[Brucester]

Your preference and why? Looking at Mcleods. Hate how hoe's get loose and aren't wide enough. Best brand in your opinion?

[Ski]

I hate fiberglass handles. Only tool here with a fiberglass handle is a 16-ounce ball peen, and that's only because the head is epoxied to the handle. Otherwise, give me American Hickory or Ash every time. this outfit gets the most referrals on the tool guy site: Tennessee / Tennessee Hickory Products, 111 Keene, PO Box 309, Loudon, TN, 37774 / https://www.tennesseehickory.com/ / wood handles / * I've never used them myself but they get good reviews. Most of my handles I got either from Ron Jones Power Equipment (Spanaway) or Lincoln Hardware (now out of business) but I haven't had need to replace a handle in several years.

[mike]

wood! I like the fact that you can shape them to fit your grip. Especially for hammers and hatchets. Wouldn't be as useful or necessary for a McCloud tho.

[Ski]

if it's a tang fit.... I had a spading fork and kept pulling the head out of the handle because of the way I was using it. I wanted a longer handle on it anyway. I pulled the head off, and fried no fewer than five titanium bits before I went up and bought a couple cobalt bits. First I drilled through an ice cube, and then set the point of the bit onto the tang of the fork (with the ice cube still on the bit) and punched a 3/16" diameter hole through the tang. (took a couple hours and I fried both bits). Then I got a long shovel handle and riveted the head to the handle. Never came loose again. YMMV

[Bowregard]

I agree with Ski regarding fiberglass handles. Too heavy and not worth the expense. Though I do have one exception: I have one standard shovel with a fiberglass handle that I use when I know I am going to have to use substantial pressure to lever something up out of a hole. The shovel is welded and very strong so in combination with the fiberglass handle I can use it in place of getting out a digging bar of otherwise very heavy tool. Same theory with handles as baseball bats - best strength/weight so ash is my preference. I suppose that may follow baseball when suitable supplies run down.

[huron]

Is there brick & mortar place in Seattle metro area that sells fire or trail tools in store? Ideally Prohoe / Rogue Hoe.

[treeswarper]

I have an old fiberglass handle shovel that needs to be thrown out. The fiberglass has deteriorated and if I grab it without gloves, I get little tiny slivers of fiberglass in my hands. Go with a wooden handle. Fiberglass is good for boats, not tool handles.

[Chief Joseph]

I definitely prefer a wooden handle except for a splitting maul, my aim is way too inconsistent, I would likely go through at least one handle per year. I refuse to buy a log splitter, I love to take my frustrations out on some stubborn wood. I have a long handled Fiskars splitter and I love it!

[texasbb]

Generally speaking, wood has a better feel. (But like the Chief above, I call an exception for my maul. I split about 3 cords/year and won't give up my 8-lb maul with fiberglass handle.) However... It's increasingly difficult to find good tools with wood handles. The wood options are almost always the cheap "disposable" tools nowadays. If you want a shovel with a blade that won't bend when you slam it into a rock, it'll probably have a fiberglass handle. Maybe I haven't looked in the right places.

[treeswarper]

There was a guy who sold wooden handles for various tools at every Packwood fleece market. But I think the quality was going down. Anyway, if he still shows up, you can get there on Friday and pick through his inventory. I say Friday because the locals usually paw through his handle selection early in the sale. I do the old tape wrap around the handle at the blade end on axes. I like to think that a thick layer of tape might protect it and keep it from splintering when there is a misdirected hit.