DIY Network

Wooden Purse Handle Craft a hip handle for any handbag. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-505

Cool details top off your handmade handle.

If you love making your own handbags – or simply want to perk up bags you already have – fresh purse handles are a must. Pre-made handles are available at fabric and hobby stores, but Michele Beschen prefers to B. Original and make her own.

Custom purse handles can go with just about any bag, and they're a great opportunity to flex your creativity. Scroll down for the how-to, and get a handle on your handbags with Michele Beschen.

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Wooden Purse Handle

Materials:

piece of solid wood
band saw
drill
brad point drill bit
sandpaper
paint or stain
shellac
fabric or leather strips

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E

• Choose a solid piece of wood that is at least 1/4" thick. Avoid using plywood or thin woods that have a tendency to break up or fray; Michele Beschen used cedar for her handle.

• Create a cardboard template for the handles (figure A). Michele Beschen used a rough U shape with these measurements:
  height – 5"
  width – 7"
  sides – 1" wide
  top – 1" wide

• Place the template on the wood so that the grain of the wood runs across the handle rather than up and down. Make two tracings of the template on the wood.

• Cut the handles out with a band saw or a handsaw
  (figure B).

• Sand the handles until all surfaces are smooth and splinter free.

• To attach the handles to the purse, create two slots at the bottom of each handle: Make marks 1/2" inch from the bottom of each side of each handle and 1/4" in from each side. Use a drill with a brad point bit to create a slot by carefully drilling several holes side by side between the marks (figure C). A brad point bit has a sharp point on the en that helps keep the drill from slipping around when drilling a hole.

  Safety Alert: Always wear safety glasses and use caution when using a power drill or any power tool.

• When the holes are complete, there still will be some wood left between the holes (figure D). One way to clean this out is to insert the bit through one of the holes and sink the bit slightly into the work surface or a piece of scrap wood. Turn the drill on, gently moving the handle as the bit spins. You also can sand away the excess or tap it out with a chisel.

• Sand the edges of the slots smooth.

• Dress up the handles with some paint, stain or wood-burning, then seal them with two or more coats of shellac (figure E). Sand between the coats to keep the finish smooth.

• Attach the handles to the purse with leather cord or strips of fabric or leather. Punch holes in the purse and stitch the handles into place.