Knife handle size & shape

[Big John]

Hi All,

I'm just about to pass the point of no return on my knife handle and started to get all worried!

I got a Lapplander 115 blade for Christmas and having gone through Beech & Birch I've finally got a couple of slabs of Ash ready for working. I've roughed a handle from a couple of bits of polystyrene so that I had some idea of what I'm aiming for, but it's come out rather large and a bit of an odd shape. I have got quite large hands so maybe it's ok?

Having played with it again today I'm thinking that maybe the little finger needs to sit in a bit more, creating a guide to stop it sliding off the end, but apart from that it feels comfortable.

As you can see from this one, it's quite a bit bigger than the tang:

This one shows it compared to my mora:

And this one in my hand:

What do you think - am I overdoing it?

Any comments most welcome!

Thanks,

 

[Squidders]

Well, I think that if it fits your hand it's the right size... options are perhaps to make the handle from one bit of wood with a slot for the tang cut out of it as opposed to two bits of wood, one either size. This would probably mean making the back of the tang square to mate to the handle well.

The other way would be to make a recess in the slabs to allow them to mate up at the butt of the handle.

Just thoughts though from me, i'm sure you could get a more complete and useful answer over on BB.

- Joe

 

[falcon]

I did a lapplander 115 using two pieces of oak floorboard offcuts with some help and guidance from some of the guys on here. I sanded to the basic handle shape without any additional notches or whatever and decided on a finished width judged by the width of some other knives. My hands are reasonably wide and I wanted a more solid feel. I just rounded all of the edges and created a slightly narrower profile towards the front but not a great deal. I would say progess in small steps because, as the saying goes, you can sand a bit off but you can't add it back on. It might take some trial and error to find what suits you before applying your final finish to the handle.

This was my initial effort and I reduced the thickness after trial for a day or two...sorry about the photo quality.

 

[jason01]

Thats the beauty of making your own, no need to be limited by what other people think is right or normal. If you feel it will work for you then go for it, you could model it in plasticine or even fit a rough handle in plywood to try if you wanted but at the end of the day you wont know for sure how it works until you have it finished and can spend time cutting or carving with it.

I would agree with Joe, if youre making it oversize anyway maybe consider a coffin handle with the tang fully enclosed, might need to grind the tang down a little narrower for that though.

 

[Dave Barker]

You are gonna have to morice it to get the fit right i think.

the scales will naturallu lay against the tang.. when the tang stops you'll have a gap.

you can mortice it by drawing the tand on each scale then chiseling/filing etc it out to the right depth. do that on both and when you glue it up you'll have a solid and almost invisible join.

 

[pierre girard]

Well, I think that if it fits your hand it's the right size... options are perhaps to make the handle from one bit of wood with a slot for the tang cut out of it as opposed to two bits of wood, one either size. This would probably mean making the back of the tang square to mate to the handle well.

The other way would be to make a recess in the slabs to allow them to mate up at the butt of the handle.

Just thoughts though from me, i'm sure you could get a more complete and useful answer over on BB.

- Joe

I agree. Plus, if you make it oversize - you can always trim it down if it seems like too much when finished.

PG

 

[Big John]

Thanks guys,

I was going to recess the scales and file a step into the tang where it starts to get buried in the handle so that there is a definate end to it rather than a thin & flimsy bit were the two blends together - if you see what I mean.

Right, deep breath and get on with it then, will post more pics when done.

Cheers,

 

[BorderReiver]

Shut your eyes and hold it.If it feels right then it is.

As it is "too big" at the moment,you have the chance of trimming it up,if necessary,before finishing.When the slabs have been fitted firmly,try it out in all the usual positions to see if it still feels right.

Enjoy it.