Do you shape them before you fit them or when fitted ??? if after fitted how do you shape the piece of handle that touches the side of the blade within damaging it??
Knife scales
- Thread starter spoony
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AAlso liners are they easily shaped when fitted to?? and the brass rods do you shape them while shaping handle?? TA
M
Mattwills1978
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Have a look at www.britishblades.com - there's loads of tutorials that show you how to do it.
Basically you glue everything in place then shape it.
Have fun!!
Matt
Basically you glue everything in place then shape it.
Have fun!!
Matt
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=9693
Turorial by Rapidboy. (He also did an excellent tutorial about re-handling a WS Woodlore with curly birch - def. worth a search).
Seems to me you first add the blocks of wood (the scales to be) onto your knife / blade. After that you shape the blocks. This way you ensure a good and fluent transfer from the scales to the blade (i.e. no gaps, etc.) and it prevents you to remove to much material (as you can check every now and then if the handle is already a good fit for your hand).
You can (duct)tape the blade itself to prevent blade damage.
Hope this helps untill the cavalry arrives
Turorial by Rapidboy. (He also did an excellent tutorial about re-handling a WS Woodlore with curly birch - def. worth a search).
Seems to me you first add the blocks of wood (the scales to be) onto your knife / blade. After that you shape the blocks. This way you ensure a good and fluent transfer from the scales to the blade (i.e. no gaps, etc.) and it prevents you to remove to much material (as you can check every now and then if the handle is already a good fit for your hand).
You can (duct)tape the blade itself to prevent blade damage.
Hope this helps untill the cavalry arrives
You shape the leading edge of the slabs, where the blade will emerge from the handle, before fitting the slabs. Get that all sanded and everything. Then fit the slabs and after the glue has set, shape them down to the tang. Use masking tape or similar to protect the blade from being scratched, and you from being cut.
Bits of leather or cardboard are good for vice liners, they give better grip and cushion the blade when you clamp it for handle shaping operations.
As you shape the slabs down to the tang you have to be careful not to put any big file nicks in the steel, they will need to be sanded out and its better not to have them. There isn't really any way of protecting the exposed tang as you shape the slabs down. If you use a belt sander you won't put big scratches in, but with files it is more of a danger. The safest way is to take it close with files, then use 120 - 240 sand paper on a stiff backing to take off the last bit and make the slabs flush with the steel.
All this is one reason to like hidden tangs. You don't have the tang as a shape guide, but its not there to cause shaping and finishing problems either.
Bits of leather or cardboard are good for vice liners, they give better grip and cushion the blade when you clamp it for handle shaping operations.
As you shape the slabs down to the tang you have to be careful not to put any big file nicks in the steel, they will need to be sanded out and its better not to have them. There isn't really any way of protecting the exposed tang as you shape the slabs down. If you use a belt sander you won't put big scratches in, but with files it is more of a danger. The safest way is to take it close with files, then use 120 - 240 sand paper on a stiff backing to take off the last bit and make the slabs flush with the steel.
All this is one reason to like hidden tangs. You don't have the tang as a shape guide, but its not there to cause shaping and finishing problems either.
exellent advice and tips cheers, will post pics when done thanks. Hmmmm wheres a cheap place to get those big sanders??
axminster do a cheep one every now and then or perhaps machinemart or possibly screwfix
mine came from b&q when they were on offer years ago!
II've also just got one of the 1/2 inch drums - works ace in my bench drill for small radius'
mine came from b&q when they were on offer years ago!
II've also just got one of the 1/2 inch drums - works ace in my bench drill for small radius'
can you get an attachment like this just the sander tip
to fit this, like a kind of bit?? that would screw in like a drill bit say??
to fit this, like a kind of bit?? that would screw in like a drill bit say??
There are only two things I would be careful about using those sanding drums in a drill. The first is that it is purely a finishing system since you can't really push the work onto the drum without worrying what you are doing to the drill bearings, which probably aren't built to take side loading like that.
Second, the drums that I have see were slighly soft, foam like, if you are trying to make the slabs flush with the tang, and you are sanding in line with the tang, as a drum does, there is a slight danger of undercutting the softer handle material either side of the steel. The wood cuts faster than the steel and a soft backing to the sand paper doesn't keep if all dead flat.
I don't know how those would work, I am only going on the drums that I have seen and they might have been different.
I really wouldn't spend the money at this stage on those power tools. A 1/2 - 1" wide x 12" long flat bit of wood or metal as backing, with either wet and dry, or premium AL oxide paper will clean things up really well. Shop roll abrasive, in 120 grit or coa rser will round the handle nicely and you can do an amazing amount of shaping with a long 1/2" square b'stard file. Being only 1/2 wide you can use it to cut concave curved areas, like the waist on the back of a Woodlore type handle. All the above can be worked at 90degrees to the spine and cut wood and metal at the same rate, so keeping it flush and flat.
Second, the drums that I have see were slighly soft, foam like, if you are trying to make the slabs flush with the tang, and you are sanding in line with the tang, as a drum does, there is a slight danger of undercutting the softer handle material either side of the steel. The wood cuts faster than the steel and a soft backing to the sand paper doesn't keep if all dead flat.
I don't know how those would work, I am only going on the drums that I have seen and they might have been different.
I really wouldn't spend the money at this stage on those power tools. A 1/2 - 1" wide x 12" long flat bit of wood or metal as backing, with either wet and dry, or premium AL oxide paper will clean things up really well. Shop roll abrasive, in 120 grit or coa rser will round the handle nicely and you can do an amazing amount of shaping with a long 1/2" square b'stard file. Being only 1/2 wide you can use it to cut concave curved areas, like the waist on the back of a Woodlore type handle. All the above can be worked at 90degrees to the spine and cut wood and metal at the same rate, so keeping it flush and flat.
Hey Klenchblaize, that is a nice tutorial. I don't suppose you have any photos that you will be adding in?
C_Claycomb said:
A well spotted omission/oversight that I fully acknowledge. This article written very much as an afterthought for www.deerstalker.com and long before I had a digital camera and even less PC skills! Hence only the B&W strapline photo.
If I ever re-scale another knife I could take pics and add but I'm sure its been covered in greater detail etc. elsewhere.
You are right to observe the potential to "undercut" with the Dremal-type sanding drums as I seem to recall making a reference to this from experience!
Cheers
That's a good tutorial Hoodo, I use a couple of methods, but generally I mark a block, drill it, split it, then rough it out before glueing and finishing.
I would second Axminster for a belt sander (I have thier own brand one for lite trade work) and it is pretty good, it demolishes most types of wood and gives very much a "Borg" feeling (resistance is futile).
I would second Axminster for a belt sander (I have thier own brand one for lite trade work) and it is pretty good, it demolishes most types of wood and gives very much a "Borg" feeling (resistance is futile).
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