Common and uncommon handle attachment designs?

[Josh K]

I know there are a wide variety of handle hardware/scale attachment designs. Roughly I think these fall into two categories: removable and permanent. Permanent is less interesting to me, but feel free to discuss why I would be wrong and permanent attachment is absolutely the way to go for whatever reason.

On the removable side, what are common examples and tradeoffs between them?

 

[imill3567]

I can’t speak to examples as I have never done removable handles but I will say working mostly with carbon steels I’d be concerned with corrosion underneath the scales without epoxy to seal it. Even stainless can rust as well so you’d have to remove them and clean and oil periodically. I guess I don’t see many scenarios why I’d want to remove them either but they do seem somewhat popular.

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

Slab scales...

removable - must be very exact, indexed well so they fit accurately, look awesome, knife can rust under scales, great process for CNC, shadowboxed scales are easier this way and are my favorite

glued on - easier to do, take more time possibly, can be ground flush and look perfect with no indexing worries, no rust under scales, look awesome too


Most of my latest knives are getting removable shadowboxed scales attached with 6061 aircraft aluminum standoffs (high tolerance, custom made) and AKS heat treated 2-56 screws. My Chef's knives are getting micarta pins or stainless corby bolts and are being attached with West System G-Flex epoxy.

Here's one I'm working on, my Backpacker model in Nitro-V steel with removable micarta scales.

 

[Hengelo_77]

Why do you want to remove scales?

 

[Josh K]

shadowboxed scales are easier this way and are my favorite

Shadowboxed?

glued on - easier to do, take more time possibly, can be ground flush and look perfect with no indexing worries, no rust under scales, look awesome too

I agree. Glued and ground scales look awesome.

Most of my latest knives are getting removable shadowboxed scales attached with 6061 aircraft aluminum standoffs (high tolerance, custom made) and AKS heat treated 2-56 screws.

Whew! I'm glad I'm not crazy. I was looking at some 4-40 screws and wondering if that would be "big enough." Why aluminum for the standoffs?

 

[Josh K]

Why do you want to remove scales?

Removable allows using the knife without scales (say a cord wrap or similar) and allows fitting multiple material options easily and quickly (because everything fits and doesn't need to be ground). Don't get me wrong, I think well done removable scales are a lot more trouble to make correctly.

 

[JAGKNIFE]

I use Stainless Steel Chicago screws from Knife Kits. It super easy to drill and looks good i use a 7/32 bit. A drop of blue lock tite will keep them holding. Also I put a thin film of oil on the tang before screwing them on. Counter sink the screw heads with a 82 ° counterbore. ( I think )

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

Shadowboxed? Inset evenly on borders like the pic. I hope that makes sense!



I agree. Glued and ground scales look awesome.



Whew! I'm glad I'm not crazy. I was looking at some 4-40 screws and wondering if that would be "big enough." Why aluminum for the standoffs?

4-40 would be pretty standard (on the smaller size) especially with 3/16-1/4" standoffs. Much easier to source everything too.

Aircraft Aluminum - the particular ones I am using are made to very high standards by a small company here in the USA. I'm using 1/8" standoffs which are hard to source especially for a good price. I needed about 600 of them for my latest run so price becomes a big issue. They are also lighter and won't rust.

Here is the same knife I posted without scales. It is designed to pop bottles this way or to be cord wrapped easily. The scales are a new thing for me. The scales and standoffs sit in a .060" micarta spacer I made to tight tolerances that sandwiches in between.

 

[Josh K]

Inset evenly on borders like the pic. I hope that makes sense!

Ah, I see. Thanks!

4-40 would be pretty standard (on the smaller size) especially with 3/16-1/4" standoffs. Much easier to source everything too.

I like designing around off the shelf parts if I can. Having a McMaster part number makes things much easier and often more economical even if it's a one-off bracket for my kitchen.

Here is the same knife I posted without scales. It is designed to pop bottles this way or to be cord wrapped easily. The scales are a new thing for me. The scales and standoffs sit in a .060" micarta spacer I made to tight tolerances that sandwiches in between.

I like the full cutout, it probably helps a lot with balancing. Do you have a picture of the micarta spacer? Are the scales recessed so they fit inside the pocket to prevent movement, or is the spacer fitted against either end of the pocket?

I've been (unsuccessfully) trying to think of a way to retain two standoffs here. My latest idea was more an exercise in making a hole appear in the middle of a pocket than anything else; I don't think this would work very well. I had thought about a Delrin wedge on either end which could capture either the spacer or be threaded itself. Threading wouldn't be terrible, but if someone cranked down they'd pull the threads out. Especially at 4-40 sizes.

 

[Hengelo_77]

Removable allows using the knife without scales (say a cord wrap or similar) and allows fitting multiple material options easily and quickly (because everything fits and doesn't need to be ground). Don't get me wrong, I think well done removable scales are a lot more trouble to make correctly.

But what is the point of that?
Why or when does somebody want to use a knife without scales?

 

[Josh K]

But what is the point of that?
Why or when does somebody want to use a knife without scales?

A knife without scales carries very slim and would be easier to pack or store in more places than one with scales. For example, I have a small skeletonized knife by a renowned production company in my toolbox all the time. I use it for cutting, scraping, or trimming things as needed.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Some knife styles don't have scales. Marking knives and kiridashi are ones that regularly don't have scales.