Bit off more than I can chew on this handle....

David Schott

David Schott

Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Messages
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I have a knife in the works. Blade turned out really nice. Hamon looking good, etc.

So for this knife I designed a flowing bolster. 3/8" nickel silver. It tapers down the handle, then sweeps up to become a rear bolster, with a "U" shaped wood handle. Last night I spent all night cutting the bolsters....what a chore. I finally got it all fitted and then went to try the wood fitting. It is impossible or seems outside my capabilities. I have fitted a lot of bolsters but for the life of me I could not match that curve without tiny gaps. I tried every trick I knew, still had gaps. I think part of my problem is the inside edge of the bolster might not be totally 90 degress from the flats in some areas. What is the trick here? Is it just zenlike patience?

Any way to cheat? I was thinking a copper spacer hammered into the joint along the curve. I even contemplated using dark african blackwood, then using epoxy mixed with blackwood sawdust....

I am either going to scrap a full nights work on the bolsters and cut them to a traditional shape, or go crazy fitting this handle.....

Any suggestions?
 
Milling machine :)

I know exactly what you are up against. I have a humongous blade hanging from a beam directly over my head at my grinding station. It has the same problem, for two years now.

Good luck
 
If the gap is small you can use soft copper spacer and lightly peen it in place. If the problem is not 90 degrees check which machine you ground it on and turn handle mat.upside down to get a matching angle. :D
 
I was thinking the same with the light peen of soft copper. Ive used copper roofing shims before with good success. I Dont have a milling machine and di the rough grinding on the KMG, but then finished it with a half round file, so I have no way to guarantee 90 degrees. I will have to figure something out....

I wish I could find a pour-able handle material...I have some crazy ideas that i dont have the ability to pull off with inlays, etc....I wish there was soemthing that came out almost like micarta or g-10 that could be mixed and poured like epoxy. Anyone ever try that moldable epoxy putty? Not sure what it would finish like....

I will try to figure this one out....sounds like im up against a nasty task.
 
A picture would help!

Maybe you could try this? It is available from www.Texasknife.com

INKIT.jpg


Inlace is a liquid the consistency of syrup that can be poured into a carved, routed or drilled area, allowed to set up and then sanded and polished. The 8 oz. kit includes everything needed to finish approx. 60 feet of 1/8” x 1/8” inlay. It comes in the colors listed below. They can be combined with dyes and/or metal dust!
 
Well, lessee here...

One (old world) way would be to cover the bolster thingie with soot from an oil lamp or something. Press the handle material in place, and the high spots will be sooty, showing you exactly where to remove material. It may be best to undercut the wood ever so slightly at the bottom where it will be hidden against the tang, making it easier to fit at the surface. Lots of old fashioned work here, filing & checking, filing & checking... but great results.

If the gaps are like a hairline crack running a moderate length, you could simply peen the metal of the bolster material to fill it. (best to leave the metal slightly higher than you want to finish it, but have the wood nearly down to finished dimensions) Drawback is that if the wood shrinks at all, it will expose a sharp edge on the metal, and maybe even the origional gap.

'Nuther one-
If you haven't attached the bolsters yet, glue a strip of fine sandpaper onto the inside curve of the metal. Thinner sanding "film" would probably be better. You now have a sanding block of the exact shape you need the wood to be. This method may not work if the shape is very concave though, as then you would still have a gap the exact thickness of the sandpaper. But it should be fine for less dramatic curves, or simply use a strip of spacer metal the exact same thickness as the sandpaper.

Alternately, if you can get a sharp corner/edge on the inside curve of the metal (and you left the metal thick/strong enough) and only have to remove a bit of wood, simply use the bolster as a scraper to shape the wood down to the exact perfect size.

Hope that gives you some ideas.
 
Any pictures? Sounds interesting. I think you're just in for a lot of handwork. Take possum's advice about the soot. You might also use a magic marker.
 
tic,

When I make a knife with the scales inlaid between the front and rear bolster, as I did with this knife, I named KAOS,

kaos-2.jpg


I first make templates of the inlays out of 1/8" O-1 making sure of a good fit. This may take a while.When making the templates, I do brill locating holes. Then heat treat!

I then place the template over the material to be used, (I do this on the side that is to face the steel), scribe, and cut close to line. When transfering locating holes, don't go too deep if you don't want to see them! Now place the template back on and clamp.

Now put a 1/4" carbide burr in the chuck of a mill, (or a really good drillpress like a Buffalo), but make sure there is a fair bit of the shank exposed.

Now raise the table so that the shank of the burr will follow the template, and the burr will remove the material making it flush with the template.

Do this to all the pieces.

When putting togther, start at the front and work back to keep in line.

I hope this helps some!!!!

If not, let me know!!
 
gator68 said:
Any pictures? Sounds interesting. I think you're just in for a lot of handwork. Take possum's advice about the soot. You might also use a magic marker.
Click to expand...
DONT USE A MAJIC MARHER!! My tears are still fresh from thsat mistake!

Grab the wifes lipstick for this trick"One (old world) way would be to cover the bolster thingie with soot from an oil lamp or something. Press the handle material in place, and the high spots will be sooty, showing you exactly where to remove material."

And I suggest some balsa or sugar pine for a tmplate for this: It may be best to undercut the wood ever so slightly at the bottom where it will be hidden against the tang, making it easier to fit at the surface. Lots of old fashioned work here, filing & checking, filing & checking... but great results And a dozen soft emery boards of fine grit from Sally's Beauty Supply. :D :thumbup:
 
Thanks for all the great ideas, everyone! I will be trying a number of them!

I think I just rushed it. I need to really slow down. This isnt the usual straight grind and line up deal that I am used to. Ive done small curves on folders, but not a subtle, longer curve that is asymmetric. I lke the idea of the suspended template being used as a guide.

Ill keep you posted!
 
Update:

I worked on this last weekend. I managed to get the wood as close as I could. I had already gone too far in some spots but since it was a first attempt and the bolsters were already peened on, I decided to make it a learning experience. I got the wood on and its "okay"....nothing that will be going to a customer.....I purposely left a gap around the wood in an attempt to cover some of my oversanding flaws. I ended up with it fitting pretty good, with a gap less than 1/64" all the way around. I am still toying with the idea of some peened copper in that gap. This knife still, in my opinion, looks fantastic! I will probably keep it and use it as my EDC since I like it so much. Its been a real eye opener! I will post pics soon....im somewhat embarassed by the gaps! I had no idea matching a 4" long asymmetircal curve would be so tough!
 
Sheesh Tik Tock, even if there are gaps (which I cannot see, clever photograpy? :D ) it is still a darned good looking knife. Nice concept! The whole package has clearly been a lot of work and forethought.
Good job!! :thumbup:
 
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