The first knife handled.... and certainly not the last!

[Totumpole]

Hey guys, instead of the boring drudgery of study on my day off, I spent yesterday morning finnishing making my first knife handle in the man cave.

It is a Karesuando Carbon Steel kit which are available from several retailers. I bought the kit to have a go, mainly as a prequel to handling my JP handforged blade from the woodlore shop.

The kit comes with a blade, a brass bolster, a block of curly birch (I think) and some leather and bits for the sheath.
First of all, a few sketches of possible design:

Fitting the bolster and antlert followed by drilling the wood - which proved quite difficult to get an accurate snug fit (plus scouring the local DIY shops to get a long drill bit - in the end I had to settle on a masonry one).

Mucho gluing, sawing and sanding later and it begins to take shape:

And the finished product, polished and treated with Boiled Linseed/Bee's Wax:

As you can see the handle shape didnt quite come out as planned, and I might do some more work to thin the butt of the handle out but other than that I am very happy with the result. Also need to do the sheath now, but I'm going to wait untill I am definately not going to alter the handle shape a t all.

Roll on the next project - any suggestions on handle materials for a nice hand forged blade?

Thanks for looking.

Colin

 

[HillBill]

You've done a decent job with that mate. Nice one.

Handle materials are a personal thing. I'd use something like Thuya burl or black ash burl for a special knife.

 

[John Fenna]

Nice job!
I started out with kits (including that one!) and found out the hard way that IT IS ADDICTIVE!
Enjoy

 

[Dreadhead]

superb really nice job youv done there

 

[Shewie]

Very nicely done

 

[Totumpole]

You've done a decent job with that mate. Nice one.

Handle materials are a personal thing. I'd use something like Thuya burl or black ash burl for a special knife.

Nice job!
I started out with kits (including that one!) and found out the hard way that IT IS ADDICTIVE!
Enjoy

superb really nice job youv done there

Very nicely done

Thank you very much gentlemen.

 

[Hugo]

Looks good to me, welcome to the addictive club.

 

[bandel4]

Oh yes, I have to agree. It is very addictive indeed.
I have been working on a few. Will try to post up some pics

 

[bandel4]

Ok...below are some of my attempts. The first pic is a Mora. I guess I got over board with the carvings

Then I was fortunate enough to get hold of a Helle Harding blade.

Below is the two pieces together.

I have to agree with Hugo...it is ADDICTIVE!

 

[Biker]

Lovely workmanship there mateys. I just recently made myself a knife handle for my Svord and have to say it won't be the last, what I don't want to end up with is a whole drawer full of knives that won't get used once I've done them... sadly I can see just a thing like happening. making stuff like this is like Pringles - Once you pop, you can't stop!

Just love seeing the workmanship like this posted here. Well done to you all!

 

[John Fenna]

Lovely workmanship there mateys. I just recently made myself a knife handle for my Svord and have to say it won't be the last, what I don't want to end up with is a whole drawer full of knives that won't get used once I've done them... sadly I can see just a thing like happening. making stuff like this is like Pringles - Once you pop, you can't stop!

Just love seeing the workmanship like this posted here. Well done to you all!

I mainly sell mine
I have no drawers for knives ... but the bookshelves double as display mounts....
Once you start you will never stop, but you might take a breather now and again to let the cuts heal ... and there will be cuts if you are anything like me

 

[Totumpole]

Looks good to me, welcome to the addictive club.

Thanks. Sure is addictive, I'm all over plans for the next three projects already, and I've not even sheathed this one yet!

Ok...below are some of my attempts.

Good stuff - what kind of wood have you used on those? DId you find it easy enough to aline holes for the rivet, or is that something that was drilled after gluing the handle on?

and there will be cuts if you are anything like me

Yep, almost constantly got some kind of nick on my hands since I started carving!some kind of nick on my hands since I started carving!

 

[bandel4]

Hi Totumpole...two kinds of woods I used. The Mora is from the local guava tree (medium hard but tough).
The Helle unfortunately I have no idea what wood it is. I scored them from a pile of cut down trees that has been laying at the side of the road for a week. I decided to take them after seeing there are no cracks on them at all after a week in the elements.

It was a rather big piece of wood. Drilled a whole to get the tang in. Then I use a drill to drill the tiny hole for the pin and make the spot on the tang. Unfortunatelly, I do not have a drill strong enough to bite through the laminated Helle blade. So, I used a grinder to make a notch for the pin.

I know...I need to get proper (safer) equipment.

Everything else was done using a hatchet and a mora

The tang is set inside the wood in epoxy.
I really got inspired by the many hand crafted knives on BCUK. So, I decided to make them as well

 

[Totumpole]

.....

That certainly is an interesting vice!!!!

 

[bandel4]

Totumpole...yeah, I know. I better get some proper equipment

 

[plastic-ninja]

Very nice work all round guys.
Love that handle shape Colin.There is an elegance and simplicity to it
which makes it very appealing.
Cheers , Simon

 

[Totumpole]

Thanks SImon.

I did tweak the heel of the handle to make it a uniform thickness. Also made the sheath (with numerous errors, but hey, live and learn) and retreated the handle with linseed oil, bee's wax and distilled turp's. HEre's the result when I took her out on her maiden voyage in the sun today: