw a flat on the side opposite the handle so it can stand up.

Dogwood root makes an almost indestructible head