Finally Put Handles on my Mule

D

dl351

Joined
May 5, 2006
Messages
717
Hello everyone. I don't usually post here, but a while back I snagged a 52100 Mule. I don't remember when I caught wind of them, but when I realized that I could get a carbon steel blank for a reasonable price, I jumped on it! As far as the handles, I used black linen micarta and black/tan G10. The micarta has a section milled out of it which is where I epoxied the G10 to it. I still need to do more hand sanding to smooth things out a bit more and then I will buff it a little. Oh, also in the pictures are some ferro rods I put handles on. The big one is cocobolo and the small is teak burl. Here are the pictures:

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DSCF7557.jpg
 
Beautiful work DL.

May I ask, did you use a power sander to shape the material? I'd love to rescale some of my knives but only have a dremel tool and a stack of sandpaper.
 
Thanks for the compliments! Willie, yes, I did use a power bench sander. I did have to use a Dremel with a sanding drum for the curve under the front of the handle and also right behind the mini "thumb ramp." With patience I think your Dremel and stack of sandpaper would work!
 
dl351 said:
Thanks for the compliments! Willie, yes, I did use a power bench sander. I did have to use a Dremel with a sanding drum for the curve under the front of the handle and also right behind the mini "thumb ramp." With patience I think your Dremel and stack of sandpaper would work!
Click to expand...

Thanks DL.
 
Oh, Willie, if you decide to go with G10 for any handles, that stuff is a pain to do by hand! I contoured some G10 handle scales by hand on a Ranger knife and it took quite a bit longer than I expected. When I did that, I wet sanded the G10 to keep the dust down. For this Mule I wore a respirator when I was shaping the handles. I think that unless you use G10, your Dremel could do most of the handle shaping, and the smoothing could be done by hand. The only thing with the G10 is to remember respiratory protection.

Thanks again for the compliments.
 
Thanks for the tip DL. I have a block of black Micarta laying around somewhere. I could use this but I'd have to slice it in half by hand. Maybe I could use my wife's electric knife when she's away.
 
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