Cutting Out The Handle

Cut out the first half of the handle using a coping saw, making sure to have a sharp blade fitted to a push stroke. Adjust the blade when necessary by loosening the handle and turning the pivots. Keep the waste section in one piece so you can use it as a template; flip over and draw round it for the other half of the handle.

Alternatively, you can cut the profile of the handle using a combination of tenon saw and a 1” chisel and chisel hammer. Begin by removing the bulk of the waste using the tenon saw. Then you can chop closer to the line with the chisel, first making two or three parallel saw cuts where the handle thins down. This will allow the waste to split away in smaller sections, minimising the risk of splitting away the good wood.

Once you have removed the waste on one side, place a piece of paper under the handle and draw around it to create a template. Cut this out, flip over and trace around it onto the other half of the handle. Shape this half of the handle in the same way as the first.