Coins on knife

[Natlek]

We have very beautiful coins around the world .I don t see them used /often/ on knife handle .I think that they can be nice on sides of any tip of handle scale or on the butt in knife with hidden tang ?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I use old Scottish coins on the antler butts of sgian dubh. I have put an 1880's silver half-dollar in the butt of a stag crown Bowie handle.

Coins used as side inlay would have to be curved to work right.
On the knife shown, the butt plate could be recessed to hold the coin and epoxy used to set it in the recess.

One issue is coins aren't very wear resistant and if used on the handle side would wear down fast.

 

[Hengelo_77]

In the butt of a hidden tang is not uncommon.
I have a few coins here that I got with that idea when I first started making knives.
I wouldn't mind some wip pictures

 

[Natlek]

I use old Scottish coins on the antler butts of sgian dubh. I have put an 1880's silver half-dollar in the butt of a stag crown Bowie handle.

Coins used as side inlay would have to be curved to work right.
On the knife shown, the butt plate could be recessed to hold the coin and epoxy used to set it in the recess.

One issue is coins aren't very wear resistant and if used on the handle side would wear down fast.

That was hard part , I have some idea how to do that ..... I will try .

 

[Natlek]

In the butt of a hidden tang is not uncommon.
I have a few coins here that I got with that idea when I first started making knives.
I wouldn't mind some wip pictures

Here how I do that .......
First I sand one side so I can glue with CA coin to some other part.....

After that glued on some round part , use hand held drill and grind on belt grinder to proper Dia.

Other way / I did not try yet / I make on lathe this part to match Dia. of both coins I will use .I will glue coins and on lathe take to proper Dia...I think that should work .

Drilling hole in handle is easy part , I forget to take picture ,sorry .

 

[JDWARE]

I like using coins too, Natlek. Here's an early 20th century .902 silver Diez Centavos from Mexico, used as a button on a switchblade I'm building.
Saludos
J
JDWARE KNIVES

 

[Jason Fry]

I used some 1836 silver half dollars as spacers on a bowie I gave to the governor of Texas. Texas gained independence from Mexico in 1836, so I was more concerned about the symbolism than about preserving the coin's appearance.

 

[Kevin McGovern]

I have a bunch of less than mint silver dollars and half dollars I'm sure I'll use for something, at some point...

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

To curve a coin for handle side inlay, make a die from hardwood ( maple) that is the negative of the handle curve. You should be able to set the handle in the curve and have it seat pretty closely. Set the coin in the curved trough and place a maple dowel on the back. Strike hard with a heavy mallet. The coin should curve evenly without a mar on the down side. If the coin is thick, sand it thinner before curving.