Handle Replacement?

SASSAS

SASSAS

Joined
Aug 16, 2005
Messages
616
Are there any recommendations for handle replacements? A member of my household just chunked my villager on top of the 3 handle-pinned M43 I bought a few days ago and managed to gouge right under the center pin...close enough that I'm somewhat worried about what effect it will have on it's durability (and it's kind of an ugly mark). This is easily my favorite Khuk so far, so I'd really like to get it fixed cleanly.... I was thinking of having it redone in black african hardwood, anyway (I really like this one)...
 
I think Terry Sisco is doing handles again as well as Dan Koster. Methinks Dan has quite a backlog so Terry would probably be faster although he may be backed up as well.

Why don't you do them yourself? It's not all that difficult to put Chiruwa handles on a khukuri.

Another thing you might try if it's a dent and not a gouge is steaming the dent out. Soak the handle in water for a day or so and then lay a damp cloth over the dent and hold a hot iron to it and see if it will come out or at least lessen.
Works pretty well with the softer woods, don't know about the hardwoods like is generally used on khuk handles.
 
If the gouge is not too big, it would work to mix sawdust (from a wood with a similar color) with some epoxy to fill it. While steaming wood will raise a small dent, it won't fix a cut in the wood.
If you really want a pretty wood on the knife, it shouldn't be impossible to do it yourself or get someone to help out.

Just got back from making a contribution to the Red Cross. While I think that my taxes and Uncle Sam should cover this, I am a pragmatist and I want to support relief efforts.
 
You said that you wanted to go with a hardwood handle. Me personally, I would check out what ebay's got. Generally a decent selection. Got pretty much everything from ironwood to sambar stag on now. Not to expensive either. Good luck with the replacement.


mike
 
I can't see the damage from here but in all likelihood it will probably not lead to a catostrophic failure of the handle. Just an eyesore, most likely.




munk
 
Yvsa said:
I think Terry Sisco is doing handles again as well as Dan Koster. Methinks Dan has quite a backlog so Terry would probably be faster although he may be backed up as well.

Why don't you do them yourself? It's not all that difficult to put Chiruwa handles on a khukuri.

Another thing you might try if it's a dent and not a gouge is steaming the dent out. Soak the handle in water for a day or so and then lay a damp cloth over the dent and hold a hot iron to it and see if it will come out or at least lessen.
Works pretty well with the softer woods, don't know about the hardwoods like is generally used on khuk handles.
Click to expand...

Great idea Yvsa, and this has worked for me, except that this one-of-a-kind 20 inch 3-pin M43 had horn handles, not wood. I would do approximately what Arty suggested and clean out the damage, rough up the gap with a file or sandpaper if I could get it in there, and fill it with mixed colored epoxy or acra-glas.

Then I would take the khuks out of the hands of all my family members! :D

Norm
 
Thanks for all the replies. I've been looking more closely and thinking I may have panicked a bit. It's not as bad as I first thought. Looking more closely, I'm not sure exactly how they clanked to make such a crescent shape. It may have been pre-existing and I just didn't notice until I was really looking for a fault after I saw them on top of each other (I found a few similar marks near another pin, just not the same shape which couldn't have been from the same thing).

It doesn't look like it has any structural impact and I probably wouldn't have thought twice about it had I seen it earlier rather than post-discovery. So, I'm a happy camper again. :)

Thanks for the e-bay tip, I wouldn't have thought of searching for wood there.

I've been meaning to post a bit about the handle, so I may as well do it now.
 
I have a truly excellent woodyard half an hour from my house . I can get handle sized pieces of tropical and exotic woods . E-bay would definitely work . If your local woodyard accomadates carvers and cabinetmakers you may be able to find a piece and look before you buy . Its fun looking at the tools and stuff anyway .
 
A woodyard would definitely work. There aren't too many in my area though. I just mentioned ebay as the M43 has handle scales, and that's more or less what's available. It's not real easy to find burls or anything like that (for a standard kukri handle). Most of the scales offered are about 5"long x 2"wide x 3/8"thick. They most always have ironwood of some sort (usually desert ironwood), and a whole host of other handle making goodies.


mike
 
There's a Rockler about and hour away from me. I've checked out their website, but I've never been in their store.

mike
 
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