attaching rounded handle scales

[Phil705]

I've been Googling and using Search for an hour and still have seen no help in this subject. I have a customer who wants G10 honeycomb scales on a hunting knife. Upon receiving the honeycomb, I find that it is rounded, not flat on the palm side. Given that I drill my Corby holes or pins from the inside to the outside, I'm having a devil of a time aligning the holes. I've tried shims to get it flat, but it is off just enough to cause mis-alignmentg. Same question for antler scales, or jigged horn or any non-flat handle scales. Any help or tricks would be gratefully received!

Phil705

 

[Fish30114]

I think you must make one side of each scale flat is the simple approach, and the only way I would know to do it--I certainly wouldn't want a rounded scale trying to be attached to a blade for me!!
If you don't have a disc sander, simply put the scales in your vise, and file away til you get a good flat, the size of your blade tang. Reading this another way, It occurred to me you have a flat side, you are just drilling from the rounded side, one thing in this case would be to use actual pin stock instead of Corby bolts, otherwise, you might clamp a plate to the rounded side of the scale to help keep things square for you.

 

[Karl B. Andersen]

Make a simple jig - even a piece of angle iron - to clamp the blade to, keeping the handle portion floating in air. But keeping the handle portion parallel to the drilling surface.
Flip the blade to drill from the other side.
Don't worry about the handle. Just keep the blade/ricasso parallel to the drilling surface.

 

[Matt River]

Saran wrap and press into molding epoxy like plumbers epoxy inside a wooden sled shape. Set inside flat precisely using a caliper or flat plate with depth gauge. Let dry, drill. Aluminum or steel channel woul work for sled as well.