Hey guys- quick question for those with experience in handle finishing.
This is a blade I recently made. I'm just a hobbiest with some metalwork/woodwork background that likes the tinker. Last summer I hopped in the truck with the girlfriend and drove up to Dawson City, Yukon from Vancouver, BC. Along the way at the "Trappers Den" (This place aint your average Cabellas, pictured below with yours truly) I discovered some beautiful handmade knives crafted from two man ripsaw blades. sharp as razors, each with unique bone handles. Easy to recognize turn of the century spring steel as a good starting material that will hold a great edge. I digress.
[/URL][/IMG]
Now Im standing there with these fancy blades reflected in my eyes as I'm getting tugged on the back of the collar by my lady indicating its time to leave. I moped out.
Later that month I found an elk antler while camping in Tombstone territorial park. Out came the Japanese folding saw and the piece I wanted went into my pack. Being a south paw, this little piece instantly spoke to me as it fitted so well into my (yuge) left hand. See below for closeup of the final product.
[/URL][/IMG]
Fast forward to late august, I find myself standing in an antique shop in Bend, OR haggling over the price of a large 5 foot ripsaw blade that came from a mechanized sawmill. This blade is quite a lot thicker than the blades I saw in the shop up in the Yukon, likely because those were for hand use, whereas the one I had my eye on in the antique shop was machine driven (I thought to myself, this would be a far more robust blade, perfect!)
$25 bucks and a dozen beers with the owner of the shop later and I waltzed out the front door with all the material I need for a half dozen blades.
[/URL][/IMG]
This god damn project turned into a meditation in grinding. I was more zen with that angle grinder than a monk with a prayer bell. Four months I shaped, re-shaped, changed and finally settled on a blade shape I liked. I kept everything cool, never ruined temper (as I'm not equipped with a kiln/forge/torch for tempering) and came out with a blade I liked. A bit of screwing around and fitting the handle over the past few weeks and bam here we go. A veggie chopper of epic proportions. A pal asked me if it glows blue like Frodo's sword when the girlfriend comes around. I can attest it does.
[/URL][/IMG]
[/URL][/IMG]
[/URL][/IMG]
[/URL][/IMG]
[/URL][/IMG]
SO. The actual question. I used a common outdoor furniture lacquering product to seal the handle. Likely a dumb move. I want to apply a clear vulcanized rubber product to the handle. Im imagining a clear paint on product that has grippy, sandpaper like qualities. I used the lacquering product because I wanted to protect the highly porous properties of the antler. tossed in a sink for a few hours and the handle will likely swell up and ruin it. I'm looking for a product I can paint/apply over the lacquer. None of the above photos show the lacquered handle, but it has a glossy/glassy type appearance and is functional, yet rather glossy and unpleasant to grip. Any ideas?
I took the completed blade to a local sharper in Vancouver once I beveled the blade as best I could with a grinder. I am very happy with the results. I wanted an oversized kitchen knife and I wound up with a machete razor blade. Definitely a character piece with an interesting story behind it!
This is a blade I recently made. I'm just a hobbiest with some metalwork/woodwork background that likes the tinker. Last summer I hopped in the truck with the girlfriend and drove up to Dawson City, Yukon from Vancouver, BC. Along the way at the "Trappers Den" (This place aint your average Cabellas, pictured below with yours truly) I discovered some beautiful handmade knives crafted from two man ripsaw blades. sharp as razors, each with unique bone handles. Easy to recognize turn of the century spring steel as a good starting material that will hold a great edge. I digress.
Now Im standing there with these fancy blades reflected in my eyes as I'm getting tugged on the back of the collar by my lady indicating its time to leave. I moped out.
Later that month I found an elk antler while camping in Tombstone territorial park. Out came the Japanese folding saw and the piece I wanted went into my pack. Being a south paw, this little piece instantly spoke to me as it fitted so well into my (yuge) left hand. See below for closeup of the final product.
Fast forward to late august, I find myself standing in an antique shop in Bend, OR haggling over the price of a large 5 foot ripsaw blade that came from a mechanized sawmill. This blade is quite a lot thicker than the blades I saw in the shop up in the Yukon, likely because those were for hand use, whereas the one I had my eye on in the antique shop was machine driven (I thought to myself, this would be a far more robust blade, perfect!)
$25 bucks and a dozen beers with the owner of the shop later and I waltzed out the front door with all the material I need for a half dozen blades.
This god damn project turned into a meditation in grinding. I was more zen with that angle grinder than a monk with a prayer bell. Four months I shaped, re-shaped, changed and finally settled on a blade shape I liked. I kept everything cool, never ruined temper (as I'm not equipped with a kiln/forge/torch for tempering) and came out with a blade I liked. A bit of screwing around and fitting the handle over the past few weeks and bam here we go. A veggie chopper of epic proportions. A pal asked me if it glows blue like Frodo's sword when the girlfriend comes around. I can attest it does.
SO. The actual question. I used a common outdoor furniture lacquering product to seal the handle. Likely a dumb move. I want to apply a clear vulcanized rubber product to the handle. Im imagining a clear paint on product that has grippy, sandpaper like qualities. I used the lacquering product because I wanted to protect the highly porous properties of the antler. tossed in a sink for a few hours and the handle will likely swell up and ruin it. I'm looking for a product I can paint/apply over the lacquer. None of the above photos show the lacquered handle, but it has a glossy/glassy type appearance and is functional, yet rather glossy and unpleasant to grip. Any ideas?
I took the completed blade to a local sharper in Vancouver once I beveled the blade as best I could with a grinder. I am very happy with the results. I wanted an oversized kitchen knife and I wound up with a machete razor blade. Definitely a character piece with an interesting story behind it!
