Handle shaping?

AntCaps

AntCaps

Joined
May 6, 2009
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How do you guys get your handles symmetrical? Is it just practice and patience or is there a system I could use.
I just shaped my first pair of handles and they came out ok not crazy different but deffinatly not symmetrical. They feel good in hand but it bugs me that they aren't perfect.
 
Take it slow. Some people mark around the edges but I just wing it. Just do a little at a time. I pin the handles together without the knife and even the front of the scales. Make sure to finish the front completely before attaching them. Post some pics and we can give more specific advice.
 
Once I have the handle glued up and sanded down flush and square with the tang, I draw layout lines as show below in white. I do this on the top and bottom of the handle and then holding the handle horizontal, I flat grind to my layout lines. Once I have this blocked shape, I can start rounding and shaping keeping everything symmetrical.

hand.png
 
I'll take some pictures when I'm home tomorrow they are removable scales what I ended up doing was screwing them to a piece of wood so I had something substantial to hold onto what I shaped I tried going slow amend I used a higher grit belt so it would take a little longer to remove material.
Also the "grinder" I'm using is a 3 x 24 belt grinder I clamp upside down on a work bench.

NCBiker that's a really good idea thanks.
 
Make the same passes with the same pressure in the same places on both sides of the handle. This will get you close. Then use a contour gauge to dial things in.
 
i draw guidelines like nc biker. i profile the handle first, then draw the lines on the spine and bottom of the handle and shape.
 
Start with getting the front end symmetrical. That shows worse than most other errors. Before you attach the scales, tape them together with the rivets through the holes ( not on the knife tang). Sand and shape the front so it is even and as symmetrical as you can get. Sand to at least 400 grit and buff if you do that. This assures the front is symmetrical, and avoids ruining the blade in handle finishing.

Attach the scales on the knife with epoxy and rivets, let cure 24 hours, and tape off the blade with a couple layers of blue or green painters tape.

Grind the handle profile down to the tang. At this point the silhouette of the knife should look like what you want.

Flatten and thin the scales to make them even looking down from the top/bottom.

Taper the scales a little so the bottom is a bit less wide than the top. ( This varies depending on handle shape and style, but on most knives this gives a better feel in the hand. The final cross section is usually a slightly egg shaped oval)

Knock off the corners of the handle all the way around at 45°.

Start rounding the handle from top to bottom and then from bottom to top. Try for a smooth curve with no angles.

Shape any features like finger grooves, hour-glass shape/coke-bottle/palm swells after the sides are evenly rounded.

Adjust the taper of butt towards the end as the very last thing.

Done in these steps, it is hard not to be symmetrical.
 
Thanks Stacy,
I think one of the reasons I had trouble is I went straight to rounding before I shaped the silhouette. I had some thick slabs on there and I was nervous they were too thick so I went right to ten on them.
 
After I finish my front profile I sand to finish grit and put whatever finish on it I'm going to use on the rest of the handle. After I glue the scales on the blade I take it to either the disc sander to profile the spine area and then the spindle sander or idler wheel on my 2x72 grinder to do the finger area and choil areas. I always start out with scales flat and parallel to each other so that makes profiling easier and more accurate.

Then since I now have the finished profile established I can start to thin my scales down on each side to my desired thickness. After they are thinned to or close to max thickness I want I will start to taper the thickness down thinner in the front to just past the front pin equally on each side on disc sander or grinder.

Once I get the taper I want I take out my 90 degree 1/4" die grinder with a course scotch brite disc on it to start rounding and doing what I call my rough contour shaping. The scotch brite allows me a lot of forgiveness but it will still very easily shape the hardest Desert Ironwood to the desired soft curves and allows me to control the radius very carefully. At this point I do a lot of looking at the handle at different angles to see minor differences from side to side that need correcting. Any minor fine tuning I can do very quickly with my finish sanding.

This sounds like a long process but I can have a handle completely shaped and ready for final sanding in less than an hour. It did take me longer when I first started but like any process it gets faster with each knife. Some may disagree but I really like the control I have with the 90 Degree die grinder with a disc. Hope this is understandable. Lol

Jay
 
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On hidden tangs, set your blade on a raised flat surface, and get an edge scriber or something similar that can hold a pencil. Match the height of your cutting edge, and then mark all the way around the handle. I learned that from watching Nick Wheelers videos, and its helped tremendously. Now full tang knives, just go slow, and watch it after each pass on the grinder, or each piece of sand paper.
 
Thanks for all the help guys I really appreciate it.

Here are some pictures I'm sorry they were taken in the bathroom it's the best light I have access to at the moment.



The closer I look at them the less disappointed I am to be honest I'm going to give them another pass and try to make them perfect but if this is as good as it gets for my first I can live with it.
 
That's not too bad at all but if your worried try using small card board templates they help when trying to get things symmetrical . As mentioned above Nick Wheelers awesome WIP will give you an idea.
 
I did some photos a while back, posted them here:
http://www.spyderco.com/forumII/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=44349&sid=62ceb30eb0edadb4de0691adf84a546f

One tip. Measure the handle, then take most of the material you think you want to take off from one side only. Measure again. If you had symmetrical scales, or knew their thicknesses at the start, you can now take off the same amount from the second side, and keep track of progress with your Vernier style calipers. Sketch out where you take your measurements, and progress checks. Won't always need to, but it helps to have a measured, progression system when you start.
 
Thanks again everyone,
I have about question but I don't want to keep opening up new threads.
I am going to use some liners between the tang and scales they are also g10 is epoxy sure nessasary or would CA glue be as good. I'll go get some epoxy if you guys say it's better.
Thanks
 
Alright epoxy it is I don't know I can find flex locally but I'll find some slow cure stuff for sure
 
I ended up with some slow set marine epoxy it dries white and I thought that would look great with the red liners and black slabs.
I'll give it a day or so to cure than finish up the sanding.
 
Are you a clean freak? Your sink is almost immaculate. Was it cleaned before the photo? :)

It looks like you've done well at keeping symmetry between the two scales. The general blade and handle design looks well thought out too. Good Job!

For using comfort, you may consider more significantly rounding the edges between the scale faces. Some people like a "squared" edge, but usability often favors much more rounded edges on handles. You may also think about blunting the rear facing sharp edge of the blade at the finger groove.
 
Not a clean freak I just happen to have a live in maid I call her mom lol.
Once the epoxy is cured tomorrow I'm going to try to round it out a little more clean it up and sand it to 400 grit.
I still have to match it up to the tang a tiny bit ill probably go the slow route and hand sand it until it's flush. I'm just hoping I didn't mess up the glue up I lightly sanded the joining surfaces with 100 grit than cleans and de greased them brushed on a thin layer of epoxy and instead of clamping I placed a couple books on top of the scales to try to avoid too much squeeze out.
 
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