Project Mora

[bikebum1975]

Well I had been talking about wanting to carve up a custom handle for my 840 MG this was a Christmas gift from a buddy on another forum sure I know I could just buy a blank but I wanted something a bit different. So the handle is going to be birch for the main portion a piece of I am leaning towards a nice chunk of elk antler a buddy sent me topped off with a coin an old friend gave me a 1955 Franklin silver half dollar the hilt will be an Irish coin the same friend gave me the harp will be facing out. I am carving it mostly with the Mora kinda seemed fitting to use that blade. Anyways this will be a work in progress so check back from time to time oh and I did use my Fulton a bit with this

 

[Bundleman]

Like where you're going with this...

 

[drewdunnrespect]

looking good so far mate

 

[crosslandkelly]

Great idea.
Colin.

 

[brancho]

The knife blank is the best bet IMO as the antler crown and coin will need to be supported/attached to the rest of the handle. Also how long are you making the handle as 4 inch is about right

The blade looks like this 780


Mora 780 blade by alf.branch, on Flickr

This one was only dismantled due to a fault

 

[bikebum1975]

The knife blank is the best bet IMO as the antler crown and coin will need to be supported/attached to the rest of the handle. Also how long are you making the handle as 4 inch is about right

The blade looks like this 780


Mora 780 blade by alf.branch, on Flickr

This one was only dismantled due to a fault

Yep it's gonna be about 4 inches basically a copy of the 840s handle. The antler and coin will be held on with epoxy more doing this as a show piece than a full time user. I will still use it just not a ton more a light carver.

 

[brancho]

You should pin the end too IMO to give it shear strength.
By that I mean drill into the end of the wood and through the and coin into the antler use a brass screw as adowl pin and will be a user.

When sanding the coins moving them in circle will help the stay flat same with the antler and wood.

 

[bikebum1975]

You should pin the end too IMO to give it shear strength.
By that I mean drill into the end of the wood and through the and coin into the antler use a brass screw as adowl pin and will be a user.

When sanding the coins moving them in circle will help the stay flat same with the antler and wood.

Not planning on ruining the coin by sanding it it will be alright main reason I'm putting the coin on is it was a gift from a friend

 

[NikolaTesla]

I might do this to my Hultafors GK as I don't like the handle.

 

[bikebum1975]

I might do this to my Hultafors GK as I don't like the handle.

Do take pics if ya do it. I love the shape of the handle just not so much on the plastic lol

 

[NikolaTesla]

How would I affix the handle to the tang as the tang of the GK is pretty much like a Moras. There are no holes for pins.

 

[bikebum1975]

How would I affix the handle to the tang as the tang of the GK is pretty much like a Moras. There are no holes for pins.

It's a learning thing for me but I'm gonna chisel out the shape of the tang when I split the handle down then just epoxy and clamp it back together again

 

[NikolaTesla]

I've got the old handle off my GK I've also modded it by grinding the top of the knife, and also made a scandi grind, by getting rid of the secondary smaller bevel, now needs a handle. I don't know what to use, hazel, birch, oak or what is best?

I might just cut a log out and smash the handle onto the tang, and shape it from there.

 

[NikolaTesla]

Haven't got round to doing the handle, I'm wondering how, I've seen one guy smash a small log of wood onto the handle and going from there, or just epoxy it on?

 

[bikebum1975]

Haven't got round to doing the handle, I'm wondering how, I've seen one guy smash a small log of wood onto the handle and going from there, or just epoxy it on?

Never done one yet but if it's a stick tang you got drill press then glue it with 2 part epoxy from what I have read it's not all that hard to do up

 

[Hugo]

How would I affix the handle to the tang as the tang of the GK is pretty much like a Moras. There are no holes for pins.

I have made a dozen handles for some Hultafors blades, they had a hole 5 cm down.
They look good in walnut, to make the hole in the wood for the blade you have to chain drill a set of holes tapering down, also use a small file.
Have a look at this one I made for stock. http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88145&highlight=

 

[bikebum1975]

I have made a dozen handles for some Hultafors blades, they had a hole 5 cm down.
They look good in walnut, to make the hole in the wood for the blade you have to chain drill a set of holes tapering down, also use a small file.
Have a look at this one I made for stock. http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88145&highlight=

Damn fine work on that to Mate Kep showed to me when he first got it.

 

[Hugo]

Damn fine work on that to Mate Kep showed to me when he first got it.

This is another one Bikebum mate, Keps one was a Christmas present from me, his one had a strait cut at the pommel.
This one is still in stock awaiting a new keeper.

I like the idea of using coins on your knife, they should look good.
You could weld a small piece of mild steel to the tang to make a full tang knife.
I know of somebody who makes a sort of dovetail joint doing it so as no welding to be done only glue.

 

[bikebum1975]

This is another one Bikebum mate, Keps one was a Christmas present from me, his one had a strait cut at the pommel.
This one is still in stock awaiting a new keeper.

I like the idea of using coins on your knife, they should look good.
You could weld a small piece of mild steel to the tang to make a full tang knife.
I know of somebody who makes a sort of dovetail joint doing it so as no welding to be done only glue.

Hmmm sounds like an interesting idea might have to try it for kicks. The main coin an old friend gave to me the 55 half dollar that's why though suggested I don't want to drill any holes in it ya know?

 

[Hugo]

Nikola, you have to drill out a hole for the tang, there is no easy way, you can't just bash the blade into a log.
If this is not in you skill reach why not ask somebody near you to drill the hole, then finish it yourself.
What you can do on the blade is use some wet and dry sandpaper to polish up the back of the blade, as I believe it is left rough in manufacture, I used 400 grit then up to 2000 grit to a nice polished finish.