Beckerhead Knife Making and Modification Thread

[daizee]

How difficult was it burying that tang into the existing handle?
Marking, drilling, clean up, etc with the existing curves of the handle I imagine is tricky

*lol*
yes, yes it was.
And that tang is 4.25" long, so it's IN there.
When I got to that point I remembered what a pain it was the last time...
I drilled a 3/8" hole and then broached top and bottom key slots. Then squared up the face. Good thing I made a longer broach a couple months ago too!

I made a couple clamping wedges with inside curves and used my ubiquitous folded piece of leather as a buffer. It was enough of a trick that I took pictures at the time to remind myself:

I might try shaping the next one, or doing a test handle on some scrap.

 

[Crag the Brewer]

*lol*
yes, yes it was.
And that tang is 4.25" long, so it's IN there.
When I got to that point I remembered what a pain it was the last time...
I drilled a 3/8" hole and then broached top and bottom key slots. Then squared up the face. Good thing I made a longer broach a couple months ago too!

I made a couple clamping wedges with inside curves and used my ubiquitous folded piece of leather as a buffer. It was enough of a trick that I took pictures at the time to remind myself:

I might try shaping the next one, or doing a test handle on some scrap.

Yup......exactly what I figured.
most people think since you started with a premade axe handle... "All the work was already done for you"

I, almost see it as More work. Haha.

good job.


I've wanted to use an axe handle too for a couple years now, but still not ready.

I might try a kerf down the center? Idk...

 

[daizee]

Yup......exactly what I figured.
most people think since you started with a premade axe handle... "All the work was already done for you"

I, almost see it as More work. Haha.

good job.

I've wanted to use an axe handle too for a couple years now, but still not ready.

I might try a kerf down the center? Idk...

Exactly this. It's a trade-off for sure. In this case it's kind of neat because it's an actual axe handle, which is more about the story than the result of shaping a piece of hickory from scratch. Tho if the piece of curly hickory I have had been big enough I might have given it a shot. That would have been awesome. HMMM.... maybe mini-axe-handles??

I can't cut a straight kerf without starting from a rectangular block. But if you could pull it off, then you could do a frame-handle kinda deal, tho in that case some extra supporting pins for the layered areas would probably be in order. I've used a similar technique for thin stick-tang kitchen knives, but they're not subject to the big-knife bushcrafty forces.

 

[Boss1911]

I like this idea and I would like to give this a try.

Funny side note, I have a knife from a well know company, the knife was never supposed to have been made but he gave the wrong drawings to his people and they made several before he caught it. He wanted to scrap them but guys in the shop liked them so he sold them at a huge discount with a no bit@#ing clause. He said the handle made it feel like you were holding a Hammer. I found one years after they were sold out and before I hade heard the story. I absolutely love it, I don't see the problem with it feeling like a hammer handle, I can swing a hammer all day.

 

[Crag the Brewer]

I like this idea and I would like to give this a try.

Funny side note, I have a knife from a well know company, the knife was never supposed to have been made but he gave the wrong drawings to his people and they made several before he caught it. He wanted to scrap them but guys in the shop liked them so he sold them at a huge discount with a no bit@#ing clause. He said the handle made it feel like you were holding a Hammer. I found one years after they were sold out and before I hade heard the story. I absolutely love it, I don't see the problem with it feeling like a hammer handle, I can swing a hammer all day.

LT Wright had something similar years ago called Something Lumberjack....?

Same sort of handle. I've always liked it, for reasons you said....hammer like

 

[daizee]

I like this idea and I would like to give this a try.

I think that hammer handles usually aren't very interestingly sculpted, but some claw hammers have a little flair. And some axe handles just have flat-slabbed sides. The two times I've done this, I've either had or sought out nicely sculpted handles from my local ACE. In many ways, a hatchet handle could be ideal. But a word of caution it you (or anyone) want to try it: It's tricky to get the thing drilled and aligned just right for a substantial tang. That suggests going with a full-size axe or tool handle. But then it can get pretty big for a knife. My first one is a bit on the big side. It's a GEEZUS knife, so that's kinda ok, but this second one threaded the needle between big enough to work with (while fitting) and small enough to use most effectively one-handed.

 

[knoefz]

New scales on my Victorinox Forester.

Purchased the knife used a few weeks back, but it was more scratched up that I expected it to be...
So I decided to try to put new scales on it.

Old scales removed

Pressing new scales on in a vice

Presentation side with new black tweezers in there
Looks like a new knife

Backside with new black toothpick and mini screwdriver in the corkscrew

Happy how this turned out.

Took way more forced to romove and press these scales on than I expected.

 

[1066vik]

Mangled a hoof rasp into a Sirupate-style KLO

 

[daizee]

Mangled a hoof rasp into a Sirupate-style KLO

View attachment 2166280

Cool!!
beard trimmer AND exfoliator. a true multi-tool.

 

[granitestateofmind]

Yup......exactly what I figured.
most people think since you started with a premade axe handle... "All the work was already done for you"

I, almost see it as More work. Haha.

good job.


I've wanted to use an axe handle too for a couple years now, but still not ready.

I might try a kerf down the center? Idk...

Exactly this. It's a trade-off for sure. In this case it's kind of neat because it's an actual axe handle, which is more about the story than the result of shaping a piece of hickory from scratch. Tho if the piece of curly hickory I have had been big enough I might have given it a shot. That would have been awesome. HMMM.... maybe mini-axe-handles??

I can't cut a straight kerf without starting from a rectangular block. But if you could pull it off, then you could do a frame-handle kinda deal, tho in that case some extra supporting pins for the layered areas would probably be in order. I've used a similar technique for thin stick-tang kitchen knives, but they're not subject to the big-knife bushcrafty forces.

daizee: a simple "L" cross-section sacrificial sled for the bandsaw, handle tacked to upright fence where pins will go...if you can find some resawing tips for making lumber from small logs, that should point you towards a method to cut a straight line in an oval handle, with tools you likely have already. That Leuku is bomb-ass!

 

[daizee]

daizee: a simple "L" cross-section sacrificial sled for the bandsaw, handle tacked to upright fence where pins will go...if you can find some resawing tips for making lumber from small logs, that should point you towards a method to cut a straight line in an oval handle, with tools you likely have already. That Leuku is bomb-ass!

Hmm, you've got me thinking...
What are the pins for?
I drill handle cross-pin holes last, if that's what you're referring to (in a stick tang) because of so many things that can affect fit up until that point.

 

[daizee]

Surprise finisher for the show here. Honda spring and koa.
NCCA show is this weekend. If you're local, c'mon down!

 

[1066vik]

35" oal, 27.5" tip to guard, 3# 2oz

 

[daizee]

35" oal, 27.5" tip to guard, 3# 2oz

Wow, that's quite a beard-trimmer!!!

We need some action vids. Got water bottles to slaughter?

 

[daizee]

Quite awhile ago the "Machefe" (2" wide x 11" long x 3/32" thick 15N20) suffered a catastrophic failure during straightening (my own dumb fault as usual). However, its remains are finally inching towards turning into something. I finished fitting the bolster while waiting for the 1st Magnacut HT pieces to go through their kiln cycle:

 

[granitestateofmind]

Thank you for keeping this thread alive with all the photos of your very kewl projects, daiz! I am still rolling daily with the Birudashi in my right pocket - when it's not in my hand earning its next sharpening, natch.

 

[daizee]

1st piece of Magnacut ready for scales... at 63Rc.

 

[granitestateofmind]

Surprise finisher for the show here. Honda spring and koa.
NCCA show is this weekend. If you're local, c'mon down!

LOVE the spring etched into the blade...I guess it'll be easily known where the steel came from

 

[daizee]

LOVE the spring etched into the blade...I guess it'll be easily known where the steel came from

I have... 4? different springs at the moment. Should keep me busy until retirement!

 

[knoefz]

Been working on a leather sheath for my RS6 tracker knife.
Setup for carry in my backpack, so no beltlook attachments.
Cardboard mockup traced in the leather

Leather cutout, really looking forward on getting this done

Chamfered the edges of the leather, made a groove for my stiches... should have made a mold to get the curved parts smoother... :O

Glued together

Stiched... dunno what I did toget such uneven stiches on some parts... my awl skills are not so great I guess

Studs hammered in

Wet formed the handle

After a night of drying

Next up, dry further, ad some color accents, and wax it.
Nowhere near perfect but a fun and learning experience.
To be continued....