Is this a bad idea for first knife?

J

J-T-K

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May 11, 2020
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Making a puukko from beech from the garden. It's been rested a couple of months so I'm expecting it to still tighten, but given the small diameter it's pretty much handle sized already after trimming the sides into a block. Following lots of online advice for the different bits and bobs: using a bolster and the cheapest Lauri blade I could find. Going for hidden tang rather than getting the tang through the back and penning it against the handle. I'll rest the block a couple of days between making the hole for the tang and fixing the blade with epoxy it's still drying.

Note: I only have hand tools and I'm happy with something far from perfect. I can rasp and sand pretty well, though. Making a knife press over the weekend too. Expectations are low :D
 
Good morning, J-T-K. Welcome to the addiction.
J-T-K said:
It's been rested a couple of months so I'm expecting it to still tighten
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If you are concerned about the possibility of handle splitting/checking when the blade is finished, you could put the wood in your oven on low (under 200 F) for a couple of hours to complete the drying process and see if it splits before epoxying it on the knife. (If you have access to a food dehydrator, this would work as well, if not better.)
 
A general rule of thumb is let wood dry 1 year for each inch of thickness. I have considered using any number of knife handle shaped branches for handles, but never have done it.
 
Thanks all for the encouragement!

Actually, yes, the branch has a lovely light bend that fits the pommel end nicely. Probably a learning experience.

Re: 1 year / inch, I find there seems to be a big divide between the whittling and the woodworking community on that one, and I have no idea where I stand!! :-D
 
The 1" per year is just a "rule of thumb" for air drying. I lived a long time in Tucson & wood dries there very fast in the summer, too fast at times (surface checking due to the drying exterior & wet interior). If you have some wood that's an inch thick, putting it up in a garage or shed will dry it out in about a year, but in a wet climate (Seattle) it may still be too wet to use & need more time. Only real way to check is with a moisture meter, or an oven (kiln) dry will work as well. That's why stabilized wood is usually good stuff, it's impregnated with resin, so it's theoretically stable & impervious to climate change...
 
Drying wood for handles and things where warping, splitting, and loosening are issues is a lot different than drying wood for turning and carving. A couple months for a fresh branch is just getting started. Small wood usually needs 6 months minimum before is is good for handles.

All that said, you can do your project. Dry the wood in the oven at warm (150-180F) for a couple hours. Let it sit for a couple days after that.

Have fun and be sure to ask questions along the way. Show us what you come out with.

Also, fill out your profile. You would be surprised at the offers of good material and help you get if we know where you are.
 
Wow, that was fast, it already split a bit at the ends!

In the meantime a random selection of wood arrived from an online vendor. It's in somewhat random sized blocks that have been treated and have waxed ends. The smallest blocks would do a handle, and the largest definitely at least two.

Selection has: sweet chestnut, yew, English oak, lime, cherry, tulipwood, idigbo, iroku and meranti. I'm quite excited about the yew, and the meranti has interesting colour and pattern.
 
Oh, brilliant. There is just so much activity and I've not been lurking so long, so as you go along you have to, overall, visit and find lots of separate threads.

Is any of the woods above good for a first go?
 
J-T-K said:
Oh, brilliant. There is just so much activity and I've not been lurking so long, so as you go along you have to, overall, visit and find lots of separate threads.

Is any of the woods above good for a first go?
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It sounds like the wood you bought is all likely fairly dried...hopefully it is. Basically as the moisture in the air changes and the wood on the handle gets wet it swells or shrinks. You will notice the pins or tang being raised or recessed according to the changes happening moisture wise in the wood. This is unavoidable with wood unless you stabilize it. Your knife will still work just fine.

Not sure how much experience you have with woodwork and what tools you have for shaping the wood. If you are shaping it with files and through carving you might not want to use too hard a wood. Depends on experience. If you are using a rotary tool or a belt grinder you can pretty well shape anything easily. But really, I would pick one of your pieces that you like the look of and use on your handle. It will work fine.
 
Randy: thanks. This is my first go at hardwoods, so looking at something easy that can be handled with knives, hand saws, chisels, and rasps. Tempted by the sweet chestnut, meranti and tulipwood (American poplar).
 
Meranti (Luan/Philippine Mahogany) and Poplar are generally too soft and grainy for knife handles. Spanish Chestnut (sweet chestnut) isn't much better. All three are a bit hard to get a good handle finish on without coating them with some type varnish ( which I hate). You would definitely want to work the last 5% of sanding with a sanding sealer to close up the pores. Yew isn't too bad if it is a good heartwood piece. Be cautious of buying wood from a wood turning/woodworking supplier, as they have very different requirements for their wood than knifemakers. Those waxed blocks are often still quite high moisture content, which is what wood turners want. Knifemakers want the wood at 10% or lower moisture content.
Go ahead and use them since you are just learning. All the woods you listed will work easily with rasps, files, and sandpaper.

For knife handles, a better choice of woods would be maple ( many types), walnut (many types), and other hardwoods. Many makers use stabilized wood , which resists shrinking/swelling, is harder, and is easier to work and polish with machinery. If you were in the USA I would send you a box of good handle wood. Maybe one of the UK guys will help you out.
 
Thanks. Yes, to start I'm happy to learn to make simple knives for light use from softer wood. I can work to harder wood once I get the first steps right (securing handles, glue, pressing, sizing, sanding, etc.). Thinking of making a couple of general use / carving puukkos, and a small pocket knife for indoor use to start.

I'll bite the bullet with the chestnut :-)
 
Stacey mentions that those types of wood are too soft for handle wood and tough to get a good finish on without putting a finish on like varnish or poly. Just so you know, you can still use them and it isn't the end of the world if you put varnish or poly on them. It's just not optimal. First knife I put a handle on was a Helle blank and I used unstabilized buckeye burl. Not super hard and I put a couple coats of poly on it. I have used it for years as my every day cary at work. The handle is banged up, much of the finish is gone, it swells and shrinks with the weather and water conditions it is exposed to, BUT it still is pretty nice after 5 years.
One day I will put another handle on it maybe...or maybe give it away. I don't know yet.IMG_2643.jpg IMG_2642.jpg
 
Nice knife, Randy!

Yeah, I'll probably put some varnish when done. More keen to get started than getting the perfect knife. I'll work from there. In the meantime, I've just finished the gluing press
 
Ok, I tested the press and now I have chestnut with a 1/2 inch bit of meranti for variety and I've been drilling the cavity for the tang. What do people use for drilling? I have been using long, thin wood drill bits, but they are not very good at opening the far hidden end of the cavity. Are there specialised long burrs or scrapers that people use? I tried a bit with a needle file and that sort of has the right shape and size but didn't remove enough material. I have seen some sort of knifemaking tool that people build for that purpose, but I'd rather buy something.
 
Wyo Coyote said:
I use something like these for drilling for tangs. I've seen some folks use something that looks like a bit of saw blade on the end of a rod. I don't remember what they're called. I'm sure that someone will pitch in with the name and a source.

https://www.amazon.com/Wrisky-Pract...=side+cutting+drill+bit&qid=1589917684&sr=8-6

Michael
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Very cool bits...I bought a set just now. They will be very useful for flute making/tuning where I need to open the hole up slowly until it is the right note.
 
J-T-K said:
Ok, I tested the press and now I have chestnut with a 1/2 inch bit of meranti for variety and I've been drilling the cavity for the tang. What do people use for drilling? I have been using long, thin wood drill bits, but they are not very good at opening the far hidden end of the cavity. Are there specialised long burrs or scrapers that people use? I tried a bit with a needle file and that sort of has the right shape and size but didn't remove enough material. I have seen some sort of knifemaking tool that people build for that purpose, but I'd rather buy something.
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The "Tool" you are looking for is called a Broach....These are generally home made of a size to fit the tang thickness. John April posted this Photo some time back, and its a good illustration of a homemade Tool.

48520247911_39b600948d_o.jpg
 
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