Can somebody please explain how to make a Micarta handle and how to get the bolts in?

That is a bit of a tall order. You will need tools, time, respirator, etc. It's not something that someone can just do.
Try searching for threads in here
 
Not to insult you, but if you are at this early stage, you probably should buy pre-manufactured materials and assemble a few knives before you start investing in the manufacturing your own materials.

Just google "knife making" and look at some of the online stores that sell knifemaking supplies to start.
 
If you look into this info, there is some that applies to you.


The Standard Reply to New Knifemakers V15

The answer to a 13 year old student is different than to a 40 year old engineer.
We may recommend a local supplier, you may have a helpful neighbour, or local Hammerin; but that depends on where you are. We have members worldwide.
Please fill out your profile with your location (Country, State, City), age, education, employment, hobbies.

Look at the threads stickied at the top; many are expired, but not all.

The basic process in the simplest terms
Absolute Cheapskate Way to Start Making Knives-Printable PDF-Right Click and Save
Absolute Cheapskate Way to Start Making Knives-Website


Web Tutorials
Detailed instructions by Stacy E. Apelt

The Things I Advise New Knife Makers Against-Printable PDF

Handle Tutorial - Nick Wheeler-Website

http://www.engnath.com/manframe.htm

Books
A list of books and videos

BladeForums - E-books or Google books


I like:
David Boye-Step by Step Knifemaking
Tim McCreight-Custom Knifemaking: 10 Projects from a Master Craftsman
These are clear, well organized, widely available and inexpensive too.

Knife Design:
See the Google books thread for Lloyd Harding drawings & the Loveless book. Google books thread


Forging Books:
Lorelei Sims-The Backyard Blacksmith
An excellent modern book with colour photos for forging in general - no knifemaking.

Jim Hrisoulas- has 3 books on forging knives. Check for the cheaper paperback editions.
The Complete Bladesmith: Forging Your Way to Perfection
The Pattern-Welded Blade: Artistry in Iron
The Master Bladesmith: Advanced Studies in Steel

Machine Shop Basics -Books:
Elementary Machine Shop Practice-Printable PDF

The Complete Practical Machinist-Printable -1885-PDF
It’s being reprinted now; you can get it for $20 ish

The $50 knife Shop
It confused me for a long time.
Forging is NOT necessary; you can just file and grind to create a knife (stock removal)

The goop quench is total Bull.
Use commercial quench oil & match oil speed to the steel type; even grocery store canola oil works much better.

Junkyard steels require skill and experience to identify the steel and heat treat it properly.
You can buy proper steel like 1084FG from Aldo very cheaply.

I like cable damascus, but that advanced project has no place in a beginner’s book.

The grinders are the best thing about this book, but there is a huge amount of info for 2x72” belt grinders on the web, including free plans.

Forget about Lawnmower blades and start with a new known steel type.
Good heat treating needs accurate temperature control and full quench.

Videos

Heat Treating Basics Video-downloadable
Right click and save this. Watch it once a day for 10 days.

Safety-video
Right click and save this. Watch it once a day for 10 days.

Many specific how to knifemaking videos are available, some are better than others.

The best overall Knifemaking video I have seen is
“Steve Johnson-Making a Sub-Hilt Fighter”

Basic Bladesmithing
"Ed Caffrey - Basic Bladesmithing-Full DVD-ISO"

The best video on leather sheath making for beginners that I have seen is
“Custom Knife Sheaths -Chuck Burrows - Wild Rose”
-(Paul Long has 2 videos, his sheath work & videos are fantastic, but more advanced-with machine stitchers..)

Green Pete's Free Video
Making a Mora bushcraft knife, stock removal, hand tools, neo tribal / unplugged heat treat.
"Green Pete" posted it free using torrent files.
Be sure to look at the other titles too-The account index has disappeared, but search for LOTS of info. Use the keywords “LurkerLurker torrent” “knifemakerC torrent” and others
Greenpete Knifemaking Basics-on TPB

How to download that video
http://www.utorrent.com/help/guides/beginners-guide

You can see a list of videos and reviews at this rental company; some are worth buying, some renting…
http://smartflix.com/store/category/9/Knifemaking

Draw Filing Demonstration
YouTube video -Draw Filing-for a flat finish

Steel
The “welding steel” at Home Depot / Lowes… is useless for knives.
If you send out for heat treating, you can use O1, A2, D2, CM154, ATS34, s30v, 440C, plus many others.

1095 is a good low cost steel with great results, but needs very good temperature control and proper fast quench oil – If you need more info, read Kevin Cashen - 1095 - hypereutectoid steel

If you want to heat treat yourself with minimal equipment, find some Eutectoid steel, 1070, 1080, 1084.
1084FG sold by Aldo Bruno is formulated for knifemaking.
http://njsteelbaron.com/
Phone # 862-203-8160

You can find a list of suppliers here

Heat Treating
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9143684&postcount=7

You can send blades out for heat treating at $10 or $15 per blade for perfect results, and avoid buying the equipment.

This PDF brochure gives a good overview
http://www.buckknives.com/resources/pdf/Paul_Bos_Brochure.pdf

http://www.petersheattreat.com/cutlery.html
http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/privacy.php#services
http://www.knifemaker.ca/ (Canadian)


Grinder / Tools

Hand Tools
You can do it all by hand with files and abrasive cloth like the Green Pete video.
Photo of a nice bevel filing jig

Entry Level Grinders
Many makers start with the Sears Craftsman 2x42 belt grinder

Low Speed Modification Craftsman 2x42 belt grinder


Commercial Production 2 x 72” Belt Grinder Reviews
http://www.prometheanknives.com/shop-techniques-3/grinders
http://www.cnccookbook.com/CCKnifeMakingGrinders.htm

Mapp arm – Grinder Toolrest


DIY 2 x 72” Belt Grinders

KMG Clone Free Plans
http://www.dfoggknives.com/PDF/GrinderPlans.pdf

NWG No Weld Grinder
http://www.usaknifemaker.com/plans-for-the-no-weld-grinder-sander-nearly-50-pages-p-723.html

EERF Grinder (EERF =“Free” backwards)
http://wilmontgrinders.com/EERFGrinder.aspx
http://blindhogg.com/blueprints.html
http://www.atlasknife.com

Buy the kit
http://polarbearforge.com/grinder_kit.html

What Belts to buy?
http://www.usaknifemaker.com/abrasive-belt-basics-what-kind-should-i-buy-p-1393.html


Safety Equipment
Protect your -Eyes, Ears, Fingers, and Lungs – remove jewellery and put on safety gear.

Respirators
Chronic lung disease and cancer really suck the joy out of life.
The minimum I would consider are the 3M 7500 and North 7700 silicone half masks with a P100 Filter.
Use a VOC & P100 combo cartridge for protection against acetone and solvents.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=788837
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=726309



Searching
Search works for ALL users, even unpaid users.
Try it, I’ll bet you’re not the first to ask the question here


V15 Added Craftsman speed modification lin
 
1-0

The MOST thorough response to any query I have ever seen on any forum on anything. Bravo!
 
frankmask123 said:
Can somebody please explain how to make a Micarta handle and how to get the bolts in?
Pictures would definantly be appreciated
Click to expand...

It would be very helpful to know a bit more. How many knives have you already made? It sounds like you have a full tang knife rather than a stick/hidden tang, is that correct? A vague question begs for a vague answer. What specifically are you having problems with?

Check out this thread.

Good luck

- Paul Meske
 
The instructions on making a knife in the stickies deals with this, as have several past tutorial threads.

Do searches under
"Corby Bolts" and you will find plenty.


Here is a lengthy post I made a while back:


All the suppliers sell the drills for Corby bolts. Try K&G,Jantz, Sheffield, Pop's, etc.
Get a piloted counterbore or a fluted step drill .The fluted step drill (Pop's has them) is really a multi-fluted counterbore.Either one will do the job perfectly.Another important thing to avoid a lot of cussing' ,is to have the drill press table absolutely square.If it is off any amount the bolts won't go together,and you will have to slop up the holes to get them to screw into each other.A way to avoid this (especially with cheaper drill presses) is to drill the piloted rivet holes in one scale with the front of the scale facing away from you,and the second scale with the front facing toward you.This will make any angle of the hole align with each other (instead of meeting in a slight "V" ,which would happen if both scales were facing the same direction when drilled).


With some skill ,you can make one by carefully grinding down a drill bit that is the right size for the bolt body, but buying one will assure the alignment is good.

Corby Bolt installation:
NOTE - this procedure requires parallel tang surfaces, and scales with well mated flat inner surfaces.

When you drill the tang pre-HT, drill the tang holes about 1/8"oversize of the bolt shank size. You want a little room for error when inserting the bolts. This is normally a good policy for all tang holes, regardless of handle construction.

Once the tang is shaped and drilled (pre-HT), slightly relieve the inner areas on the tang ( the places that will be under the scales) by at least .010" to allow for a shallow epoxy reservoir in the final glue up. Leave a 1/8" circle around each bolt hole un-relieved to assure a firm seat in final assembly, and leave a 1/8" lip around the perimeter. A ball burr in a Dremel tool does this well. If you just bolt the flat scales on a flat tang with no reservoir, the glue may all squeeze out and create a glue starved joint.The slight relief also assures that the edges are seated flush, and thus cuts down on the small gaps that often show up after the glue is dry.

When the scales and tang are ready, clamp one scale in place on the tang and drill 1/8" pilot holes through it from the tang side, centering these holes in the tang holes. Drill pilot holes for all holes you will be needing, including thong holes and decorative pins/rivets. Remove the scale from the tang and set the blade aside. Completely finish the blade before final assembly.

Take the pair of scales, and tape or clamp them together. Drill the 1/8" pilot hole on the front bolt hole through both scales ( only this one hole for now). Re-drill with a bit the size of the bolt shaft. Separate the scales. Change the drill bit to the shoulder drill for the bolts you are using, and re-drill that hole with the shoulder drill until the shaft hole has about 1/8" left. Check the fit with a Corby bolt, and ream the hole a bit by carefully wiggling the scale against the bit if needed. A properly drilled shoulder hole will just allow the bolt to be inserted straight in with just a bit of snugness.The proper depth of the hole can be calculated by subtracting the tang thickness from the female bolt shaft length. Each shaft hole in the scales should be one half of this number plus .050" to allow the bolts to seat with just a little thread to go. This can be easily done by eye,too. Just remember that you can always drill the hole a little deeper, but adding wood back is a lot harder.

If all is good, screw in a Corby bolt and tighten just snug ( never torque down on a Corby).The bolt won't be tight on the scales, because the tang is not there, so tape or clamp the scales together to assure things don't move, and drill the remaining 1/8" bolt pilot hole through both scales. Re-drill for the Corby bolt shaft hole, then drill the shoulder holes, and insert the second bolt to check the fit and alignment.
When both Corby bolts are seated, drill pilot holes for any other holes needed ( pins, thong holes, etc.).

At this point, I sand and polish the front edges of the bolted together scales. You won't be able to do this area once assembled.

Remove the bolts, and reassemble on the blade to test fit everything. If the holes need to be a tad deeper to allow the bolts to mate more, carefully deepen the shoulder holes. You need at least 1/16" of wood to allow the bolts enough wood to hold the scales firmly. Once the bolts are snug and all is good, you can sand the edges down to the tang. This will help with alignment and glue-up in final assembly.

Using a slow set epoxy ( I use T-88 ,and dye mine to match the wood color), put a little epoxy in the bolt holes in the scales and slide in the bolts, rotating them to assure the epoxy coats the entire inner hole surface. Using a tooth pick, clean out any epoxy that got in the threaded holes. Now, put epoxy on both sides of the tang,. Set the female bolt scale in place, then set the male bolt scale in place on the other side. Mate the bolts and give each a gentle turn to make sure the bolts are not cross threaded. Once the blots are both started, tighten alternately until the epoxy starts squeezing out. Don't tighten more than snug. The bolts will be very strong, and only need to hold the scales in place securely, not clamp them down with force. Check that the scales are aligned to the tang as desired ( loosen and adjust if needed). Wipe off excess epoxy, making sure to get it all off the front of the scales and ricasso, and set aside to cure for at least 24 hours. After the epoxy is set ( four to six hours for T-88) wipe the ricasso area with acetone to remove any squeeze-out or excess epoxy. You will thank yourself for this when doing the final polishing of the handle.

After the epoxy has fully cured, cut/grind off any excess bolts sticking out, re-drill any remaining holes to the size needed, and epoxy in any decorative pins, mosaic rivets, or thong tubes. Shape, sand , and finish the handle as desired.

Stacy
 
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