Last week I kind of accidentally ended up ordering three different short (27"-28") straight full sized axe handles.
I ordered one from Tennessee hickory, but didn't hear back so figured it wasn't going to happen. Then I saw a Link "premium" (blue label) on ebay and ordered it. And then I was putting in an order with Bailey's and saw that they had the link green label, so ordered that one also. As soon as I did that, I got the invoice from Tennessee hickory, so I ended up getting three. The ebay one was through some weird company called zoro or something and was supposed to be shipped Mid may so wasn't expecting that one anytime soon. However, they all three arrived today.
Thought I would do a quick comparison. The tennessee handle is 28" while the link handles are 27". Both link handles are labeled as "miners" axe handles.
Here they all are. you can figure out which is which as the two links have stickers.
The best BY FAR is the green label link. The worst BY FAR is the blue label link - which was supposed to be the premium grade handle. The green label link handle is pretty much perfectly shaped, nice and slim, very nice swell, perfectly straight, etc. It will probably take very little work to hang a head on it. Just scrape off the varnish, a little slimming and done.
When I first opened the blue label link, I thought they had sent the wrong handle. what in the world is going on with that thing? it looks like a cruiser handle. they must have reshaped this handle from something else. it tapers on both front and back from the tongue to the body of the handle. I've never seen a single bit handle do that. also, its weirdly fat right in the shoulder area and oddly shaped - I really think they cut down a double bit handle to make it. and look at the swell - or complete lack of swell. it literally tapers to its smallest diameter right at the end. I'm not sure what I'll do with it.
The tennesse handle is fine, just super thick and fat all over, which is normal for their handles. both the blue link and the tennessee handles are bowed a little also - the tennessee is still in the realm of usable, the blue link is a bit much.
some more pictures

they all three have fine grain. here you can see the tiny bottom of the blue link handle. The swell on the tennessee isn't actually bigger than the green link. its an inch longer and so an inch closer to the camera.