These images complement a forthcoming article and are intended to assist in identification of asbestos tool handles. They are divided into Type A, handles entirely made of asbestos, with or without metal ferrules, and Type B, wooden handles with asbestos ferrules. At the end are images of wooden and nylon handles for comparison. I’m not aware of any other materials used as handles.

I am continuing to collect images if you can safely take them. Please email anything you are willing to share publicly to bainbridge.abigail at gmail. Thank you to everyone who has contributed here.

Small decorative tool, handle identified as chrysotile asbestos paper.

Photographs by Abigail Bainbridge, thanks to Becky Tabard for sharing the tool and Airborne Environmental Consultants for testing. UK.

Set of decorative tools, stamped “The Loft Bindery” and others stamped with “Margaret King”—my assumption is that these are replacement Cockerell handles stamped by the binder, Margaret.
Acquired like this from King in 1973.

Photos by Sydney Huttner, US.

Decorative tools and pallets, note same fastening nails as above, known to have been used by Cockerell.

Photos by Bronwen Glover, CA.

Whiley handle letters—asbestos handles with brass ferrules. Assumption is that they were sold this way by Whiley.

Photos by Paul Welters, UK.

Handle letter.

Photo by Paul Welters, UK.

Unused handle from Douglas Cockerell & Son

Unused Cockerell handles

Photo by Emma Lloyd Jones, UK.

Note heavy abrasion of the handles

Photo by Heather Derwick

Douglas Cockerell & Son handles on decorative tools

Photos by Todd Pattison, US.

Handles on tools from Roger Powell’s bindery, most rounded at the ends, and some variety in diameter.

Photos by Jasper Richmond, West Dean College, UK.

Set of handle letters mostly in asbestos handles; the five skinniest ones are wood.
Photos by Abigail Bainbridge, UK.

Handle on a handle letter. Close-up image is of the end near the handle, showing the friable edge.
Photos by Abigail Bainbridge, UK.

Decorative pallet with asbestos handle covered in packing tape. Close-up images (the bottom end and the edge near the tool) show that the tape is ineffective as a containment method.
Photos by Abigail Bainbridge, UK.

Type B Whiley handle letters
Testing identified chrysotile asbestos resin.

Photos by Abigail Bainbridge, UK.

Type B Whiley handle letters

Photo by Thaddeus King

Type B Whiley handle letters
No analysis carried out

Photo by Bronwen Glover, CA.

Type B Whiley handle letters in the foreground—handles in rear boxes are wood.

Wooden handle coated in black lacquer. Tested for asbestos and not found to contain any. Signs that it is wood and not asbestos:

• Wood grain is visible through the lacquer

• No thickness difference caused by seam along the length of the handle is visible

• Sound is very different between wood and asbestos when bagged and tapped on a table surface

Photographs by Abigail Bainbridge, thanks to Becky Tabard for sharing the tool. UK.

Nylon handles were experimented with by the British Museum (now at the British Library) and Parliamentary Archives, perhaps other institutions.

Photos by Zoe Voice, UK.