Head Knife Handle ?

[Django57]

A question to the members with different Head Knife handles , I've noticed that some Head knives come with a what seems to be flat sided wooden handles and some appear to be round just wondered which gives the more comfortable grip without compromising accuracy when cutting ?

Some examples Flat sided http://www.outfitterssupply.com/Head-Knife/productinfo/WLF71/

Round http://www.josephdixon.co.uk/products/Saddlers_Tooling/Knives/Round_Knifes_Head_Knifes.html

Edited November 1, 2013 by Django57

[electrathon]

First style. Totally round and you can not feel the angle of the blade in your hand.

[Django57]

I thought that might be the answer , next question would you recommend re-shaping a round handle to give a flattened side ? I appreciate the brass ferule makes it a bit less straight forward but you get my thinking .

[Matt S]

My Barnsley head knife came with a round handle. I whittled it into a rectangle-with-rounded-corners cross-section then soaked it in oil. Job jobbed.

[Django57]

Sounds a good idea Matt S you haven't got a photo of the finished knife have you ?

[Tannin]

First style. Totally round and you can not feel the angle of the blade in your hand.

Perhaps that's why Al Stohlman's tool book usually/always shows the round knife being held with two fingers held flat against the back of the blade?

He also recommends shortening long handles so the end fits in the palm of your hand (and provides an illustration of how to do it); it sounds like it an interesting idea but I plan to stick with the standard (round) handle unless/until I've found a problem with it.