Your handle looks more ‘hand friendly’ than the Fällkniven one.
For woods that attract dirt, I like to infuse them first with diluted boat varnish, then apply boat varnish in several layers, fine sanding in between.
For ‘users’ I finish the surface at about 220 - 320 grit.
Awesome, thanks for the tip.
When one uses the knife as a chisel, many people hit the pommel with their palm as it is a fairly controllable way of doing it.
Ah ok, the next knife will be more of a bushcraft style with a big butt, so I will have a go.
I find a hard finish, such as several built up, rubbed down coats of very runny superglue works well on woods with grain to fill, or woods that have a variable surface, such as burls. Once finished, the superglue coat/shell is very hard wearing and can be polished up or left matt as required. Superglue is also much cheaper than a Massey finish (epoxy and acetone)
//Bob
If the wood is stabalised, say with cactus juice, is it less likely to attract dirt?
With your wood carving background, I think you really need to look at hidden tangs as the way forward. Mortise them in, or use a handle broach (starting with a pen drill to get room for the broach). Having wrap-around wood without a pre-defined tang shape to work to, allows greater freedom, and you can use all wood shaping tools without fear of dinging an edge, up till the point you put a pin in.
You might like this...handle fitting starts around post 226
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/wheelers-steel-stuck-in-the-metal-with-you.808140/page-12
And this by Dan Farr
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/a-new-piece-from-dan-farr.858866/
Photos look like its a very well executed first knife...and to have gone with a real HT oven rather than just a propane torch...
Chris
Hidden tang knives will certainly happen in the future! I already have some beautiful stabilised desert ironwood burl blocks ready, and a few ideas on hand carved handle shapes. That looks like a very detailed walkthrough, thanks so much for the link!!
The heat treat oven has been a fun project and I like the accuracy of it over a propane torch. I like to have the right tool for the job, which means I have learned to be careful about getting involved in hobbies. Once i'm in, I am all the way in and that usually means buying lots of tools!
Certainly keen on the 'edged tools' aspect of the forum though. I have been building up to making a knife for a long time after buying a handmade knife for a friend 10 years ago. I have built a heat treat oven with the help of my father, and spent an unhealthy amount of time on youtube!!
