Finishing scales before epoxying?

S

syvmn

Joined
Apr 5, 2009
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169
I've seen quite a few knives that look like it would be impossible to finish the scales if they are just epoxied on in their rough state because the tang goes past the scales. Does anyone have some pictures or an explanation of the process for this. Thanks for any help
 
I imagine doing the rear of the handle would be much like doing the front. I just hold the scales together and sand them to the shape I want on the grinder. They do slip and move a bit so you have to be careful that you are getting both scales the same shape. I suppose you could use some sort of clamp to hold them more tightly.
 
Put some of that blue masking tape on the insides of the scales. Then put a couple of drops of super glue on the tape.

Glue the scales together and shape. You can then pull or gently pry the scales apart and the tape will release.

Don't try gluing the scales together........ Ask me how I know? A set of $45 dollar ironwood scales got busted thing it that way.

I also use this method for drilling holes and rough cutting on the bandsaw.

Robert
 
I drill all of my pin holes and then test fit them to the tang. Then remove the knife and pin the scales together. This lines up the scales and you can finish the front and/or rear of the scales. After that just remove the pins, epoxy up and finish out the knife handle the way your normally would.

That's how I do it anyway.
SDS
 
SDS said:
I drill all of my pin holes and then test fit them to the tang. Then remove the knife and pin the scales together. This lines up the scales and you can finish the front and/or rear of the scales. After that just remove the pins, epoxy up and finish out the knife handle the way your normally would.

That's how I do it anyway.
SDS
Click to expand...

1+ -- Pin the scales, works great for me as well... :thumbup:

Eric
 
SDS said:
I drill all of my pin holes and then test fit them to the tang. Then remove the knife and pin the scales together. This lines up the scales and you can finish the front and/or rear of the scales. After that just remove the pins, epoxy up and finish out the knife handle the way your normally would.

That's how I do it anyway.
SDS
Click to expand...

That makes a lot more sense to do the holes and pin than the way I was doing it, freeballing it by hand and then drilling the holes.
 
SDS said:
I drill all of my pin holes and then test fit them to the tang. Then remove the knife and pin the scales together. This lines up the scales and you can finish the front and/or rear of the scales. After that just remove the pins, epoxy up and finish out the knife handle the way your normally would.

That's how I do it anyway.
SDS
Click to expand...

Thats the ticket . Just clamp one scale at a time to the tang , drill the pin holes and then repeat with the other . You trace the outline of the tang onto the scale while it is clamp on and cut any excess material off with the band saw before gluing .
 
Is this what most people do on a normally for all scales? The first two knives I made I just epoxied the scales on in their rough square shape and after the epoxy set I worked them down.

I think I'll try this for my next attempt.

One last slightly related question. I'm using JB weld as my epoxy and I'm finding it very hard to remove the epoxy that squeezes out in front of the scale. How do people get that out?

kn11.jpg
 
Someone pointed me to using WD40 on the squeeze out, and it works like a charm. Not only does it remove the excess epoxy, but it also leaves an oily residue that helps prevent anything that happens to get left over from setting up all that well. I was getting residue that would leave ghost like whisps after it evaporated with acetone. I haven't had that issue with WD40 at all. Another problem I had with Qtips was getting little hairs from the cotton stuck in the joint. I now use cut up pieces of t-shirt and haven't had near as much trouble.

Don't know how well it will work with JB Weld. You'll have to let us know.

I also drill the pin holes and pin the scales together when I shape the front and rear (if exposed tang) edges. Make sure you shape and smooth up to whatever finished grit you desire. You shouldn't have to do any work that could mar up the ricasso after scales are attached. The ricasso (and front edge of the scales) should be completely finished prior to adding scales.

--nathan
 
I use a toothpick and/or sharpened popsicle stick inside an old tshirt with WD-40 to clean off the excess epoxy. The toothpick really allows getting right up to the mating surfaces easily, although it's a bit of fiddling because it wants to poke through and you have to move the shirt after every pass.

I also do the fronts and rears before gluing by pinning them together and shaping/finishing at the same time.
 
Fantastic ideas guys! I think from here on out I will get a good portion of the scale work done before epoxying. Once I get the bevel scratch problem solved (i asked in another post about it) I think I will be ready for my first real gift knife. From when I started until now I have just been doing test knives to figure stuff out, slowly adding what I've learned to the next knife. I believe my father will be the first one to get an actual working knife from me (hopefully in time for fathers day). He is a very religious person and also a hunter/outdoors man, so this is what I came up with for a design. Let me know what you think!

kn13.jpg



(1080 steel, 1/8" or maybe 3/16", micarta handle (orange/black), SS pins)
 
Interesting idea with the cross-pin layout. A suggestion I have would be to go ahead and bring that bottom front corner of the handle scale back a bit instead of leaving it square. Square angles on a knife just really break up the flow. I'd bring it back just a bit, maybe so it more closely matches the rear bottom corner of the handle scale. Also once your knife is actually being shaped, you will be able to get a better feel for the handle shape. For this type of knife, I'd suggest that the handle be no wider from edge to spine than the widest portions of the blade. It appears that way in your drawing, and it's probably just my eyes. Maybe if you increased the depth of your front and rear finger grooves a bit, keeping the gentle flow from groove to belly to groove, it would take away from that effect.

Great design, btw. I'm not trying to criticize it, just pointing out what pops out in my eyes. Remember, there are many eyes in knifemaking, and each has a different preference. Follow what you like.

--nathan
 
I am very glad you are honest. Since I am just starting out, you more experienced guys honestly have the responsibility of pointing out stuff like that to us noobs. I didn't even notice the square angle that you talked about until you said something, now it sticks out like a sore thumb and definitely needs to match the rear angle. And you are correct that the handle does go below the blade a bit. I have a mocked up blade that i used as a reference for this and thought that it did feel a bit funny in the hand because of that point.

Much better!
kn13b.jpg
 
Night and day between the two drawings. Good job. The first drawing looked almost pregnant. It looks much more balanced now.

--nathan
 
I just wanted to add to Nathan's comments that I think the cross would be better displayed if turned counterclockwise 90 degrees (the short part going across the handle, the long part going down the handle) -- assuming your Pop is right handed, looking down at the handle in his hand he would see the cross oriented properly (you could also make it a bit larger that way). Just a thought.
 
I thought about that too, my only concern is that I don't want dear old dad staring at a upside down cross. Bit of a bad omen. He is right handed though so I guess I'll have to think about it a bit. Thanks for the suggestion!

kn13c.jpg

kn13b.jpg
 
I'm way new here, but I have a couple of thoughts.

Maybe mirror the front and back of the handle to provide a little more symmetry?

kn13c1.jpg


I would also only drill 2 of the front pin holes through the tang and only drill the others through the scale. That way you won't leave a possibly weak perforated line across the tang where it could break.

I like the overall profile very much.

Walter
 
So for the other 4 holes, just epoxy in a small length of the SS rod then without going through the tang? Sounds like wise advice, I just wonder how hard its going to be to epoxy in 8 tiny pieces of SS rod... ;o)
 
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