So I have been making knives for a few years now and end up doing quite a few rehandles (so technically the work of a cutler, I guess). I've done three Cold Steel knives so far with one more sat in a box waiting for inspiration (it's not a commission)
The first I worked on was the Gurkha Kukhri - my word, what a blade! I was extremely impressed with this. Kukhris, I'm not normally a fan of because of the traditional handle shape being quite uncomfortable for me. However this one, brilliant! So the new handle was green micarta at the front and back, stabilised spalted Bich and red liners between them. It's actually the fastest I have slotted out a bolster for a stick tang blade but I think it's due to the fact that the tang was so fast that it made access easy!
Some more pics here so as not to overload the thread: [LINK REMOVED]
The second Cold Steel rehandle was for a Trailmaster. Now, I have to say that this is the blade I want. The Kukhri is good but feels less versatile than the Trailie. The stock handle on it baffles me though. I guess it's designed for a different use to what I would have in mind - it doesn't give any confidence in chopping that it isn't going to fly out of the hand!
The handle on this one is buffalo horn, brass, black fibre spacer, more brass then stabilised Horse Chestnut Burr with a mosaic pin through it. The guard is the original one. This to me is more the shape the handle should be. Lots of curves!
Again, more pics here: http://stewartjlight-knives.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/new-handle-for-cold-steel-trailmaster.html
The third rehandle was another Trailmaster, though this one has the stainless guard.
The original request was to have the Trailmaster, Falkniven F1 and Kershaw Camp 18 all to have matching handles but later the Kershaw was dropped. As you can see in the pics, this one is very different to the last. It is not what I would have done but actually makes a lot of sense. The guard was kept but the top reduced for holding over the top. The blade edge was removed by the ricasso to make a definite safe zone for a choked up hold.
The handle is Black Micarta that has been rebated. Red G10 runs down the middle and behind the guard then it is all held together with two corby bolts through the tang.
More pics: [LINK REMOVED]
The fourth Cold Steel I have is a Carbon V SRK. I've de-handled it and stripped the coating using nitromors. It has been sat like that for a while, waiting for me to ponder what to do with it. I will probably try replicate the handle shape but it is deciding on the materials to use. I'll get there eventually!
The first I worked on was the Gurkha Kukhri - my word, what a blade! I was extremely impressed with this. Kukhris, I'm not normally a fan of because of the traditional handle shape being quite uncomfortable for me. However this one, brilliant! So the new handle was green micarta at the front and back, stabilised spalted Bich and red liners between them. It's actually the fastest I have slotted out a bolster for a stick tang blade but I think it's due to the fact that the tang was so fast that it made access easy!
Some more pics here so as not to overload the thread: [LINK REMOVED]
The second Cold Steel rehandle was for a Trailmaster. Now, I have to say that this is the blade I want. The Kukhri is good but feels less versatile than the Trailie. The stock handle on it baffles me though. I guess it's designed for a different use to what I would have in mind - it doesn't give any confidence in chopping that it isn't going to fly out of the hand!
The handle on this one is buffalo horn, brass, black fibre spacer, more brass then stabilised Horse Chestnut Burr with a mosaic pin through it. The guard is the original one. This to me is more the shape the handle should be. Lots of curves!
Again, more pics here: http://stewartjlight-knives.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/new-handle-for-cold-steel-trailmaster.html
The third rehandle was another Trailmaster, though this one has the stainless guard.
The original request was to have the Trailmaster, Falkniven F1 and Kershaw Camp 18 all to have matching handles but later the Kershaw was dropped. As you can see in the pics, this one is very different to the last. It is not what I would have done but actually makes a lot of sense. The guard was kept but the top reduced for holding over the top. The blade edge was removed by the ricasso to make a definite safe zone for a choked up hold.
The handle is Black Micarta that has been rebated. Red G10 runs down the middle and behind the guard then it is all held together with two corby bolts through the tang.
More pics: [LINK REMOVED]
The fourth Cold Steel I have is a Carbon V SRK. I've de-handled it and stripped the coating using nitromors. It has been sat like that for a while, waiting for me to ponder what to do with it. I will probably try replicate the handle shape but it is deciding on the materials to use.
I'll get there eventually!
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