We don't use a bottle opener very often but when we do it's usually an old wooden-handled job. The handle had long since lost any finish and was cracked and rather beaten up. I am informed that this bottle opener may have been used by my spouse at Brownie camp which gives an indication of its venerable nature (sorry, Sue).
Now of course we have other bottle openers since they somehow accrete in the corners of kitchen gadget drawers; an archeological dig of the area revealed a few of the standard stamped metal models, a plastic one, a big metal one, a little cast-aluminum version and of course a half-dozen other gadgets that just happened to have a bottle-opener attachment. However I usually used the wooden-handled opener if for no other reason that it was easier to find in the drawer. It also has a unique-looking 2-piece metal end that made it a bit more interesting. It eventually occurred to me that it may in fact be within the realm of possibility to
replace the handle with something less...venerable. So that's what I did; I went for the more-modern angular look and extended the length for a more comfortable grip.
I wanted to use Roasted Curly Maple but my last remaining scrap wasn't quite long enough so I extended it with a bit of dark Wenge on the end. I cleaned up the metalwork, stuck the two woods together and turned the new handle on the lathe.
| Material: | Roasted Curly Maple and Wenge |
| Finish: | 3 coats Miniwax Wipe-on Poly, Clear Satin |
| Construction: | Turned & glued |
| Size: | Handle: 4.6" long x 0.88" dia. |
| Done: | Jan 14, 2022 |
