handle thickness

[deltawhisky]

i am currently making my first knife and i recently got the stuff to make the handle. i am not entirely sure what thickness to make the handle. if any one has any tips that would be awesome thanks

 

[AntCaps]

I know what the guys who know what there talking about are going to ask, whats the material whats the style of the knife whats the thickness of the stock...
and if you want my 2 cents id start a little thicker than i might ne needed and sand shape and grind to comfortable.

 

[jonnymac44]

That's a broad question. Neckers can sometimes be no thicker than the blade thickness, while some fixed blades can have a handle a solid inch thick. It depends on what type of knife you are talking about, but in my experience making small fixed blades averaging 7.0" overall length, I have found that handles that are between 3/8" and 5/8" thick at the most are comfortable. Sometimes thicker is better, but sometimes thinner is what you need. Anything more than 5/8" gets pretty chunky for an EDC/utility type of blade, at least for my hands.

 

[lonepine]

I don't have an answer for you because I am currently experiencing existential angst over this same question. I think the answer I will come up with in my version of reality is "It depends."

In reference to full tang knives, if the handle is wider (top to bottom) then in my mind thinner scales could be used because the size of the tang is going to fill your hand. Conversely, for a narrow tang to fill the hand the scales could be thicker, EXCEPT... If you end up with a cylindrical shape then you don't have as good of control of the knife. So... enters sculpting of the handle to help with the grip and control. It ends up thick in some areas and thin in others.

If the width of the handle hinders the function of the knife then it should be changed, made thinner or thicker, or sculpted in some fashion. A machete needs a very different handle than a skinner or caper. A filet knife with a six inch blade needs a different handle than a tactical knife with a six inch blade.

Can you tell that I tend to over-think things? Paralysis by analysis. I used to be happy slapping a couple 3/8" scales on a knife and rounding the edges. But the last two have had a lot of sculpting to hopefully make them more grip-able and controllable. And I put a couple 1/4" scales on a smaller knife just to try it out.

So, have I proved that I have no answer to your question yet?

Good luck,

- Paul Meske, Wisconsin

 

[pixelhack]

I have a few hundred pictures of knives that I like for one reason or another. My sketchbook has ideas for the handles I want to try making. Take a look around and see what YOU like. Then try out a bunch of different knives and tools in your house to see how well they fit YOUR hand. For sizing I use the rule that I learned from my tennis teacher.

 

[lonepine]

I have a few hundred pictures of knives that I like for one reason or another. My sketchbook has ideas for the handles I want to try making. Take a look around and see what YOU like. Then try out a bunch of different knives and tools in your house to see how well they fit YOUR hand. For sizing I use the rule that I learned from my tennis teacher.

Yes?????......... You left us hanging here!!!

And what was the rule?

How do you apply it to small knives?

- Paul Meske

 

[james terrio]

For sizing I use the rule that I learned from my tennis teacher.

I'm guessing because I'm not a tennis player, but it looks like a finger-width bewteen the finger-tips and heel of the thumb. A good rule of thumb (or index finger) for an object as long as your forearm with a distinctly forward-heavy balance. That should prvide a lot of leverage and responsiveness. Then again, baseball bats are even longer and more "tip-heavy", with narrower grips, sooo....

Ed Fowler makes small-bladed hunters with handles nearly twice as wide as the blade and they sell as fast as he can make them. sooo...

Point is, there are no hard-and-fast rules. If it fits you, it's a good handle.

 

[Fiddleback]

My normal sized handles start with scales 3/8" thick each. I make handles for big guys that start at .5" thick each. I don't like thin handles. JMHO.