Keeping the ricasso mint... Help!!

N

NickBoyle

Joined
Oct 9, 2015
Messages
205
So I've really been trying to work on my fit and finish. I can lay down a nice hand sanded finish on my blades. The problem I keep having is where the top of my handles meets the ricasso on a full tang. It seems like no matter what I do there's always a scratch or something that shows up and I'm stuck trying to sand that area once the handles already finished. I've looked at a lot of pics here and it doesn't look like there's been any touch up in that area. Sooooo how do you keep things so clean and in mint condition!?!?
 
The blade & front of your scales need to be completely finished before you put them on.
Then tape up the blade before finishing the rest of the handle.
 
For me it's blue painters tape and learning to be very careful, but I still cause myself some grief with this now and again, so I feel your pain.
One thing you might also do is take it outside before you call your sanding done. Different light can show up different defects.
 
What they said. If you still have an issue (and I am working on it too) I have had good luck with a thin metal diamond nail file. It can get really close to the handles and it is stiff and thin so you can draw file away from the scales with it. Just don't tell my wife.
 
I have faced the same problems but mine has been that if I wipe the ricasso off some contaminants have scratched it. I usually now try to blow the sanding dust from shaping the handle off with the air hose and do any wipe down the same directions as my sanding strokes.
 
Thanks guys. I've used the tape before. If the top of the handle is rounded and I just put a strip of tape straight across it I usually end up with like a tape line. I've even cut the tape to follow the curve but I still seem to get a mark or scratch. Dunno if it's from left over dust from sanding or what. Maybe I need to pay extra special attention or something.
 
Take your time and wash the knife and scales thoroughly with soap and water. Assemble it in a clean place and go slow.
 
Pre-fit the scales to the tang and drill the pin holes. Take them off and put temporary pins through the scales. Tape them tightly together. Shape the from to the desired shape and sand to 1000 grit. Buff if needed. This will assure both sides are exactly symmetrical, as well as eliminate any sanding at the ricasso.

Now, take them apart and glue the scales on the blade. Wipe off any epoxy squeeze-out on the ricasso with denatured alcohol. Check as it cures and wipe down again if needed. Once the epoxy is cured, tape off the entire blade with blue tape. Put several layers at the ricasso. Sand and shape the handle and finish it with buffing or whatever you use. The pre-front will at the most need just a quick buffing.

Un-tape the blade and clean with alcohol. Sharpen and wipe down with oil .... DONE.
 
Thanks guys. I always have the front of the handles finished before I epoxy things together. I must just be getting some dust or dirt left over from shaping the handles and after I remove the tape and clean everything up, I'm scratching the blade with it. Just wondered if there were any other ways everyone did things. Guess I gotta pay more attention!
 
I do mine a little different. On all knives I flatten the whole profiled blank on the platen. If the grind is before HT I take that to 400 then grind bevels. After HT I re-flatten to 1200 then regrind the bevels. Generally I have a few ricasso scratches so I touch up with 1200 again. Then I tape the ricasso with scotch tape including under the front of the scales with one layer crosswise then tape the rest of the blade. I use a brass feeler gauge (they're hardened) cut to a point and sharpened to trim the tape to the front of the scales. I remove the tape under the scales leaving the rest and glue as normal. I still use q-tips and alcohol for cleanup. I razor blade the tape off the spine for finishing but leave the rest of the tape until all other work is finished. I stopped using blue tape after finding it has something in the adhesive that absorbs moisture at the edges to stop paint bleeding. It was causing rust lines on my carbon blades.
 
I've gotten those rust lines from the blue tape before. Wasn't sure wha caused them but now I have an idea!! Thanks again guys. Got one drying up now, hopefully the ricasso is nice and NOT scratched when I'm done!!
 
the finishing area should have great lighting, a soft pad to lay things down on the table, many paper tissues, a bowl of alchool to rinse the pieces aside....think of it as it was a surgery room and you won't be wrong ;)
 
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