Hi NH-

I know I've been promising a while, but I will try to get some more pictures of my competition axes up this weekend. I'll try to get some shots of the handles too.

I've been buying handles and reworking them for the competition axes, but I spend a tremendous amount of time squaring them up (typically with a small plane and farrier's rasp).

I'm toying with the idea of starting with good straight-grained dimensional lumber, cutting out a pattern, rounding the edges slightly, and laminating on a "doe's foot" at the end. The core of the handle would be straight and true and I think it would take far less time to knock the edges off as opposed to squaring and truing a shotty factory handle.

Back to work for now, pictures to come soon!

-Kevin