Wa handles

H

Happychicken

Joined
Nov 14, 2018
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hey guys I have a bunch of questions about wa handles. I want to make the pastors wife at my church a set of Japanese inspired kitchen knives. She is always cooking for church events and for people when they are sick or have a baby. I would like to thank her buy making her these.
I will be making three larger knives and three smaller knives. I was wondering what would be a good idea for the handle sizes would be. I am assuming they are all different sizes. I realize that different people will have different ideas as to what the ideal size would be. I am just looking for a good place to start.
 
Happy, have you ask this wonderful giving lady what kind of knives/handles she does prefer? ——————-___________In my best Fog Horn Leg Horn voice! I say! I say! Most Merican women do not care for those handles at all!:D.. Its a noble gesture you would like to do, So! Ask her to loan you her Fav-Favorite knife for an afternoon and then you have a basis to work with... I learned this years ago!!!! You can have the greatest blade on the planet & if the customer no likey the handle(s) They won’t use’em!:confused:o_O:eek:
 
Most westerners don't use wa handles because they have never tried them to feel how comfortable they are
And you don't have to ask her for her favourite knife to copy the handle as the genius of wa handles is they are comfortable for everybody to use,big or small handed people can use the same handle comfortably,like the pastor or his wife
 
There is a thread on WA handle sizes, I think Stacey posted some rules of thumb.

Approximate measures, depending on knife size.
Length 11-13 cm
Top of handle 18/22 mm
Bottom of handle 22/26 mm
These measures can obviously vary couple of mm, you could taper the handle more or less.

I have a WA related question that Google couldn't answer yet. How does one shape a D-handle to get a nice uniform form?
 
4:3 ratio (H:W) at the butt. A sight taper towards the front … 15% - 25%

5" to 6" lerngth

1" by .75" at the butt for normal size baldes,
1.25X1" for large,
and small blades can be as small as .75"X.5"

As well as the Wa, consider a D-handle. The are hand specific, so you need to know if the user is a right/left handled person.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
4:3 ratio (H:W) at the butt. A sight taper towards the front … 15% - 25%

5" to 6" lerngth

1" by .75" at the butt for normal size baldes,
1.25X1" for large,
and small blades can be as small as .75"X.5"

As well as the Wa, consider a D-handle. The are hand specific, so you need to know if the user is a right/left handled person.
Click to expand...

Stacy, how do you go about shaping a d handle? I held a shun knife and it feels really nice. Some seem to do the ridge simmetric, while shun kind of shaves just the top side of the handle. Do you first do an oval handle and then do the ridge or the other way around?
 
Wow guys that you so much for all the great info.
I put the cart in front of the horse. After making my own gyuto knife with wa handle I decided that that was the kind of knives that I want to make. I was so happy when I saw my wife using the knife I made and when she said that she liked it better than the other knives we have.
So on a high I ordered quite a few blanks water-jetted. Therefore these knives will have to be wa handle as I can’t invest anymore money in knife steel with these coming in.
Everyone seriously thank you for taking the time to answer my questions!
 
If handle in that link is bought assembled , OK .BUT if I make that handle i would do that in much easier way , especially if we talk for thin steel .I will dril and open every piece separately and after that I will glue pieces together ...
OQOiQoG.png
 
John mc c said:
Most westerners don't use wa handles because they have never tried them to feel how comfortable they are
And you don't have to ask her for her favourite knife to copy the handle as the genius of wa handles is they are comfortable for everybody to use,big or small handed people can use the same handle comfortably,like the pastor or his wife
Click to expand...
John, Just cause you find them more comfortable doesn’t everyone does. If so, the European birds head style handle would be in the vast minority by now & it isn’t with most pro Chefs & cooks here in the USA.. The other issue is most wa’s are still sized for much smaller Japanese hands. The (D) handle that Stacy mentioned, if far better from an ergonomic stand point because it allows peoples hands to have an index point .. Stay Safe & have fun!
 
FredyCro said:
Stacy, how do you go about shaping a d handle? ?
Click to expand...
I have only done this a couple times, but it was surprisingly easy. Penciled in the outline on either end, then went to the grinder withflat platen, held the handle vertical, and sanded the outline down making sure to adjust to match the outline on either end. When that is done, Go flat again on platen to slightly taper towards the tip if wanted.

there is a lot of variation in my commercially made examples, so my belief is that there is not a specific/strict standard. BTW, the outline is not exactly a “D”, it is more like a round or oval shape on the side away from where the hands knuckle will be, with the side towards the hands knuckles having a slight ridge (running lengthwise) just about where the knuckle of the first finger will be (something like four o'clock when looked at from the blade side). It might well be worth practicing on some 1 inch dowel stock...

i find the D shaped Wa very comfortable to use ... much more comfortable than the octagonal Wa handles. (BTW, stacys statement of measurements corresponds very closely to my commercial examples- again, there is significant variation among them...
 
Again, just to clarify nomenclature- at least where i have bought japanese knives commercially, both the “D” and octagonal handles are called “Wa” handles - just different shapes. Stacy will likely know whether that is a common or uncommon usage...

Lawrence, acknowledged that the european handle is more common in the US ... but I wonder if that is a product of exposure and marketing rather than true “comfort” in use? Certainly, there are a number of aspects of the european design that drive me crazy, to the point that i consider them design flaws, that are only propagated by marketing/sales practices...
 
Most of the guys I know that have requested chef knives like the western handle because they use a pinch grip.
So I’ll taper the front. I’m sure you could do it with a wa handle as well, I just don’t think it’s common. I’ve never seen it done.
 
Josh Rider said:
Most of the guys I know that have requested chef knives like the western handle because they use a pinch grip.it]
Click to expand...
True - i use a pinch grip also. But i still pick up the knife and move it around by the handle. Using the pinch grip the relatively flat front of the Wa helps to “register” the location of my fingers. I dont **think** i would like a Wa with a severely tapered front?
Oh, i also meant to mention that the more common/cheaper Wa handles are made with magnolia wood (pretty light). I have a couple made with heavier resinous tropical wood (heavier). I definitely find the heavier handles to be more comfortable in use ( better balance and feels more stable)
 
Cushing H. said:
Again, just to clarify nomenclature- at least where i have bought japanese knives commercially, both the “D” and octagonal handles are called “Wa” handles - just different shapes. Stacy will likely know whether that is a common or uncommon usage...

Lawrence, acknowledged that the european handle is more common in the US ... but I wonder if that is a product of exposure and marketing rather than true “comfort” in use? Certainly, there are a number of aspects of the european design that drive me crazy, to the point that i consider them design flaws, that are only propagated by marketing/sales practices...
Click to expand...
while the US/Euro being raised on European style handles contributes to popularity. Over the years I’ve made a few knives for Personal & professional home chefs, home cooks and sharpened thousands for these groups and Wa handles are no more than roughly 4-5% .. When I take a custom knife order I have them put their hand flat on a piece of paper with their fingers flat & together and starting at the wrist joint, I trace the hand along with notes for detailed sizing... I then have detailed discussions with them about how they hold, choke up, pinch grip, Roll for some cuts , etc and I offer and discuss euro, Wa & D handles. And a few want a Wa. More do prefer a D , to me that’s an obvious one. 1st Our grip isn’t round, and 2nd The D gives people a feel for where the edge will be to index the blade without them looking.. Most requested is the euro for the same reasons above .. Now you see my most of my handles & blades are a bit of a hybrid of Asian & Euro ... Stay Safe & have fun!
 
Cushing H. said:
Huh. to each their own I guess?? I just took a look at your website - what cool handle designs!
Click to expand...
I live near/in a Well to do area by the coast in S Cal.. That doesn’t mean we or all of my customers are big bucks! :D... It may be different in other parts of the Country??
 
Cushing H. said:
Again, just to clarify nomenclature- at least where i have bought japanese knives commercially, both the “D” and octagonal handles are called “Wa” handles - just different shapes. Stacy will likely know whether that is a common or uncommon usage...

Lawrence, acknowledged that the european handle is more common in the US ... but I wonder if that is a product of exposure and marketing rather than true “comfort” in use? Certainly, there are a number of aspects of the european design that drive me crazy, to the point that i consider them design flaws, that are only propagated by marketing/sales practices...
Click to expand...

I also like the oval handle of my Kasumi a lot. About the grinder, I don't have a VFD and I am also trying to get rid of most of the material before I start sanding. At 3000 RPM I will either cook the wood or go really slowly. I couldn't grind cocobolo because it is too oily. I don't know how will the stabilized wood react to the speed, is it more "heatproof"?
 
That I don’t know. I have a grinder with vfd , and definitely used a lower end speed. I don’t think I would even try this shaping on a disk grinder at full speed. It’s pretty easy for the belt to grab the handle and throw it. I expect it would be worse for a disk at full speed.,,
 
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