Adding scales on a small neck knife - WIP thread

[TRfromMT]

I'm not a knife maker... I only do custom handle scales and rehandle projects. Hope it's ok to post here...

I thought I'd post a WIP thread, putting handles on this little necker. It is a Giantmouse GMF1. I have some extra ironwood from another project that will just barely be enough (JUST BARELY) to get the scales if I cut it very carefully. Not enough to split and bookmatch (too thin for 2 scales) but the grain is a great match end to end to cut blanks as I laid it out.

I will also use s small piece to fill in the back hole in the tang where I plan to leave a little of the hole exposed for a lanyard loop. If I didn't fill it in, there would be an empty pocket in the opening. If I do it right the infilled area will look like the steel grew out of the wood.

I have only done the layout. I will post here as I go. You can watch this come to life or watch it crash and burn... wish me luck. Questions and comments are welcome.

 

[TRfromMT]

First things first. I cut the blanks and then match drilled all the holes. I put a dowel pin in each hole while I drill the next one. Even a tiny slip will cause the pins to misalign and ruin the whole set.

 

[TRfromMT]

I keep the pins in the holes as I grind the profile.




After getting the profile, I bevel the edges how I want them. I finish sand all around the perimeter.

 

[TRfromMT]

This knife has a rounded spine. If it had a flat spine, I would grind the scales flush to the spine. In this case I wanted them right where the rounded edge breaks with the flat of the tang. So the scales are 'shadow boxed' (hence the need to finish sand them before gluing). Also, the are dead flat on the side to the tang. I flatten them on a piece of 220 grit on a flate plate. They are also uniform thickness. I will put the taper profile on them after glue-up. These pictures are a little out of sequence (before all the fine sanding on the profile).

 

[TRfromMT]

Glued up with 3/32 copper pins.

 

[TRfromMT]

Pins ground flush.



At this point I put a pretty decent taper, thinning the whole scale, back to front. I did this so it would still fit in the sheath.

 

[TRfromMT]

I wet formed the sheath. It's pretty snug and the blade doesn't go in quite as far, but retention is fine and it still looks like it would have come this way from the factory. I then sanded everything to 400 grit before calling it a day. This ironwood is just now starting to pop. I will sand to 1000 grit and then we'll really see something.

 

[TRfromMT]

From there I need to get in and clean up the lanyard pocket. The little filler piece didn't come out flush to both scales. See second photo in post #5. I think a small bit of super glue, some wood dust and a little careful filing will do the trick....

Thanks for looking. As mentioned, comments and questions are welcome.

 

[woodysone]

looks great TR, your work is impressive. One question, why do you finish sand before glue-up, it seems like a lot of extra work. Really like your choices in wood though.

 

[dug24]

Nice. You took a cool knife and made it even better!

 

[TRfromMT]

looks great TR, your work is impressive. One question, why do you finish sand before glue-up, it seems like a lot of extra work. Really like your choices in wood though.

Only the perimeter next to the spine and ricasso that cannot be sanded later.

 

[TRfromMT]

Finished up this knife and did a quick lanyard to give my little finger just a little more purchase. The spyderco mule team and the giantmouse GMF1 scales came from one block of ironwood.