how to carve fluting in handle

J

jernigan

Joined
Jan 14, 2002
Messages
8
Hi All!

I have a WWII german officers dagger (or what's left of it ;-) that my pop gave me. It is in rather poor condition; the handle is gone, the pommel looks to have been used as a hammer at some point, and the blade bears grevious scratches from the OMs grinder. Probably isn't worth much, but I would like to restore it to something like it's former glory.
I already have a plan (sorta) for the blade and pommel work, but duplicating the original handle has me stumped. Other than spending countless hours with file and sandpaper, can someone suggest a method to replicate the fluting found on the original? I propose to use either micarta or ebony (or perhaps even ivory if I win the lottery this week). I have a metal lathe, but not a wood turning machine.
TIA, and ByeBye! S.
 
Steve, about the only way I know of to safely carve flutes into handle material is with files and sand paper. It can be done with a router on a lathe with a flute cutting jig but you're talking alot of skill and money. I bet you could do it by hand alot faster than you think. One way to line the flutes up evenly is get some tape about 1/4" to 3/8" wide. Start at one end and stick the tape to the handle in the spiral that you want the flutes to be. Then repeat with more tape about 1/8" from the edge of the previous tape. Once you have all the flutes laid out, take a marker and draw a line between the pieces of tape. Take a hacksaw blade and super glue a popsicle stick on each side leaving about 1/8" of the toothed edge exposed. This will act as a depth gauge while cutting the grooves that will become the flutes. After the grooves are cut remove the tape and take a rat tail file and form the flutes just till the groove disappears. Then you just sand them clean and if you want to, round over the edges some. If you're not particular about doing it yourself, some of the knife suppliers sell fluted horn and bone handles at a reasonable price.
 
I have done it about the same but used 4 strings of thread wrapped around handle anchor at the end equalled spaced apart.Try different rate of twist until you get it to your satisfaction.Mark out with magic marker and file with rattail file..really goes pretty quick. try it a few times on scrap material...
 
Steve, you can do it with a router without a lathe but it takes a lot of setup. If you are good with a router try it, if not go to a cabinet shop and ask him to do it for you on his.

There are two problems. 1 you have to index it to space the flutes and 2, you have to cut the flutes so they become less deep until they stop altogether.
To index, the easiest way I know is to build a jig that is just a box about an inch higher then your handle. No top or bottom, just ends and sides. Cut a disk of wood a little larger than the handle. Use a divider to layout index marks on the disk. (same number as the number of flutes you want. Mark the centter of the disk and the center of the wood for your handle. Drill a hile in the disk just large enough for a finish nail and drive the nail a short way in the handle stock. Slide the disk on and hot glue it to the stock. Cut off all but about an inch of the nail. Mark the other end of the stock and drill holes in the end pieces of the box. Put the nail/disk in one hole and drive the nail through the other hole into the stock.

Now the hard part. Figure the amount of rise you need to have the flute clear the wood at the front of your handle. Cut two inclines (big wedges) high enough to allow your router to plunge to the desired depth at the back of your handle and clear at the front. Cut a strap for the front and back of the wedges so you have an inclined box that just fits over the index box. Last cut a slot the size of your router collar in a piece of wood the width of the incline box. Nail it flush with the top of the incline.

Make some kind of pointer that will allow you to index your marks on the disk. Now take a clamp that will let you clamp the sides of the stock and tighten it after you set the first index mark.

Use the router to run to run up the inclines and you have your first flute. (you may need to make several passes to get your depth)

Loosen the clamp and move to your next index mark. Route and go on until you are finished.

There, wasn't that easy!

Oh, do all this on an anti skid mat or you will be chasing itall over the bench.:eek:
 
Michael, I just reread your post. Does he want flutes or spirals? I haven't seen that knife so I don't know what the handle looks like.:confused:
 
I can explain how fluting seems to work for me (did I mention head-aches are a side effect?)... ;)

But I'm not really sure what kind of flutes those handles had. Is there a picture you could put up?

I'd hate to blow a whole lot of hot air if I don't know how to do what you're shooting for :D

Nick
 
Hi again folks!

Wow! What a resource; thanx to all who put so much effort into crafting replys.

In answer to Peters question, I guess what I want would be more accurately described as a spiral. Tightly wrapped, half-round cross section with decorative wire trim along the bottom of the cut.
Here is a photo of a similar dagger found on the web, wish mine had that spectacular damascus blade!

<img src="http://chester.uccs.edu/dagger/12-12h.jpg>

Is posting an html link as above OK on this forum? In case the link fails to bring up the image, go to:

http://chester.uccs.edu/dagger/12-12h.jpg

I came pretty close to duplicating the spiral using my belt sander on a length of broomstick last nite, but still would be looking at lotsa detail work to get a decent finish on it. But what the heck; beats sittin' around watching the paint peel . . . ;-)

Thanks ever so muchly, once again!

ByeBye! S.
 
Yes ,i would call it a spiril,Just use one string and wrap around to get the desired result,then mark it out,i think you will get it done better by hand filing,more control that way...
 
Check this out at:
http://www.riversidemachine.net/item15832.ctlg
a.gif

Its called a Flourney fluter...

C Wilkins
 
Same idea CL, but it doesn't taper the flutes. They are the same depth from front to back.
 
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