Help! Can't make up my mind!

Ken Cook

Ken Cook

Joined
Feb 19, 1999
Messages
2,959
My AFCK is getting so old that the scales are worn smooth and shiny and I've lost one of the little butterfly logos. The knife is still PERFECTLY servicable and has many years of good use left in it, but it looks like crap, so, I want to make a new set of scales for it, but can't decide what to use!
Options I've considered,
Sambar stag
Simulated Ivory *smooth and contoured*
Some interesting color of Micarta
Some exotic hardwood
Any suggestions?


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I cut it, and I cut it, and it's STILL too short!


 
How about dyed, smooth or jigged bone? IMO it's a little easier to work with since it comes in 1/8" thin pieces, less material to remove. It's dense and seems to chip less when drilling screw holes than some of the dense exotic woods I've worked with and looked fine without bolsters. I used green smooth bone to replace the G10 scales on my Starkey Ridge and it came out fine. Whichever you choose, have fun with it.

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Bill
"There's nothing friendlier than a wet dog"
"The more people I meet the more I like my dogs"
 
Synthetics are more durable and stable as a general rule. I still prefer the feel of wood over any other handle materials. How about some cocobola? Make a couple of sets and you can change them each week?
smile.gif


 
Hey Maddog!
I don't like to work with cocobolo, just because the ventilation in my shop could be better. Does okay for most grinding particulates, but I don't really trust it for cocobolo.
However, the idea of making TWO sets of grips is GREAT! LOL! I could have a set for everyday, and a set for dress!
Like my wife says,
"The differance between Man and Monkey, is that Man has the ability to accessorize!
biggrin.gif

*Man, how scary is it that I understand where she's coming from!~yikes~*

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I cut it, and I cut it, and it's STILL too short!




[This message has been edited by Ken Cook (edited 25 June 1999).]
 
None of the materials you mentioned are really suitable for tapping, so you'll have to get clever about how you alter the construction. My preference (and I've tried a lot of methods) is to make a new spacer out of aluminum or steel and tap screws into it from both sides. It'll hold threads well and you'll have attractive matching screw-heads on both sides instead of only on one. Another effective option is to get some thick-walled tubing in aluminum, brass, or steel (though I really hate hand-threading tiny 2-56 taps in steel) and drive this into tight holes on one side where your screws will be. Then, drill out the tubing and tap this - you've just made your own metal inserts! Either method will allow you to use handle materials like the one you mentioned without screw-holes that are easily stripped.

While you're at it, make a longer spacer and add a screw partway between the two on the butt and the one in the stop-pin. This eliminates what little flex the knife may originally have.

I won't give you any preferences on the materials you mentioned except to say that if you choose natural materials, get them stabilized! Especially in a precision folder, any warping or shrinking over time could be a big problem. That's why I like micarta and other synthetics. I did one AFCK with 3/32" titanium scales - now that's a tough knife! Its owner tells me he carries it daily and it's on its second blade, but the knife itself is going strong.

Good luck and feel free to email me if you have questions
smile.gif


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-Corduroy
(Why else would a bear want a pocket?)
 
Most of the Micartas make for pretty nice handles. Of the three I've done with Micarta, I used maroon linen, black linen, and black canvas, and the maroon linen turned out the nicest and classiest. In fact, you can see the finished product at my website listed below, and there are some real close-ups for texture, etc. May be worth going over there for you. I think I took that particular handle to a 600 finish them buffed it with red coumpound, although I may have gone to 400 and buffed. If it's important to you then read the synopsis part of the page...
Working with Micarta is a little harder than wood for a couple reasons: it is a little harder than most woods so it doens't file/sand as nicely and it also requires a little more patience because you not only want a certain shape, but also want to expose the layering pattern in a nice way, so you have to go pretty slow and check your work. My vote is on maroon Micarta, though!

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http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/knifehome.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
On Two Wheels
 
Hi Cordoroy,
Actually, the way I was planning on getting around the tapping issue, was to do something similar to "Pillar bedding" a rifle.
IOW, Small alum, inserts for each individual screw, acra-glassed into the scale material (brass if I went with sambar) and then drilled, tapped, and contoured along with the scale material.
I was thinking about replacing the spacer with alum, and possibly extending it up a little ways further than tne factory one, but hadn't considered actually adding another screw. I can see though that this would do wonders for rigidity. *I was just thinking in terms of cosmetics*
Hmm, at the moment, I'm kind of thinking a set of Faux Ivory scales, and a set of green micarta for everyday. If I went with green and black, I could get the AFCK to match my Mantis! That would be pretty cool!
Wonder if Alan Folts has any of the green/black micarta left over? Be great to get an exact match for color!
What do y'all think?

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I cut it, and I cut it, and it's STILL too short!


 
Sounds like you've already put some good thinking into how to anchor those screws - let me know how it works out.

On the issue of having two sets of handle scales, I can forsee one small problem. The way to get a really nice fit on your scales is to profile them on a sander while they are attached to the other parts of the knife (well, you can leave the blade out). This means removing a little bit of the Ti liners along the edges to make everything perfectly flush (and if you haven't ground Ti before, do it away from combustibles and get ready for a show). The trouble is, once you do this for the 2nd set of scales the first ones will be slightly oversize because of the material lost in getting the 2nd fit. Make sense?

If you go carefully and only take off the slightest amount, it shouldn't be too big a deal. But this method will definitely get you a better fit than trying to profile to an outline traced on the material or some other way of leaving the Ti untouched. It also gets rid of the slightly rough-cut liner edges... leaving them smooth and just begging for filework
wink.gif


I don't care for open-backed knives, so on my AFCK the spacer goes far enough to "hook" over the stop-pin and come up flush against the blade spine. Looks nice, IMO, especialy with the filework. If making a spacer, make sure to triple-check that the blade doesn't strike it. When removing material from the inside edge, always take a little bit more off than it appears to need - somehow the blade finds ways to hit that thing even when it looks clear (this happens in factory BMs too, sometimes).

Have fun!

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-Corduroy
(Why else would a bear want a pocket?)
 

Corduroy
I think that you would be very surprised at the screw holding ability of wood like cocobolo. If the wood is over 1/8" thick and threaded all of the way you will strip the allen head before the thread strips.

Repeated removal and reinstalling is not recommended but initial strength is very good.

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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com

 
Hey fellas,
Does anyone remember the thread someone made on asking about customizing there AFCK? I can't remember who started it but there was alot of great ideas in there. if someone could get the URL for it I think it would help alot.

Cheers!

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The spirit grows, strength is restored by wounding
 
Alan Folts has been good enough to let me know that he has a small quantity of the same green/black micarta that he used to make my Mantis, and also some ivory micarta, so I guess my decision is made!
I think I'm going to try and do the green/black micarta first, and if it turns out well, I may just go ahead and buy a new AFCK and do that one up in ivory for formal wear!
Alan also had a great idea in adding a blue spacer between the "ivory" and the Ti liners.
That's the differance between a craftsman and an Artist guys!
If I do my part, it should turn out beautiful! Thanks Alan, I'd never have thought of a great touch like that!
Thanks to all for the great ideas too!
Now if I could just decide what to do about decorative file work! LOL


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I cut it, and I cut it, and it's STILL too short!


 
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