And a 2 handed T handle would be just right for something in the 14ft lb area.
Right. Tighten till it strips, then back off a half turn. Here's a good excuse to buy that torque wrench you've always wanted.
Works for me!
PS: But really, if you'll notice, the guy in the manual isn't using a torque wrench. Hmmmm. Don't get me wrong, I own a torque wrench and know how to use it. But you see what i mean? The manual simply says use the same tool to install that you used to remove. I've got a fair amount of experience (as I'm guessing you do to) and would bet i could easily put a bolt in at 14ft lbs with a T handle, +/- 1 ft lb or 2, which is well within range.
So what part of the manual do we follow and what part do we not? Such is the nature of manuals. Robert Pirsig who wrote Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance said in a small part of the book, that technical manuals are often written by people who are way down the food chain from those who should be writing/editing the manual. He was a Philosophy major who edited technical manuals, so he has some experience.
I would agree that "best practices" would have had that manual editor take the T handle out and replace it with a torque wrench, and the torque spec.