>rather than a crooked handle, ( even if they do  have a cool aspect to 
them) I'd prefer a straight handle and  one  just that much longer  so 
that my hand cleared the work.

Handle length might be the thing here.  But as for the crooked handles, 
they are imperative for squaring logs, not to keep your fingers safe, 
but because you are standing next to the log.  They make it possible to 
easily make cuts parallel to the log.

Hatchets are a different issue.  With the exception of cooper's side 
axes, all that I have seen and/or used have straight helves. The 
earliest drawing I recall of a carpenter's broad hatchet has a straight 
helve.  Because of the way one addresses the work with a hatchet, the 
offset is unnecessary.

Now most of the cooper's side axes have an offset eye with a straight 
handle.  It allows you to sight down the blade while you are listing the 
staves.  Anglo-American side axes are all made this way.  The French 
"doloire" that I have, however, has both an offset eye and a slightly 
curved handle that sweeps away from the blade.  It works nicely -- once 
you adjust to the weight falling off to the side.  A cooper trained up 
on the Anglo-American side ax would curse the doloire dead and blind 
because the balance is distinct and awkward.  The blade wants to twist 
in your hand, away from the line you wish to cut.  I 'spect the same 
awkwardness will be found in a regular broad hatchet handled this way.

Mike in Woodland