How do I make a quality Saya?

[AVigil]

Check out Walter Sorrells on YouTube he shows how to make a Saya and a whole lot more.

 

[tryppyr]

Well, it's not finished, but I have at least assembled it.

 

[P. McKinley]

That's nice! Is there going to be a pin?

 

[tryppyr]

Yes, there will be a pin. I'm trying to decide whether I want to round out the piece of the saya underneath the G10. The more rounding I do, the less "connected" it is to this knife, and the more I think it would fit the other chef knife I'm working on (with the LV/Blackwood handle).

 

[tryppyr]

Increasingly I am thinking of the saya being connected to the second chef knife. I did a little crude carving of the handle that reinforces the curviness.

 

[Dan Pierson]

I think you're right. I works better with the second knife.

 

[tryppyr]

I have another question. I've been thinking about the pin and I can't get my head wrapped around the pin stays in place. Surely it isn't just friction that holds it in place.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

The pin is tapered, as is the hole....and, yes, it is a friction fit. I have seen a few that were on a braided string ( fishing line?) to keep from loosing it. A banjo/guitar string peg works great.

BTW, you can make a tapered hole drill by carefully grinding a 1/4" bit down with a taper. Drill a 1/8" hole and then use the tapered bit. Make the pegs to match that taper.

 

[tryppyr]

Okay. Thanks Stacy.

 

[tryppyr]

Since Stacy's last post I have been considering what to do about the pin. My initial thought was to make it out of blackwood, for a point of continuity with the handle. I went digging around in my handle material scraps bag and found some musk ox horn scraps, which seems a fairly close color match to the tiger maple. I'm leaning toward the blackwood, but still on the fence.

 

[A.McPherson]

I like the blackwood adds a bit of contrast to the light wood, and a bit of continuity as well. Very nice looking knife all the way around!