thanks for the compliment Don--I enjoy reminiscing to those that want to listen--I did lots of that when I was growing up--no TV then--mostly just work, chores, studying and getting to school which was the responsibility of parents then, the local gov't only providing the building and teacher--which by the way handled all 8 grades in a one room building
Back to handles---
your broad axe head forged as you described would accept a fairly straight handle, due to the eye's angle to the cutting edge, I guess the movement to a broad axe head that was placed in the centre of the blade's cutting edge with the eye parallel with that cutting edge had some advantages such as being able to reverse the handle for right or left handed people a real selling point and must have appealed to the a majority of the hewers of that time
I hope that a mental picture of such a blade would readily visualize the need for a handle with an abrupt curve as it exited the head, this would allow room for the hewer's hands along the log as he hewed
Hung correctly this offset handle still contained many good points and when the axe and handle is grasped and slowly raised with one hand directly behind the head and the other near its end, the axe head's flat surface should hang straight down and be accurate as it is being used--however once that you have used your axe for quite a period of time getting used to a new one is very difficult and a real calamity