Hultafors heavy duty knife - rehandled! Picture heavy

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Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!
Started and finished this project today! it started life as this standard Hultafors Heavy duty knife..



Good knife, with a crude and not particularly sharp edge profile but with good steel, big handle and tough design. But, I paid £6 for this one so I could have a play rehandling it :)

I don't have pictures of the de-handling but I'll give you a briefing of what happend. I started by drilling into the sides to find where the tang ended, then I hacksawed the rest off and pryed it all away. I used files and a bench grinder to flatten and sort out the start of the blade so it woult sit flush to the bolster! This took a few minutes and wasn't a big deal.


Here's a picture of what the tang looks like, this isn't my own picture though.




I then sourced some seasoned plumb, brass sheet and some aluminium pins from my scrap box and got to work hand drilling holes and filing it all so it could piece together.



all epoxied up once it was drilled..



I then used my angle grinder fitted with a flap disk to shed and strip the handle to shape. I started with the sides to get it thinner, then worked on the other angles.




I actually only used the grinder to shape the wood, it was quick and easy this way and with a steady hand can be done well! ;)

That unusual edge needed sorting too, I done this with a Lidl dremel type tool with a sandpaper end and some wet n dry paper on a flat surface! Now it pops hairs like a gangster! :)

This was what it looked like before I sorted it out into a proper scandi grind..



It was a very unusual grind and the tip was way too fat for any practical use!

I then tidied up the pins in the butt end/plate and gave it a quick sandpaper polish.


Nearly done now, all it needs is some raw linseed oil, a light candle brun to add carbon into the grain and another coat of oil and a rub down! I also added a little bees wax to lock in those oils and colours and protect the plumb.





So, that's it! it actually still fits in the old sheath so that's a temporary bonus! :D

Hope you like the pictures and I strongly advise any tinkerers to get one of these bargain knives to have a go at modding!

Thanks for reading :)
 

Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,209
362
73
SE Wales
Looking good, Samon.................I love your quick and practical projects, it's a great way to get little gems and this is one of them! ......................atb mac
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!
thank you for the kind words guys! :)

Like i said, it was a nice knife before but now I like it more! it still feels solid and I purposely kept the handle quite large as to mimic the original because it was very nice originally.
 

Tat2trev

Native
Dec 10, 2012
1,547
0
County Durham
Wicked job bud how did you hollow where the stick tang goes I've a military mora I would like to change the handle so its more in keeping with my first effort sheath I made yesterday any help would be great regards tre
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!
Wicked job bud how did you hollow where the stick tang goes I've a military mora I would like to change the handle so its more in keeping with my first effort sheath I made yesterday any help would be great regards tre

what I done was clamp the handle piece in a vice (broken vice/clamps!) and use a drill to drill straight down for the tang to fit. It's a fiddly pain without a proper bench drill press but it's doable!

Use a thin drill bit and drill multiple holes and either use the bit to get through the remaining bits or burn it out with a red hot kebab sqewer.
 

yomperalex

Nomad
Jan 22, 2011
260
1
Reading
I've got one of those knives. Absolutely love it, except for that handle - comfy but just, well plastic.

I've often contemplated about putting a new handle on it, but have shied away as I didn't really know what would be involved.

So thatnks for the post, really informative.

And a great job you've done to boot.

Alex
 

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