Handle Problems With My HI Bolo

Steve your collection is sweet!!!


Andy...The bottom one in steves pic SCREAMS bro...That is the one I would use!! Good snag BTW!
 
I like the vertical one second from the right. Maybe with a cleft carved into the pommel.
 
Andy, I found your findings on the handle interesting. IIRC Yangdu said that the handle was Walnut or Oak, Walnut I believe. The handle on my 22" AK is made of of pine, which worries me a bit after Andy's post. I'll have to give it a good Yvsa testing this weekend.

Bob
 
Big Bob said:
Andy, I found your findings on the handle interesting. IIRC Yangdu said that the handle was Walnut or Oak, Walnut I believe. The handle on my 22" AK is made of of pine, which worries me a bit after Andy's post. I'll have to give it a good Yvsa testing this weekend.

Bob
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Bob, as I stated, I've got a khuk with a soft handle like this (no possible way that its a hardwood). Its my Jange. I find the handle to be ugly as hell, but I've done a good bit of chopping, and it hasn't failed me yet. The blade is one of my best, truly superb work by Bura. Its on my list of knives to rehandle, but its hard to bring myself to cut off a functioning handle. This bolo is special, because the handle had to come off. So no trepedation.

I worked on this knife here at work yesterday. I haven't even brought it home yet as it was delivered here. (Its great when the upps are involved in meetings all day!) I overdid it though, because when I got home my back was frigging killing me. Two darvocets and out for the night.

Here is what I've done. I made a pattern for the handle, cut the blank, and fitted the tang (big tang). I made a ferrule out of 1" copper pipe, and cut a void into 1/8" sheet copper for the guard. This still has to be filed to final size so it fits over the tang. I shaped the handle and fitted the ferrule to the distal end. And I bought a piece of SS pinstock. I was going to try out the mosaic pins I've recently made, but this thing is so dang heavy I was worried about the pin's strength. Maybe it doesn't matter, because HI's pin was aluminum. It was completely distorted within the handle though, so I think a nice strong pin would be better.

Today, if I get time, I'll fit the guard, shape it, and glue up. Then when thats done I'll drill the pin hole, and glue it in. Then its finishing work, and a resanding of the blade to get some of the scratches out.
 
Really looking forward to seeing how it comes out.

I don't know about everyone else, but I personally love the stock Bolo handle. I feel like (for me at least) it's the perfect hand and a half handle. But to each his own I suppose.
 
Thanks TMD. I, of course, had no choice on this particular bolo. But, in reality, I'm not into that table leg handle. Its too long and makes a rig hard to carry IMO. Plus, its completely devoid of features too. JMHO.

We're in glue up now. I pinned it with a 5/16" stainless steel pin.
 
Here is the rough handled Bolo. This weekend I will, of course, do the sanding and finishing. And hopefully get a couple of sheaths done. Next week I'll address the scabbard. What do y'all think?


 
Dude, sweet! :foot: :D

Can't believe you got it done that quickly! :eek: Seems like magic to us non-woodworkers.
 
It looks nice Andy. Some sanding and it'll look great for sure. How does it feel in the hand with the shorter handle as far as balance and comfort go?

Bob
 
Gracias guys. Its not done yet, though the hard parts are done. It'll really pop once its gotten sanded smooth and a few coats of Watco's on it. Right now its hot off the bastard file, so its super rough. I think I'm happy with the SS pin. I used the arbor press at work to get that bugger in there, and its a good tight fit. I did have some tearout from the drill bit. I'll fill that with some epoxy and sawdust. Won't even know its there.

When I get a project done quick like that its because there is a lull at work. No way I could get that much free time at home. It'd taken me weeks.... Doh.

Wait till I'm done with the scabbard. I got big plans for it too. That metal chape is going to be gone. The frog will get replaced as well. And I think I'm going to take the leather off the wood and put a strip of sheet metal over the edge so that its safer to draw the blade. Then recover it, of course.

I really liked working with that rosewood, but lemme tell you, hard as hell. I was carving on it last night to get the ferrule fit to it, and my knife would hardly cut it. And my knife is pretty sharp. I'm no Steve, but my pocketknives are pretty sharp. That rosewood is HARD.

Pics of the finished product will follow next week.
 
very nice :)

i think it needs to come to NH for testing :)

my wood working project shortly is rehandling an axe. even though *apparently* S&N is going to send me a brand new one with handle (oiy, chore sharpening chores :>) i also get to peen out the old head, which is "oh my" sharp. uhm. whee.

oh, and yeah, i have to dremel all the rust spots off my car and prime them and ...

winter is closing in!

bladite
 
Never heard of using a Dremmel for auto body work. Hmm. LOL
 
aproy1101 said:
Never heard of using a Dremmel for auto body work. Hmm. LOL
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well, small stone strike that need cleaning out, and then painting, filling in. i'm not sanding out giant areas... just the pits from the stones.

think of it as dentistry and the rust cavities.

hey, anyone use this use i saw at homer despot called something like "de gunker" - claims to chemically remove rust "instantly"... then i remember, that's exaxtly what CLR claims to do. mmm. maybe i'll try that on an axe head spot or two. however, the "de gunker" claims that if you spray it on CLEAN metal, it'll "bond" with it and leave a coating that'll protect for 1 year! interesting.

bladite
 
kronckew said:
had trouble seeing the photos initially, but they've appeared now. so far it's lookin good.
are you gonna cut the decorative notch in the end like in the earlier sketch?
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No, I decided to go without the notch. Just seemed too complicated for a first run to me.....:o
 
Great work Andy! Can you tell me how you fitted the copper pipe ferrule to the guard? Did you solder it together, or braze it or what? Just trying to understand the actual assembly process of the guard and ferrule.

Thanks,

Norm
 
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