Handle scales are different thicknesses how to fix?

D

Dylan Baggett

Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Messages
4
Ordered some stabilized box elder burl scales from usaknifemaker and noticed they are different thicknesses, not drastically different but enough that I thought I should probably try to fix it somehow. Open to any help or ideas you guys have! Thanks.
 
You can sand the one that is thicker, but why not true them up after you mount them to the knife. I assume you will be shaping and contouring the handle after you glue/bolt them to the tang.
 
Thats pretty common in my experience. You will be thinning them down a good deal to shape the handle so it really doesn't matter. Just make sure they are the same thickness (measure from the tang) when you are done.
 
Do you have a planner. You can adhere then to a board with a sacrificial rail and plane them.
 
If you have a belt sander and really need to make them the same thickness hold the thick one on the belt sander until it is the same size as the other one.
 
If they are bookmatched look at the show side and sand the thicker one from the back side.
Draw a line how thick you want it to be. Grind a 45degree angle to that line from all four sides and remove everything inbetween after that.
 
I have had pretty good luck setting my bandsaw up for a very thin resaw (more like shaving off the width of the blade). Then finish up with light sanding. When just sanding, i at least have found, that you need to be very careful to avoid having one side (or end, or edge) thinner than the other. Measure often with a micrometer!
 
Cushing H. said:
I have had pretty good luck setting my bandsaw up for a very thin resaw (more like shaving off the width of the blade). Then finish up with light sanding. When just sanding, i at least have found, that you need to be very careful to avoid having one side (or end, or edge) thinner than the other. Measure often with a micrometer!
Click to expand...
Tell me why Cushing? If I have two that are just a bit off....1/8 or less I just glue them on the blade and then draw a line and grind down t my line.
 
Randydb said:
Tell me why Cushing? If I have two that are just a bit off....1/8 or less I just glue them on the blade and then draw a line and grind down t my line.
Click to expand...
Maybe because I have been doing it in a not-so-smart way? basically, I have been working to get the scales as equal as possible before joining to the tang, and so was sanding each of the scales as stand alone pieces. My original thought was around using corby bolts to hold the thing in place while gluing, and it would be easier/more accurate to set the depth for the corbys if I had the "final" scale thickness before that....

I am shifting how I am doing that when I have a bolster to set the front of the blade (and so can use your great idea :-) ). but I am not sure how I would take your approach if I had corbys and a handle without a bolster????
 
Cushing H. said:
Maybe because I have been doing it in a not-so-smart way? basically, I have been working to get the scales as equal as possible before joining to the tang, and so was sanding each of the scales as stand alone pieces. My original thought was around using corby bolts to hold the thing in place while gluing, and it would be easier/more accurate to set the depth for the corbys if I had the "final" scale thickness before that....

I am shifting how I am doing that when I have a bolster to set the front of the blade (and so can use your great idea :) ). but I am not sure how I would take your approach if I had corbys and a handle without a bolster????
Click to expand...
Set the Depth stop on your drill press using the thinner of the two scales to drill the counterbore. When you drill the Fat scale the counterbore will be the same depth at the bottom as the thin scale.
 
Busto said:
Set the Depth stop on your drill press using the thinner of the two scales to drill the counterbore. When you drill the Fat scale the counterbore will be the same depth at the bottom as the thin scale.
Click to expand...
No ... I mean how to sand down the scales to equal thickness if the the Corbys are already in place. I know it can technically be done (I have done it) ... but sanding without the corbys (at least for me) is more controllable, and avoids that nasty heating/epoxy delam thing.....
 
Cushing H. said:
No ... I mean how to sand down the scales to equal thickness if the the Corbys are already in place. I know it can technically be done (I have done it) ... but sanding without the corbys (at least for me) is more controllable, and avoids that nasty heating/epoxy delam thing.....
Click to expand...

If you do it in several passes you shouldn't be building up so much heat that the epoxy delaminates - don't worry. If you're really worried about the epoxy then do a pass... set it down and wait a few minutes... and do another pass. Really all there is to it!
 
allenkey said:
If you do it in several passes you shouldn't be building up so much heat that the epoxy delaminates - don't worry. If you're really worried about the epoxy then do a pass... set it down and wait a few minutes... and do another pass. Really all there is to it!
Click to expand...
Definitely know that. I am just impatient :-)
 
sharp, coarse abrasive. Done in a couple minutes.

If you start with your scales "perfect", you're just as likely to screw them up while shaping anyway unless you're aiming for FLAT FLAT scales.
 
As has been stated, even out on a sheet of sandpaper backed by a flat surface or just even it out as you shape your handle. But if you are looking for a tool that might help you might consider one of these:

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top