https://mpatkin.org/ergonomics/handle_checklist.htm
Thought this article might be of use to some of you. Over the course of the past few axes I've hung I've played around a little bit with handle diameters and design in an attempt to figure out the ideal shape, diameter, etc. of a haft. I haven't used these axes enough to come to a conclusion yet but this article seems to confirm what I thought of diameter at least--when wrapped around the haft your thumb should just cover the end of your index and middle fingers.
Reading on these forums it seems that a lot of people think that modern handles are too thick. I'm not so sure, at least for the handles I've gotten from House. They seem to be about right and in line with what this article says. That said I do have a Gransfors hatchet that has a thinner handle and I can't notice much of a difference unless I'm doing a lot of chopping. I'm not sure how much of it translates over to this because even the thickest fly rod handle is thinner than an axe handle but I do know that with fly rods, thinner grips tend to induce more fatigue after a lot (I'm talking hours) of casting. So maybe you won't really notice a difference unless you're chopping for a long period of time but if you're a bit of a perfectionist like myself then it's relevant.
Thought this article might be of use to some of you. Over the course of the past few axes I've hung I've played around a little bit with handle diameters and design in an attempt to figure out the ideal shape, diameter, etc. of a haft. I haven't used these axes enough to come to a conclusion yet but this article seems to confirm what I thought of diameter at least--when wrapped around the haft your thumb should just cover the end of your index and middle fingers.
Reading on these forums it seems that a lot of people think that modern handles are too thick. I'm not so sure, at least for the handles I've gotten from House. They seem to be about right and in line with what this article says. That said I do have a Gransfors hatchet that has a thinner handle and I can't notice much of a difference unless I'm doing a lot of chopping. I'm not sure how much of it translates over to this because even the thickest fly rod handle is thinner than an axe handle but I do know that with fly rods, thinner grips tend to induce more fatigue after a lot (I'm talking hours) of casting. So maybe you won't really notice a difference unless you're chopping for a long period of time but if you're a bit of a perfectionist like myself then it's relevant.
