- Joined
- Oct 8, 1998
- Messages
- 5,403
Good Day,
I have been playing with ideas about handle construction from a couple of different angles. Custom projects, playing with various knives, issues brought up on the Forums, and thoughts about what I might offer if I ever get to making knives.
So, when I received my Becker I was very interested to learn what it had to teach me. "Every knife has something to teach, and I must learn what I can from every knife"
And it has taught me, that shape is not enough to keep a secure grip. Swells and returns are very good, but not all of the equation.
So, my mind began to work over the problem of what can be done to get a good grip.
I define a grip that is better than the standard Becker grip as having the following qualities.
1) Swells and returns near their present form.
2) More texture.
I formulated a couple of solutions.
1) Wrap the original handle with paracord shell.
2) Take the handles off, and affix a Strider style cord wrap to the tang.
The second solution was thrown out as soon as I took the handles off, I found that the Strider wrap would not protect my fingers from impacts with the square edges of the forward and rear returns. So, I modified that plan to include adding an approximately 1/8" or greater piece of Micarta to each side of the handle, contour that to a degree, and then add the Strider wrap. This project is to come.
Today I set about idea one. First I wrapped the handle of my Machax with the paracord including the core strands. As I had thought, too thick. So, I removed the inner strands, and wrapped the handle with the paracord shell.
To accomplish this, I loosened the handles, and tucked one end of the paracord shell under the front return, right next to the fastener, and tightened the handles. I then wrapped the shell around the handle with no over-lap and no turns. I secured the end by passing it through the lanyard hole repeatedly, every few passes tucking the cord under the preceding passes to fix it in place through the tension of the cord.
The resulting package is an improvement, in my opinion.
1) The paracord shell makes for better traction.
2) The wrap covers over the fastener holes, so there should be a decrease in irritation from them. And less debri should make it's way into those holes now.
And I can see no downside. If the cord becomes excessively dirty or filled with organic matter, I can easily remove it, and replace it, the only odd bit of equipment being a 5/32nd inch allen wrench.
The sheath still fits, making this project reasonable for those who do not want to make semi-permanent changes to the existing package.
Note, given a desire to achieve more traction yet, one could slightly overlap the passes of paracord, or add half-turns on the sides.
------------------
Thank you,
Marion David Poff aka Eye, Cd'A ID, USA mdpoff@hotmail.com
>>--->Bill Siegle Custom Knives<---<<
-http://www.geocities.com/siegleknives-
Talonite Resource Page, nearly exhaustive!!
Fire Page, metal match sources and index of information.
"We will either find a way, or make one." Hannibal, 210 B.C.
I have been playing with ideas about handle construction from a couple of different angles. Custom projects, playing with various knives, issues brought up on the Forums, and thoughts about what I might offer if I ever get to making knives.
So, when I received my Becker I was very interested to learn what it had to teach me. "Every knife has something to teach, and I must learn what I can from every knife"
And it has taught me, that shape is not enough to keep a secure grip. Swells and returns are very good, but not all of the equation.
So, my mind began to work over the problem of what can be done to get a good grip.
I define a grip that is better than the standard Becker grip as having the following qualities.
1) Swells and returns near their present form.
2) More texture.
I formulated a couple of solutions.
1) Wrap the original handle with paracord shell.
2) Take the handles off, and affix a Strider style cord wrap to the tang.
The second solution was thrown out as soon as I took the handles off, I found that the Strider wrap would not protect my fingers from impacts with the square edges of the forward and rear returns. So, I modified that plan to include adding an approximately 1/8" or greater piece of Micarta to each side of the handle, contour that to a degree, and then add the Strider wrap. This project is to come.
Today I set about idea one. First I wrapped the handle of my Machax with the paracord including the core strands. As I had thought, too thick. So, I removed the inner strands, and wrapped the handle with the paracord shell.
To accomplish this, I loosened the handles, and tucked one end of the paracord shell under the front return, right next to the fastener, and tightened the handles. I then wrapped the shell around the handle with no over-lap and no turns. I secured the end by passing it through the lanyard hole repeatedly, every few passes tucking the cord under the preceding passes to fix it in place through the tension of the cord.
The resulting package is an improvement, in my opinion.
1) The paracord shell makes for better traction.
2) The wrap covers over the fastener holes, so there should be a decrease in irritation from them. And less debri should make it's way into those holes now.
And I can see no downside. If the cord becomes excessively dirty or filled with organic matter, I can easily remove it, and replace it, the only odd bit of equipment being a 5/32nd inch allen wrench.
The sheath still fits, making this project reasonable for those who do not want to make semi-permanent changes to the existing package.
Note, given a desire to achieve more traction yet, one could slightly overlap the passes of paracord, or add half-turns on the sides.
------------------
Thank you,
Marion David Poff aka Eye, Cd'A ID, USA mdpoff@hotmail.com
>>--->Bill Siegle Custom Knives<---<<
-http://www.geocities.com/siegleknives-
Talonite Resource Page, nearly exhaustive!!
Fire Page, metal match sources and index of information.
"We will either find a way, or make one." Hannibal, 210 B.C.
