Help me WIP my 2nd knife into shape

Liner paper? Are you referring to the vulcanized spacers? Is so I'd recommend paying a bit more for G10. I know many have never had an issue but the paper isn't as stable. I just had a handle warranty from a vulcanized spacer that shrunk from one of my first blades. The handle would have failed anyways as it was rosewood that the customers wife had been tossing in the dishwasher but the liners had swollen and shrunk.


Richard Coyle said:
I’m about to place an order from usaknifemaker.com for some g-flex epoxy and some liner paper. The shipping is $10+ so I’m thinking I’m going to pick up some sanding belts also. I haven’t bought belts yet, I’ve just been using the ones that came with the grinder, so I don’t know what to buy.

What would you guys recommend?
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scott kozub said:
Liner paper? Are you referring to the vulcanized spacers? Is so I'd recommend paying a bit more for G10. I know many have never had an issue but the paper isn't as stable. I just had a handle warranty from a vulcanized spacer that shrunk from one of my first blades. The handle would have failed anyways as it was rosewood that the customers wife had been tossing in the dishwasher but the liners had swollen and shrunk.
Click to expand...

Yes, vulcanized spacers. I have already ordered it though. Thank you for your advice, and I will definetly consider g-10 next time. :thumbsup:
 
Anytime I use the fiber spacers I always drench them in CA glue, put my scale on top and spring clamp them onto a flat piece of aluminum. The glue seems to soak into the fiber pretty good. Also after the knife is epoxied together and the handle is profiled I’ll run super glue around the liner again. Let it soak in and dry then finish. Haven’t had a problem yet. Don’t use a ton of fiber liners but when I do that’s how.
 
I’ve got the tapered tang 99% done and I epoxied the liner paper onto the scales.
Now I have a conundrum.D0535A82-20E1-4A65-A2A7-B06FA0D90154.jpeg
As you can see, I left the bottom of the scales thicker to account to the tapered tang, but now I’m at a loss about how to drill the holes for the pins. All of the angles have me confused.
How do I drill the holes to get them perpendicular to the tang like they should be?

I thought it might be easier to make the scales flat instead of having the bottom thicker. The scales are .38 inch at the thinnest point. Is that thick enough or should I leave them thicker at the bottom?
 
Correct my thinking, but if u have a drill press, you could put/clamp the flat part of the knife blade to a machinist block and clamp/drill through the tang one scale at the time. I know that others have special jigs for drilling tapered tangs or use inserts to even the blade while drilling.
 
I tried it.AB77E97A-6404-40C5-BB6E-6D124C0AA720.jpeg21E00664-DEA3-4BED-B8E2-87419D771849.jpeg
BA48011D-47FC-4F55-8167-605BE65C03CD.jpeg
Unfortunately I don’t have a machinists block but I think it worked out fine.
Now for the real thing!
 
FredyCro said:
Doesn't look perfectly aligned, but I think you will not notice after finishing it. Don't forget to shape the front of the scale before gluing!
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Yes sir! Finishing the front is going to be another trick because I don’t think I’ll be able to keep the 2 scales together with pins because of the tang not being between them. I’ll have to just clamp them together really good.
 
FredyCro said:
Doesn't look perfectly aligned, but I think you will not notice after finishing it. Don't forget to shape the front of the scale before gluing!
Click to expand...

:) cover the ricasso with a lot of tape and round of the front after you tapered the scale. You can still work around but it would have been easier the other way around. GL!
 
Believe it or not, I did finish the front...
I guess I should round the edges like u said though.
Live and learn :)
 
Yikes, you’re flying through this process. Next time I would research properly fitting scales to a tapered tang. I can’t tell for sure, but I’m guessing you’re going to have space between your scales and the steel.
Take your time and you’ll be much happier with the results.
3/16” is very thick for that size knife.
G10 as the others have said would be better for liners as they won’t move as much.
My first kitchen knife had vulcanized paper liners and it drives me crazy when I hold the knife and feel the handle and it’s not all flush.
I’m only giving you advice because I want to help and am not trying to make you feel bad.
Take your time and learn each process. You will be glad you did in the long run.
Stay enthusiastic, stay motivated, and always try to improve. We can all be better.
 
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Actually the fit to tangs looks good to me. We won't know until it's finished. What I meant by finishing the front is usually to put in a 45 chamfer. You can take the chamfer all the way or stop before or take another angle. You can do it round or square. This things will depend on you style. Looking forward to the finished knife.
 
Here's what I do for the scales on a blade prior to using epoxy. It's really difficult to sand a scale against the finished blade, but easy to do if it isn't applied yet. This is just canvas micarta with liners, but you get the idea.
y31FjHF.jpg


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If you’re tapering a tang and you want to finish the fronts to be symmetrical as if they were on the knife, measure the tang with calipers where they’re going to sit and use a drill bit that width to keep them seperate.
A precision pin gauge would be even better, but a lot of people don’t have those early on in knifemaking.
E061484E-94CA-4780-B408-F14827326045.jpeg
 
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