HANDLES OF SMALLER SIZE 



The wooden handle as equipped with the diminu- 

 tive brush of camel hair for water color paint- 

 ing is among the smallest regularly manu- 

 factured. The penholder is very near akin to 

 these handles in size and form. The illustra- 

 tion shows a package put up ready for ship 

 ment or for sale 



THE USES OF WOOD 



cocobola, boxwood, or green ebony, 

 will supply enough handle scales for 

 a hundred pocket knives ; and though 

 the wood may be very costly, the 

 pieces are so small that the wood for 

 a single knife handle may cost less 

 than a cent. The foreign woods listed 

 in the knife handle trade are hard and 

 handsome. It is commonly supposed 

 that American forests do not grow 

 woods suitable for such handles, but 

 that opinion is probably erroneous 

 and persists because of ignorance of 

 the real wealth of woods in our for- 

 ests. Many of the minor species are 

 little known and some of them pro- 

 duce woods of fine grain, handsome 

 color, excellent hardness, and good 

 working qualities. Nearly six hun- 

 dred kinds of woods grow wild in 

 the United States, and not more than 

 half of them are in common use. It 

 is true that most of the minor and 

 little used species are quite scarce, 

 but enough wood might be secured 

 from them to supply handles for all 

 the pocket knives made in this coun- 

 try. Many knife handles are of plain 

 uncolored woods, and there are grada- 

 tions from the finest to the common- 

 est. Even the cheapest woods may 

 be peculiarly suitable for certain kinds 

 of handles. Oystermen use an aspen 

 wood handle for the shucking knife. 



685 



SHORT HANDLES OF HARDWOOD 



This is a type of handle made by the 

 million for small tools like screw driv- 

 ers, awls, files and other similar kinds. 

 Different woods are in use, but the 

 harder it is, the better. The handle shown 

 in the cut is of paper birch, part white sap 

 and part red heart. 



It possesses a 

 peculiar char- 

 acteristic 

 which prevents 

 the handle 

 from becoming 

 slippery when 

 in contact with 

 oysters, and 

 workman can 

 retain firm 

 hold on and 

 good control 

 of the handle. 

 That is not the 

 case with most 

 woods in that 

 situation. 



A larger as- 

 sortment o f 

 special woods 

 are listed in 



for handsaws, 

 aspen for oys- 

 ter knives, 

 cocobola for 

 pocket knives, 

 hemlock and 

 paper birch 

 for buckets 

 and pails, and 

 sugar maple 

 for broom 

 handles. 



No general 

 shortage of 

 handle woods 

 need be feared. 

 Though 280,- 

 000,000 feet a 

 year must be 

 cut to meet 

 the demand, 

 enough is in 



the handle industry than in most others. Among such sight or in prospect to supply the needs of the handle 

 are hickory for ax handles ash for pitchforks, apple manufacturers. So many species may be used that 



PAINT BRUSH HANDLES 



Hundreds of patterns, shapes, and sizes of paint brush handles are on the market and no complete list 

 is possible or desirable. The accompanying cut shows a few of the most usual. The man who makes 

 the handles is seldom the man who completes the brushes by attaching the bristles or fiber. Most 

 handles of this kind are made to order. 



