Esee JG3 Handle Modification - To Grind or not to Grind?

[fishsquatch]

Should I go for it or sell the knife?

I like the blade but dont care for the handle. And I want to reduce the handle bulk/weight.

Got any tips for grinding 1095? Or shaping the scales?

 

[chiral.grolim]

Got any tips for grinding 1095? Or shaping the scales?

Where safety goggles and an N95 (for the dust):

Get some 80-grit belts and grind / cool / grind / cool. Then...

OK, don't use the battery-operated Dremel, but yes the sanding drums will do a lot for you.

 

[fishsquatch]

Thanks. I've got the tools! Are any special blades or belts needed?

Also, how bad is the micarta dust? Should I avoid doing the work indoors?

 

[fishsquatch]

I chose to grind. Just have a little hand sanding of the scales to finish it up. And re-dye the scales black. Took me about an hour with the belt sander . . .

 

[chiral.grolim]

Thanks. I've got the tools! Are any special blades or belts needed?

Also, how bad is the micarta dust? Should I avoid doing the work indoors?

I chose to grind. Just have a little hand sanding of the scales to finish it up. I re-dye the scales black. Took me about an hour with the belt sander . . .

Can't see the photos... It looks like you're trying to post directly from google-photos - go to your Picasa account instead (https://picasaweb.google.com/home) and find your picture and use THAT address to embed the image, should work :thumbup:

Micarta dust is bad, if you grind it indoors you should use a respiratoer (N95) and ensure good air-filtering or take care when dusting afterward.

EDIT - wow, that's quite a change. You like it?

 

[fishsquatch]

Smugmug and picasi are failing me!

And yes, I am very pleased with the new knife! The balance point is between the index and middle finger. With my smallish paws, I can get all found fingers on the handle for a pretty firm grip.

It works very well as a neck knife now. And that blade slices great! It may become my go-to camp dinner prep blade and partner well with a larger blade or hatchet.