handle material cutting jig

M

meteogeek

Joined
Jan 18, 1999
Messages
57
This may not be anything that hasn't already been posted, but I thought I would make it available anyway since I have used so much of the info. espoused in this forum. I put together a little
jig to help with cutting handle material for knives with complex bolster curves. I can not take credit for much of the ideas but I modified some ideas that I've seen/read elsewhere and adapted them for use with a dremel (or any hand rotary tool). I have a picture of this handle cutting jig HERE

Required elements include a template of the curve/line to be mated with the bolster, scrap lumber or other relatively hard material to "sandwich" the handle material between, clamps and a dremel or similar tool with cutting guide attachment. These cutting guide attachments are often used with "zip" bits to cut holes in drywall.

Hope this may be of us to others, and if something like this has already been discussed and distributed, my apologies.

>> DeWayne <<
 
I reckon I should explain this a bit now that I'm not rushed to get out the door from work. The handle material is simply "sandwiched"
between the two scrap, notched pieces of material (wood, micarta, whatever). I milled out a portion of the top part of the sandwich with my dremel using the cutting guide attachment and a tile cutting bit. The template is afixed in the recess with two screws. The recess is about 1/8" deep. The end of the handle material should extend just beyond the end of the template to ensure enough material is removed to achieve the desired shape. The sandwich components (top,bottom and handle material) are then clamped together and the ends of the bottom portion of the sandwich are clamped securely to a work surface. Note the spacer (roughly the thickness of the handle material) between the top and bottom of the sandwich. This keeps the top portion flat/level while clamped to achieve a good flush fit to the bolster. The shank of the cutting bit should extend so that it touches the end of the template and the "business" (cutting) end reaches the handle material. Make sure the cutting end doesn't touch the template or else....well, you know. I've only used a tile cutting bit so far, but the carbide cutting bits and other high speed cutting bits available from dremel and the like may also work well. I've not used these latter bits yet. The idea is to have something that cuts cleanly and that the cutting end is the same (or close) diameter as the bit shank. Once everything is set up then start cutting slowly along the template with the cutting guide moving along the top, flat surface of the sandwich. As usual, take all of your safety precautions. I have found that some bits can be "grabby" like the "zip" bits used for drywall. The first time I used the setup I got a good fit but I could see a bit of light in the handle/bolster joint. The second try gave me a virtually perfect fit. I just needed to clean up the end of the handle material with a bit of sandpaper (100 grit or so). All in all, I'm please with this tool.

>> DeWayne <<
 
Skaer....hmmmm. Hadn't thought about it. I've not done any two piece bolsters but I reckon it would work. I suppose I would need to slow the RPM on the dremel and go a lot slower in the cutting process. I'll keep that in mind.

Thanks
>> DeWayne <<
 
a two piece bolster? what i was asking was how you shape the bolster at all. just the metal part, i see how your jig would be great for handle material that butts up to the bolster, but how do you shape the bolster itself?
 
What I mean by a two piece bolster is like what you see on a folder where you have two pieces each on opposite sides of the forward (or back) end of the handle as opposed to a slotted single piece guard on a fixed blade. First, let me say that my experience in shaping bolsters is very limited. I've only dealt with slotted guards for the most part. As far as shaping the bolster, I reckon this jig could be used to shape the ends of a bolster in exactly the same manner as you would the handle material. Although, I've not tried to apply this jig to shaping a bolster, and I'm confident that there would be a few surprises that would need to dealt with. If the ends of the rear portion of the bolster were going to be straight then I would punt the jig and just use the table on my disk sander to get a good and square end. However, you could put some interesting curves on the forward end of a bolster given you have spent the time to design/cutout the template.

>> DeWayne <<
 
It's something like I use for cutting antler spacers and other hard or wood spacer material. Since the cuts have to be parellel and square, I just hot glue a piece of antler to a square piece of lumber and saw it on my table saw or my smaller Dremel table saw, using the crossfeed. You just move the piece over and make another cut, zip, zip,zip, ect., and you have the sections with parellel cuts. You can also rip a piece by using your ripping fence, for a longer piece. Usually the cut piece willo still be glued to the piece of wood. Use a piece of wood large enough so that you don't have to cut the piece of wood entirely off.
 
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