A timeless product: the true story of wooden handles
Seldom do we think about how useful wooden tool handles have been for human evolution, and yet we should! Just think of the first civilisations, the first walls, the first towns and the first fields cultivated thanks to the help of tools in various materials (stone first, bronze and iron afterwards), gripped and used thanks to these wooden handles, invented and manufactured by mankind to work more efficiently.
Just to underline one of the first artefacts of man, in this article we would like to explore the history of wooden handles and discover their origins and their evolution to the present day.
Follow us: this will be an exciting journey.
Origin of wooden handles
As already mentioned, wooden handles are one of the oldest and most used tools by mankind to carry out numerous and varied daily activities. These handles have been used for centuries for various tools such as adzes, hammers, shovels, rakes and many other gardening and work equipment.
Their story starts from back in time, even thousands of years ago – men and women learnt very early that wooden handles were a great way to grip tools and transfer the strength of their body to equipment, with less effort and lower dispersion of energy.
The first wooden handles were likely sharp sticks, hand-carved to create a rudimentary ergonomic handle. The wooden handles helped men to create the first great civilizations, those with a writing and a bureaucratic apparatus. Despite the scarcity of wood due to the desert climate, the ancient Egyptians, for example, used wooden handles for their adzes and for other agricultural and construction equipment, including wedges to detach building stone blocks and to drag them on slopes. Ancient Middle Eastern cultures also used wooden handles for their equipment, and so did Asian and Native American populations.
Over the centuries, the use of wooden handles has spread around the world, and each culture has ended up developing its own techniques and production style.
The evolution of wooden handles
With the improvement of woodworking technologies, handles became increasingly sophisticated and durable. In the European Middle Ages, for example, wooden handles for work tools became an important craft activity. The craftsmen specialised in the production of handles for hoes, pitchforks, shovels, pickaxes and hammers, were able to create high quality, robust and durable pieces.
Over time, wooden handles have undergone a significant evolution. From raw and poorly worked wood, people began also using finishes, creating ergonomic shapes and more resistant models. It is often said – and we at Foppoli Bramin agree on this matter – that wooden handles for tools is a product that has undergone less technological evolution, both in terms of shape and production.
However, this does not mean that the wooden handles have always remained the same, quite the contrary! Shapes, selection of different types of wood, carving, workmanship and additions have marked an interesting evolution. For example, during the 19th century, wooden handles underwent a further evolution with the introduction of new machining technologies, which allowed manufacturers to create more precise and resistant handles, increasing their durability and their ability to withstand stress and daily wear and tear.
It is precisely in this period that, with the advent of the steam engine and the industrial revolution, the production of wooden handles became increasingly precise and profitable – among the companies that specialised in this production, there is obviously also ours, Foppoli Bramin, founded in 1890.
Foppoli Bramin has continued to produce wooden handles for work tools for over a century, becoming a leader in the production of these important tool components. For our production, we use only high-quality wood types such as beech, ash, poplar, lime and we use only cutting-edge processing techniques. Specifically, the processing of wood takes place following some very specific steps, such as:
Wood selection
Wood seasoning
Thermal treatment
The choice of shapes
Mechanical processing
Finishing
These are all fundamental steps to ensure the quality of the final product, durability and resistance to wear and tear.
In conclusion, the history of wooden handles as tools for humans is long and full of evolution and developments. Despite the changes over the centuries and the newest construction and cultivation technologies, wooden handles continue to have a great importance in the daily lives of people all over the world. Whether it’s agricultural tools or construction equipment, wooden handles are a durable, resistant and environmentally friendly option that will continue to play an important role in the future.
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